welcome - Colebrooke Devon
Church of St Andrew, Colebrooke Devon
There was an earlier small Saxon church here consisting of a nave &amp; chancel  , arches of which survive in the south wall and 2 Saxon heads were also found in one of the Norman pillars of the south chapel when and arch was restored. .  
The first vicar is recorded as Paganus in 1161.  Other evidence of  c.1170 records a  letter by the Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter to King Henry II. about a dispute between himself and lord of the manor Alexander de Colebrooke over who had the rights to the advowson (The right as Patron to nominate a priest). De Colebrooke wanted the Colebrooke Church to be under the control of the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, whilst the bishop didn’t want to lose his influence and at the end of the day won the King's approval. 

By late 13c the church was in a poor state of repair - the  chancel was ‘parvum, inhonestum, male fenestratum et male co-opertum ( small, dishonorable, badly windowed and badly roofed) in 1281 and 1301  when funds were found to reroof, renovate, rebulld and extend.  The present nave with chancel under a continuous roof &amp; south transept belong to this time  - the south transept of c 1300 known as the Horwell Aisle  was  built and endowed by Sir Walter de Bathe who is buried beneath the south window of this chapel. There are two hagioscopes in the church, one to secure a view of the altar in the south aisle from the nave, and the other that the high altar may be seen from the south transept Chapel.
 The east window, dating from c1300, was erected probably in commemoration of Archdeacon Sawbridge, Canon of Exeter, and afterwards Bishop of Winchester. Outside the window are two angels supporting shields bearing the arms of Exeter and Winchester.
The north Copplestone aisle and chapel followed c 1460 built as a private family chantry c1460 by Philip and Walter Coplestone as executors of the will of their father John, who with his wife Elizabeth was buried in the aisle. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/b708U6BKnZ">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/b708U6BKnZ</a>  By late 16c the family had installed a fireplace in there for their comfort (the chimney still exists <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/y0146jg273">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/y0146jg273</a> ) and their carved prie dieu carved in 1472 for the marriage of Philip Coplestone to heiress Anne Bonville still survives. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/936B1J5ar1">
The capital between nave and chancel includes and Coplestone arms and the wall above is pierced for the rood gallery (the nave screen was removed in 1805 ( sad  !!! ) ). The chapel screen across the north aisle and the parclose of 1460 thankfully still exists. 
The 15c font they would have used is also still here , its 17c cover topped with the image of a cleric who has been transformed in 19c into an angel with added wings.  </a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/s4Qu34H2A0">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/s4Qu34H2A0</a>ww.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/936B1J5ar1

The four stage tower with north side stair turret, has 6 bells, and was also added in the 15c, on the left inside edge is carved the intials I.C. and the date 1674 possibly for later work done by the Coplestones...  (The clock was added in 19c,).   Lower on the wall is a slate sundial signed by Harry Hems of Exeter and dated 1889   <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7099sLhU17">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7099sLhU17</a>  . On top is a 19c wrought iron weather vane. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/vk4797Ed5J">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/vk4797Ed5J</a>
The south porch was erected late 15c / early 16c between 3 small 14c windows.
The rood screen has been removed (a faculty was obtained for its removal, August 17th 1805), but the old opening in the chancel arch for access to the rood loft remains.
Reseating and restoration took place in 1854; minor renovation work c 1890 and tower restored 1925-6. 

The registers which date from 1558.curiously record that &quot;Ellen Hook buried, August 3rd, but not in woolen as the act was unknown to us&quot; which begs the question If they did not know of the act why should the fact that she was not buried in &quot;woolen&quot; be mentioned?  the act had been passed 12 years previously.
colebrooke church devon