St Mary

chancel possibly partly C12

nave, north aisle, north chancel chapel and tower late C15

C19, porch probably C16, vestry extension C19.

Of the C12 church, which was probably nave and chancel, a remnant of the south doorway survives and the chancel masonry may also be C12.

The masonry of the south wall suggests that there may have been a probably C13 transept and a cruciform C13 plan, with the chancel remodelled in the C14.

A north aisle and west tower were added in the C15 with some C16 alterations.

2 Decorated 2-light windows on the south wall with hoodmoulds are C19 restorations of C14 windows.

The easternmost window is small and set hight under the eaves to allow for the C14 double sedilia inside.

To the east of the porch a tall 3-light arched C15 Perpendicular window with a moulded architrave, then a very large 4-light uncusped square-headed granite C16 window with hoodmould opposed to a similar window in the north aisle.

The north aisle has an arched 3-light Perpendicular C19 window to the east wall, and 2 C15 arched freestone Perpendicular windows with hoodmoulds to the west of the 3-light C16 granite window.

Above the moulded arched circa early C16 inner doorway is an order of C12 moulding with a saltire cross and billet decoration.

Circa late C16/early C17 studded door.

6-bay C15 north arcade, 2 bays to the chancel with granite monolith piers of 4 shafts and 4 hollow-chamfered arches.

The C19 addition to the north chancel chapel has a single stone pier repeating the mouldings of the C15 piers, supporting a double timber beam.

The south chancel windows have C14 internal masonry and C14 Beerstone inner arches, the mouldings dying into the walls.

Fine C14 Decorated double sedilia with deep cusping.

A fine C12 font with a square bowl with chamfered corners below 4 carved heads with angular profiles has intersecting round-headed blind arcading carved on the sides of the bowl with a leaf ornament and frieze (qv Lifton).

3-bays of the late C15/early C16 rood screen are re-used as the tower screen, including the doorway bay.

A 1903 5-sided drum pulpit has open traceried panels on a stem with struts.

The north chancel chapel is dominated by a massive monument to Sir Thomas Wise of Sydenham (av) died 1629, described by Pevsner as "One of the most ambitious monuments in Devonshire".

The monument is freestanding with 2 recmbent effigies on a Caen stone base on a plinth with 4 pairs of Corinthian columns supporting a coffered arch crowned with corner obelisks and armorial bearings.

Other members of the Wise family, freestanding, are positioned on the plinth, 2 three-quarter size kneeling figures face one another across a prie-dieu at the head of the monument and a small girl in an armchair and a baby in a cradle are on the south side.

Some of the figures are not in their original positions.

An achievement, probably originally part of the Wise monument is fixed to the west wall of the C19 addition, consisting of a helmet with a lion crest, and a pair of gauntlets.

1661 painted panel of the Royal Arms.

Several C17 memorial slabs used as paving.

Fixed to the exterior west wall of the church is a good slate memorial to Grace Hawkins, died 1704 and Edward Hawkins, died 1713.

2 oval inscription panels with cherubim and skulls and cross bones in the spandrels are divided by a central rectangular panel with flowers, hourglass and deathshead carved in relief.

Fixed to the south wall of the chancel is a slate memorial to James Sergeant, died 1656 with an inscription and verse within a decorated border.

The survival of C14 work in the chancel is unusual in the county, and the grandness of the Wise monument makes this an outstanding building.