Bickleigh Devon
Church of St Mary, Bickleigh Devon
There are 2 Bickleigh churches both dedicated to St Mary, this one is near Tiverton
The battlemented 3-stage west tower is battered and unbuttressed with a large projecting rectangular north stair turret lit by slit windows, its fabric with masonry of large dimensions, is difficult to date but both Cresswell and Pevsner suggest the 13c, The nave chancel are also 13c in origin with four bay south aisle added in the 15c ;   Roman tiles have been reused in the north east vestry wall.   The octagonal tub font with a circular rim carved with pellets and crosses survives from the 12c earlier building. 
The site slopes sharply down to the west and the sill of the east window is close to the level of the ground of the churchyard. 

The manor of Bickleigh belonged to the Carew family for a long period and there are a number of that family's  monuments both inside and out  
High on the north wall of the sanctuary a wall monument with the kneeling figure of  John Carew 1588 &amp; seated child   <a href="https://flic.kr/p/xxQ4Zy" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/xxQ4Zy</a>
Peter Carew 1654 &amp; wife 1619 look down from the south wall of the aisle  <a href="https://flic.kr/p/wTzXCK" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/wTzXCK</a> 
On the south wall a stiff figure of Elizabeth Eriseyes, nee Carew 1618, reclines on a chest with a baby in a cradle below <a href="https://flic.kr/p/xQroQZ" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/xQroQZ</a>
Against the east wall, and partly filling the east window of the aisle, are the figures of Sir Henry Carew 1681 and wife Dorothy Mohun 1676, with their kneeling children around.  <a href="https://flic.kr/p/wTzH1t" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/wTzH1t</a>
Bampfylde Moore Carew, &quot;the king of the beggars &quot; is said to have buried here in 1758 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bampfylde_Moore_Carew" rel="noreferrer nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bampfylde_Moore_Carew</a>
A Gothic gabled memorial in the south wall is to Francis Carew 1848.
The south chancel window commomorates Robert Baker Carew 1899 

The 18c five-sided drum pulpit has simple panelling and a moulded cornice. The nave benches are banked up at the west end and include a number of medieval ends with 2 tiers of tracery. 1 bench end includes a figure possibly connected with the wool trade.  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/86VV12yn60">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/86VV12yn60</a>

First world war brass memorial is on the north wall  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Y5zny8n573">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Y5zny8n573</a>

In 1847 the fabric was described as in &quot;a decayed state&quot; (Cresswell) and thorough rebuilding took place a year later  in 1848 described as &quot;progressive for its date with good craftsmanship&quot;.  Several windows are filled with 19c painted and stamped quarries which Cresswell suggests may have been copied from medieval originals.  

The incised slab of Simon Pidsley who died in 1609 has bee cast out into the graveyard <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/KFrZQ04780">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/KFrZQ04780</a>

Picture with thanks - copyright Lewis Clarke CCL <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2963704" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2963704</a>
bickleigh church devon