Building record 0415600000 - HOLY CROSS CHURCH, SLAPTON

Dimensions - Length 24m, Width 10m.
Plan Form - Subrectangular.
Nave, 2 aisles, chancel, W tower, embattled, 5 bells. Chancel rebuilt 1816 (B1-2).
Earliest detail is C13 chancel arch. Nave & aisles not earlier than c.1320. Possibly a tower on site of present W tower of later C15. Clearstorey, windows, N porch C15. Chancel rebuilt/encased in brick C19 (B3-4).
At NGR (B6).
Grade II+. Parish church. Originally late C13-early C14, much altered late C15, chancel mostly rebuilt early C19, other C19 restorations. Tower is of dressed chalky stone with some flint; nave and aisles are rendered; chancel is of chequer brick with ironstone plinth. Lead roofs except for tiled chancel. Chancel, nave, aisles, W. tower, N. porch and C19 N. vestry. C15 W. tower of 2 stages has battlemented parapet, diagonal buttresses and 2-light traceried openings to bell-chamber. 3-light cusped window over W. door, both openings with 4-centred arches. Nave has plain parapet and 3-bay clerestory of 2-light cusped windows with depressed heads. Aisles extend to west, flanking part of tower, and have moulded parapets and 3-light cusped windows with flat heads, 3 to S., 2 to N. Low doorways between W. windows have chamfered 2-centred arches, that to N. in rendered porch. Chancel has C19 traceried windows in Decorated style: 2 2-light to S., one to N., and 3-light E. window with reticulated tracery. Lean-to vestry to N. Interior is of dressed clunch with plastered spandrels and aisle walls. Tower arch is double chamfered, the inner order on moulded corbels. Nave arcades are of 4 bays with double chamfered and stopped arches on octagonal piers with moulded caps, the W. arches being narrower than remainder. Both nave and aisle roofs are late C15 with moulded beams, restored. N. aisle also has wide recess in E. wall with shallow pointed head, and niche with 4-centred arch above. Chancel arch is late C13, double chamfered on semi-octagonal piers with moulded cape. C19 aumbry and piscina. Fittings Circular font with altered moulded base, probably C13; C17 communion table, altered; C19 glass in chancel; other fittings C19. Brasses to Reginald Manser 1462, Thomas Knyghton 1522, and to James Tornay 1519. RCHM II p. 264-5 (B5).
A watching brief carried out by John Moore Heritage Services in November 2011 during service trenching identified a number of 13th to 14th century foundation trench cuts, chalk and ironstone building footings of the church and make-up layers. The foundations of a late 19th century brick built extension at the NW corner of the chancel and the remains of a late 19th or early 20th century external drainage scheme were observed. See report for detail (B7).
A second phase of watching brief carried out by John Moore Heritage Services in September 2013 during further service trenching identified a single post-medieval grave cut and a 19th century brick foundation possibly an angle buttress for a planned but not built side chapel. See report for detail (B8).