TAMERTON FOLIOT, Plymouth, Devon – St Mary. 

New north aisle, and other additions and improvements, 1894-95

On 26 December 1893 the Western Morning News reported that the vicar had received a cheque from a Mr. Radcliffe of Derriford for £100 towards

the restoration of the north aisle of the parish church from the plans of Mr. G. H. Fellowes Prynne, architect, of London and Plymouth.  Mr. Radcliffe has also instructed Messrs. Clayton and Bell, of Regent-street, London, to fill the tower window with stained glass.

The substantial guidebook of the church by P. S. Bebbington, dating from 1981, gives basic information as to what was done in this restoration. The old north aisle was entirely rebuilt, and was made 5 feet wider than its predecessor, and the crest of its roof made to match that of the rest of the church.  The pulpit was repaired, and a new altar and new choir stalls put in place.  A new heating system was also installed.  The total cost of the restoration was £2,000.

Internally, the new aisle blends quite well, despite the fact that the east window is of different proportions from its counterpart on the south side. The west window appears to be the original.

Externally, this is one of Fellowes Prynne’s least happy projects in appearance. The grey limestone he used neither blends nor contrasts with the random local stone of the original building: the very rectangular nature of the building blocks is directly at odds with the rounded, varied stonework.  It has to be admitted that the original would doubtless have been both difficult and expensive to copy, and perhaps the architect felt that the limestone would mellow with time.