Brendon Devon
Church of St Brendan, Brendon Devon
Curiously the spelling of the village and 6c saint differs.
The church stands on a sloping hillside well away from the village it serves.   It replaced a church of 12c foundation dedicated possibly to St Brendan or to the Virgin Mary at Cheriton two miles away, which was abandoned in the early 18c and of which little now remains.
The present building consists of a 4-bay nave with lean-to north aisle and south porch, 2-bay chancel with north transept / organ chamber. lean-to north-east vestry, and west tower in Gothic style. 

The nave, chancel and gabled south porch date to 1738 and are thought to have been built with reused material from Cheriton
The 4 stage tower was rebuilt in 1828; 
All restored &amp; refurbished in 1873  with pine pews and new stone pulpit , with north aisle, north transept and vestry added 

Inside the walls have been stripped of plaster.  The barrel vaulted roof is probably 18c <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/qG5NE4W474">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/qG5NE4W474</a>
The early 20c elaborately carved wooden reredos, altar rails and choir stalls, are by local carpenter, John Floyd. 
The mid to late 12c stone font on octagonal step, with chamfered square base, circular stem and scalloped square bowl still survives and probably came from Cheriton  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/V31zjop16F">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/V31zjop16F</a>
Another early Norman font / pillar piscina (probably assembled from separate parts) has a carved circular bowl , stem and base,  is strapped for safety to a nearby pillar  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/f127ytS4AC">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/f127ytS4AC</a>

Over the porch is a sundial made of slate, dated 1707 which predates the church and was probably  relocated from another site. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/N8q71i7roe">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/N8q71i7roe</a>


Picture with thanks - copyright Janice Dennis <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2551209/st.-brendon's-churchyard/photo" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2551209/st.-brendon's-churchy...</a>
church devon