Description

SX 07 NW ST KEW ST KEW
5/188 Church of St James (previously
6.6.69 listed as Church of St Kew)
GV I
Parish church. Circa C15. Restored in 1883. Stone ashlar with moulded plinth and
slate roofs with nave and chancel in one. C15 Perpendicular tracery largely intact
with heads of tracery to north and south aisles partly restored or renewed, tracery
in north window of chancel partly restored and tracery in east window of chancel
largely renewed. Masonry fairly undisturbed with several straight joints in fabric
Comprises 5-bay nave, chancel, north and south aisles, west tower and south porch.
Chancel 5 light east window with C19 tracery and mullions but in original frame; C15
arched south doorway with C19 door; C15 north window-with original Perpendicular
tracery.
North and south aisles : C15 4 centred arch 3-light windows with Perpendicular
tracery; circa C16 west window of south aisle with unmoulded tracery; circa C15 5-
light east window of south aisle with basket arch and Perpendicular tracery; and
circa C15 4-light east window of north aisle with Perpendicular tracery. Fine west
tower of 3 stages with turret stair on south, set back, stepped buttresses and partly
renewed battlemented parapet with corner pinnacles and crocketted finials. Circa C15
moulded 4-centred arch to west door with renewed hood, 3-light west window with
eroded uncusped Perpendicular tracery, 2-light windows with rectangular surrounds and
3-light belfry openings with Perpendicular tracery and slate louvres.
Gabled south porch with wide 4-centred granite arch with hood-mould and carved label
stops and sundial in gable above. Moulded 2-centred greenstone arch to south door
with pyramid stops and hood-mould. Triple lapped and studded possibly C16 door with
inner face renewed.
Interior with tall lofty 5-bay nave and chancel with north and south aisles of equal
height. Circa C15 waggon roofs throughout although partly restored ceiled with later
boarding probably replacing plaster; moulded transerve and longitudinal ribs with
carved bosses, arcade and wall plates. The chancel and 2 eastern bays of the north
and south aisles have carved ribs and the bosses in the chancel have been re- gilded
probably in the 1970s. Carved figures of angels at springing points of ribs in nave
and south aisle (qv Church of St Endellienta, St Endellion) partly renewed in circa
late C19 or early C20. C15 waggon roof in porch, partly restored with moulded ribs,
carved wall plate and 2 carved bosses.
Arcade to north and south aisles of 5 bays with tall type A (Pevsner) moulded piers
with tall bases carved capitals and moulded 4-centred arches. Unmoulded 2-centred
tower arch.
Circa C15 octagonal font with moulded cornice and base and band of quatrefoils. Fine
circa C17 timber pulpit with carved panels. Cusped head to piscina in chancel
possibly once continuing to west with sedilia and possibly reworked piscina in north
aisle. Rood loft turret with stair in north aisle. C19 chancel screen, possibly
with fragments of earlier screen although heavily restored. Four circa C15 bench
ends remain. Over south door plaster royal arms dated CR 1661, this is formed on an
interesting older oak framed and chamfered construction possibly a Tympanum,
mutilated when arms moved to present position. Almsbox at west end of north aisle.
Glass of particulary fine quality with C15 east window in north aisle almost complete
with exception of 2 lower panels. Depicts the events of Holy week with arms of
Henry V above with those of the Carminow, Kingdom and Beare families. This window is
reputed to have been referred to in accounts of the mayor and churchwardens of
Bodmin, circa 1469, with entry 'It. y recevyd for a Wyndow of Seynt Kewa, xxjs vijd'
(Polsu).
Circa C15 reset glass in east window of south aisle with fragments of Tree of Jesse.
Further glass in south aisle, reset with heraldic arms.
Memorials: East end of nave with several C18 legers stones of fine quality; slate
stone hung on south aisle to John Cavell, 1602 with arms of Cavell impaling
Courtenay, Godolphin and Pomory; slate stone hung on north aisle to Honor, wife of
John Webber of Ambel, died 1601 with carved figure of mother and three children in
relief. Classical memorial in tower to Mrs Melloney Pomory, died 1799.
Several fine ledger stones hung on exterior of church including those of Nicholas
Philips, 1779 and John Ballamy of Drewsteignton, Devon, 1702.
Resited lantern cross and Ogham stone at west end of south aisle.
Pevsner, N and Radcliffe, E The Buildings of England, Cornwall 2nd edition, 1970.
Polsue, J Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, Vol II, 1868 rp. 1974.
Shenton, J S A Short Account of St Kew Parish Church.

Listing NGR: SX0215976889

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528994

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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