Listed Building: CHURCH OF SAINT PETER (1215407)

TWITCHEN SS 7830-7930 17/214 Church of Saint Peter 20.2.67 GV II Parish church. C15 tower, rest rebuilt and tower altered in 1844, by J. Hayward. Chancel refurnished in 1916. Tower of squared and coursed sandstone. Nave and chancel of dressed sandstone with limestone ashlar dressings and gable-ended Welsh- slate roofs. Plan: Three-bay nave, one-bay chancel, and west tower. Nave and chancel rebuilt in a Decorated Gothic style. Exterior: Two-stage tower. Chamfered plinth, diagonal buttresses to first stage with chamfered offsets, coved string courses and parapet (probably rebuilt in 1844) with raised corners and triangular raised centres to north and south. Rectangular north- east stair turret with small windows and Welsh-slate hipped roof, hipped to west. Two-light square-headed belfy openings with chamfered reveals and stone mullions, and slate louvres. Two belfry openings to south, one above the other. Openings probably restored in the C19. Perpendicular-style C19 first-stage west window of 3 cinquefoil headed lights with panelled tracery, chamfered reveals and stone arch above. C15 west doorway consisting of wave-moulded arch with spur stops and C19 ribbed boarded door. Plinth of tower returns to ground on each side of door. Nave and chancel with chamfered plinths, buttresses with chamfered offsets, moulded stone eaves cornices and parapeted gable ends with stone copings, and cross on apex of chancel gable. Nave windows of 2 chamfered cinquefoil-headed lights with quatrefoils in tracery and stone arches above. Chancel has moulded cinquefoil-headed lancets to north and south with stone arches above. Chamfered-arched south doorway to left with runout stops and ribbed boarded door. Approached by 4 stone steps. Perpendicular-style east window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with panelled tracery, chamfered reveals and stone arch above. Interior: Chamfered round tower arch with chamfered imposts. C15 chamfered-arched doorway to tower stair with C19 ribbed boarded door. C15 newel stair. West window and door with continuous splayed jambs. C19 six-bay nave roof with moulded wooden wall plate, trusses consisting of principal rafters and low chamfered collars (or high ties) with scroll stops (also with corner brackets), pairs of purlins and boarded soffit. Nave windows with chamfered segmental-pointed rear arches. C19 continuously-chamfered chancel arch. C19 three-bay chancel roof similar to nave roof, with collar trusses, single purlins etc. Shallow hollow-chamfered rear arches to chancel windows and south door. Fittings: Chancel refurnished in 1916 (see brass plate on wall). Plain communion rails. Carved wooden altar. Panelled oak reredos (dated 1938) with 3 traceried panels, carved by Mr H.Reade of Exeter. Late C19 vicar's desk and chair and wrought-iron reading desk. Late C19 three-sided wooden pulpit in north-east corner of nave, with blind 2-light traceried panels to front, moulded top rail and wrought-iron reading desk support. Mid-to late C19 benches in nave, with panelled ends. Late C19 organ, restored in 1938 (see plate) with early- C18 style case. Restored C12 font with C19 octangonal step, restored circular stem with moulded and dogtooth-ornamented base, gadrooned and chevron-ornamented circular bowl, and flush C19 wooden cover. Plain late C17 communion table in vestry at west end of nave, with plain turned bulbous legs and shaped apron to front. Also old chest in vestry. Possibly C18 chest in chancel, with panelled sides. C19 encaustic tiles to chancel floor. C19 stained glass in chancel windows, dated 1844. Nave window with C19 diamond-leaded clear glass and C19 stained glass in tracery with Biblical quotations. Two panels of C19 stained glass in tracery of west window depicing St Matthew and St Luke (panels depicting St Mark and St John have probably been removed). Slate plaque above chancel arch with inscribed border and inscription:" RE-BUILT /A.D./ 1844/WILLIAM BURDETT,MINISTER/JOHN TAPP, CHURCHWARDEN" C18 and C19 bells, restored in 1911. A church on this site is first mentioned in 1340, and was a chapel dependent on the Church of All Saints, North Molton (q.v.). Sources: N. Pevsner. The Buildings of England, North Devon, p. 157; Kelly's Directory of Devonshire (1939), pp. 109-10; Beatrix F. Cresswell, Notes on Devon Churches, Deanery of South Molton. pp.242-6. Listing NGR: SS7885630490