St Peter

C15, tower late C15, substantial restoration of the 1880s.

The pre C14 building was probably cruciform with a south aisle added in the C14.

Parts of the tower masonry may also date from the C14.

In the C15 the south aisle was altered and re-roofed, the nave re-roofed and the tower rebuilt.

The name was refenestrated in the late C15/early C16.

The north transept has a coped gable and a 3-light square-headed cusped circa late C15/early C16 east window with a hoodmould and label stops, the mullions have been replaced.

On each side of the south west porch is a 3-light square-headed cusped circa late C15/early C16 window with hoodmould and label stops.

A shallow-moulded arched priests' door on the south side at the east end is late C15/early C16 with a circa C12 corbel head inserted above.

The doorway at the west end of the south side is probably the reused outer doorway of a late C15 porch which no longer exists.

The moulded arched granite doorway has a moulded square- headed architrave, carved spandrels and a hoodmould with carved label stops.

The C15 4-light granite east window to the aisle is deeply recessed with Perpendicular Y tracery, cusped lights, hoodmoulds and carved label stops.

The 3 granite south windows are of more conventional Perpendicular design with hoodmoulds and carved labels stops.

A section of wall between the tower and the west wall of the south aisle probably represents the remains of the C14 west wall of the aisle.

The south arcade alternates between C14 Decorated octagonal piers in ashlar masonry

moulded C15 Perpendicular granite piers.

Pevsner suggests that this design was adopted to give them the same width as the C14 piers reused when the aisle was rebuilt.

The C19 timber chancel arch springs from a carved moulded rood beam carried on moulded brackets and shafts supported on small corbels.

The nave roof is a Perpendicular plastered waggon, unusually wide, with carved ribs, bosses and wallplates.

The wallplates are largely C19 but otherwise the carving is original with fine shallow foliage bosses of various designs.

A waggon roof to the south aisle has similar carving with an original wallplate on the south side.

The chancel roof is a C19 boarded ceiled waggon with carved ribs, bosses and wallplates.

Outstanding C12 font, probably Polyphant with profile heads at the corners of the bowl.

SX3895 : Ashwater, St. Peter's Church: Norman polyphant font 6

© Michael Garlick

3 faces of the bowl are carved with foliage framed by a border moulding terminating in beast's heads of a Scandinavian appearance.

An elaborate 1880s reredos of 5 bays of minutely carved timber tabernacle work with flamboyant tracery over a tile painting of the supper at Emmaus, the timber frame of the reredos linked to the tile painting with trompe l'oeuil effects.

The theme of the painting is continued on a tin dado with stencil decoration and demi-angels running across the east wall on either side of the carved traceried hinged riddels that frame the reredos.

The choir stalls are elaborate with carved traceried panels to the ends and an integral parclose on the south side with cusped arcading.

A good timber drum pulpit on a wineglass stem with panels of blind arcading filled with delicate diaper carving and symbols of Christ was carved by Northcott of Ashwater.

The carved rectangular bench ends to the front of the nave and aisle are partly C19 and partly C19 repairs of medieval bench ends, some carved with symbols of the Passion.

2 medieval stained glass heraldic shields in the east window, Carew impaling Carminow, Courtenay impaling De Redvers and 1 shield of monogram.

Fixed to the south side of the south aisle an elaborate circa late C15 Beerstone Monument, probably to Thomas Carminow, died 1442, probably moved from the south chancel chapel.

The effigies of a knight and lady lie on a chest beneath a canopy with a heavily cusped arch, the principal cusps terminating in angels' heads.

The chest is decorated with the remains of richly cusped blind quatrefoils and a quatrefoil frieze crowns the tombs, the original cresting has been replaced by a circa C17 depressed timber pediment.

The soffit of the canopy is decorated with ribs and the remains of a gnadenstuhl is carved in a niche at the feet of the effigies.

There is a good C17 slate ledger stone fixed to the east wall behind the altar.

A large plaster 1638 Royal Arms is fixed to the south wall framed by Corinthian columns and a moulded plaster cornice at wallplate level.