---
title: "St Swithun, Sandford"
description: "Located in Sandford, Devon. Built Norman origins; rebuilt c.1520; renovated 1847–48. Diocese of Exeter. Grade I. Perpendicular style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Devon","Sandford","Grade I","Perpendicular","John Haywood"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/sandford-st-swithun"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:37:21.140Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-08T18:59:10.207Z"
location: "Sandford, Devon"
country: "England"
county: "Devon"
town: "Sandford"
address: "Sandford, Devon, EX17 4ND"
postcode: "EX17 4ND"
built: "Norman origins; rebuilt c.1520; renovated 1847–48"
architect: "John Haywood of Exeter (1847–48 renovation)"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Swithun"]
diocese: "Exeter"
grade: "I"
style: "Perpendicular"
materials: "Squared volcanic stone rubble with volcanic stone and Beerstone detail; slate roofs"
website: "https://www.sandfordparish.org.uk/"
openingHours: "Open during daylight hours."
parish: "Sandford and Upton Hellions"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1258905"
gridReference: "SS 828 025"
accessNotes: "Accessible toilets in church"
---

# St Swithun, Sandford

St Swithun’s is a Grade I parish church on Church Street in the hilltop village of Sandford, Mid Devon, in the Diocese of Exeter and the parish of Sandford and Upton Hellions.

## Overview

Historic England describes a chapel of ease, now the parish church, of Norman origin, completely rebuilt around 1520 and renovated in 1847–48 by John Haywood of Exeter, who raised the nave roof, added a clerestory, built a new chancel and sacristy, and rearranged the seating. The fabric is squared volcanic stone rubble with volcanic stone detail, much replaced in Beerstone in the nineteenth century, and slate roofs. The plan is a nave with full-length north and south aisles, chancel, southern sacristy, unbuttressed west tower with embattled parapet, and south porch. The listing calls the work Late Perpendicular throughout.

Heritage Gateway notes an earlier church of 1318, a west gallery of 1657 with elaborately carved panels, and major Davie (later Ferguson-Davie) of Creedy Park memorials. The church is known for a large set of sixteenth-century carved bench ends. It was originally a chapel of Holy Cross, Crediton, and became a parish church in 1928 when it joined with St Mary, Upton Hellions.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1258905](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1258905)
- [British Listed Buildings: Church of St Swithun, Sandford](https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101258905-church-of-st-swithun-sandford)