St John The Baptist

C15 north aisle, substantial rebuilding of 1815, replacing the crosswing tower with a tower at the west end of the aisle, architect William Burgess of Exeter

Red sandstone rubble with white freestone dressings and slate roof with crested ridge tiles.

Plan: The C12 plan of nave, chancel

crossing tower was extended in the C15 by a 5-bay north aisle, (no extant evidence of transepts).

Exceptional C12 west doorway and south tympanum

the pre-ecclesiological alterations to the fabric are well- documented and historically interesting (Dr Chris Brooks), most of the windows tracery is 1820s, presumably copying the medieval originals.

Nave with 3 3-light C19 Perpendicular windows with a remarkable C12 tympanum, "the finest in the county" (Cresswell), above a blocked doorway to the west.

SX9173 : Bishopsteignton, St. John the Baptist's Church: Rare c12th tympanum above blocked south doorway

© Michael Garlick

The 3 magi are shown in profile below an arcade with the virgin at the right end, face on, in a pleated dress : the figures and detail highly stylized.

3-light C19 Perpendicular west window above a C12 west doorway, "one of the best in Devon" (Pevsner) with 2 orders of colonettes with carved capitals and zig-zag and scale patterns on the shafts.

3 orders of carved decoration to the doorway, the outer order with fleur de lis decoration, the inner order with beakheads and grotesque masks holding a roll moulding.

The tower has big crocketted corner pinnacles with carved heads, pinnacles to each face and a string course carved with flowers and grotesques.

The west face has a C19 Romanesque doorway with 3 orders of carved chevron decoration and 2 orders of colonnettes

Nave and aisle roofs C19 unceiled wagons, plastered behind the rafters, with carved foliage bosses

The tower has a small doorway into the aisle in a Tudor arched recess, blocked recess (probably associated with a former gallery) above.

Wall between the 1854 chancel aisle/organ chamber pierced by a high stone arch with brattished sill and angel corbels and a doorway with carved spandrels and a hoodmould, wall between aisle and chancel aisle/organ chamber pierced by an arch with carved foliage bosses and flowers.

The nave has a timber drum pulpit with blind traceried panels, set of C19 benches with panelled ends.

C12 font with C19 re- cutting, with a round bowl with a decorated rim and palmettes carved on the bowl, cable and scallop mouldings to stem.

SX9173 : St John the Baptist, Bishopsteignton, Devon - Font

© John Salmon

Monuments Late C17 wall monument on north wall of chancel, commemorating Sir Peter Lear, died 1682, inscription panel with a scrolled pediment and achievement.

Large late C17 classical mural tablet with broken pediment and achievement in the aisle commemorating members of the Martyn family of Lindridge.

Glass South window in chancel, dated 1858 with the marker's mark of William Warrington.

Two fine easternmost windows in the nave with 1850s and 1860s memorial dates, probably by Gibbs.

The westernmost nave window probably by Lavers and Barraud, memorial date of 1873.

The aisle has the remains of an 1850s quarry and medallion scheme, one window replaced with a memorial date of 1868, possibly by Drake of Exeter.

West window by Andrew Johnston being put in at time of survey An important church for the quality of the C12 work and unusual for the well documented alterations to the fabric in the early C19.