Awliscombe Devon
Church of St Michael &amp; All Saints, Awliscombe near Honiton Devon 
This has been a site of worship for  many hundreds, if not  thousands, of years. The large irregular stone which lies outside the west door is thought to be a pagan standing stone, placed in its present position by early Christians to desecrate it. 
There may well have been a church here in pre-Conquest times and there are some slight remnants of the Norman church which we know of from late 12c documents transferring the church from the Wells to to the Exeter Diocese and, in the following century, to the newly founded Abbey of Dunkeswell.
The first incumbant is recorded in 1262 .  Another one was Peter Maverick, whose son the puritan Rev John Maverick took his family to Massachusetts in 1630.
The early church would have neen just the nave of late 13c with perhaps the chancel &amp; south transcept.  The tower dates from mid 15c as does the north east chapel added as a chantry, now the Lady chapel absorbed into the north aisle. 
The present church built of local flint with Beerstone dressings, consists of chancel, nave, north aisle divided from the nave by 4 arches,  south transept, three stage west tower with 6 bells, and south porch with two entrances to the south &amp; west erected by Thomas Chard the last Abbot of Forde Abbey who surrended it to the Crown in 1539 and who was born in Tracey in the parish  Thomas installed a chantry here (probably in the present south transept)  and the mostly late 15c / early 16c  single programme of upgrading and enlarging of the earlier building is thought to be due to him. 
The c 1450 font <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7mv3i12369">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7mv3i12369</a> is topped with a 1890 cover by Harry Hems of Exeter, who also carved the pulpit <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0V4mt24L21">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0V4mt24L21</a>
Entering, the floor of the church slopes upwards from the west to the east, and it is actually a case of walking up the aisle  !.
Over the south door is an old fresco of the Royal arms, and on a plate is the following inscription:— This Royal Coat of Arms of the Stuart period, believed to be c 1660 (Charles ll) , was discovered at the restoration of this Church in 1887.  <a href="https://flic.kr/p/9tchmh" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/9tchmh</a>
In the tower arch are the painted arms of George III [r. 1760-1820], with the names of the churchwardens of the time: Josh Pring and Edward Baker, and the date 1810.  <a href="https://flic.kr/p/9tcoEw" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/9tcoEw</a>

In the north chapel , the east window has remains of old glass showing female saints  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/and">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/and</a> in the aisle are monuments of the Pring family of Ivedon in the parish, John Pring 1820 <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0Z68L12K2p">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0Z68L12K2p</a> who died 9 years after being wounded in the Peninsular War &amp; his brother Daniel Pring 1846 <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5r65W19P57">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5r65W19P57</a> who succeeded him &amp; returning abroad &quot;died a sacrifice to yellow fever in Jamaica.
The registers date from 1559.

Described by Hoskins as &quot;mostly rebuilt in 1846&quot; with reseating and restoration by Robert Medley Fulford in 1886-7 
with the addition of the vestry/organ chamber 


For more pictures see <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sheepdog_rex/albums/72157626221480107">www.flickr.com/photos/sheepdog_rex/albums/72157626221480107</a>
Picture with thanks - copyright Ian <a href="http://www.cornishchurches.com/Awliscombe Church Devon - St. Michael/index.htm" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.cornishchurches.com/Awliscombe%20Church%20Devon%20-%2...</a>
awliscombe church devon