St James (parish Church Of West Teignmouth)
Shaldon
Devon
Mid C13, rebuilt 1821, restored 1890 by WH Lloyd of Birmingham, and 1953 after 2nd World War bombing of the east end.
Architectural Features
MATERIALS: red sandstone rubble C13 tower, strap-pointed squared grey Plymouth stone with cream limestone and rendered dressings to the rest.
Tall pointed-arched leaded windows of pale green glass have hollow-moulded mullions and some transoms to 2 and 3-light windows with intersecting tracery.
FITTINGS: include a massive medieval 6.7m high oak ladder to the north-west corner of the tower up to the belfry, with stiles of pit-sawn wych-elm 0.26m x 0.13m and oak rungs 0.11m x 0.05m
the central panels of the C14 Decorated-style Massy stone reredos are flanked by C19 panels dating from 1891 restoration.
Font, pulpit, organ, bells, hatchments etc are C19 or C20.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the C13 church was consecrated in 1268, and the unbuttressed tower was believed to be part of the town's defences.