Church of St Brevita, Lanlivery, Cornwall

Description

SX 05 NE LANLIVERY LANLIVERY
7/24 Church of St Brevita (formerly lists
as Church of St Brywyth)
10.2.67
GV I

Parish church. Late C14, with alterations, south aisle, porch and tower of mid C15;
C19 restoration, C20 alterations. Granite rubble and ashlar, asbestos slate roofs
with crested ridge tiles.
Nave and chancel in one, with north transept; these are in granite rubble with
granite dressings. Probably in the first half of the C15, the south aisle and south
porch were added, and the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt. The tower is of
later C15, and at the same time as the tower was built to west, the north wall of the
nave was rebuilt, on similar plinth. The north transept is used as an organ chamber
and vestry. C19 restoration included work to the south arcade, tower arch and
windows. Perpendicular style.
Nave and chancel in one; there are 3 bays of the nave on the north side, to the west
of the transept. These are in granite ashlar, on a plinth with a hollow-chamfered
moulding, with moulded eaves cornice, 3 Perpendicular style windows with 4-centred
arches, all 3-light, with cusped heads and upper tracery and hood mould. The 2 north
bays of the chancel are in rubble, without plinth, with central blocked priest's door
with 2-centred arch. To left and right, a 4-centred arched 3-light window, with the
centre light taller with 2-centred arch, with hood mould. The east gable end of the
chancel has 4-light window, with 4-centred arch and hood mould, cusped lights and
upper tracery.
The north transept is a single bay, in random rubble, the north gable end has a
Decorated style window of 3 lights with 4-centred arch, cusped lights and
intersecting Y tracery; weathered buttress to west and pointed arched C19 door to
east, also a 3-light window, as on the north side of the chancel but smaller. The
rood stair turret is set in the angle between the transept and the nave, with 1
blocked lancet.
The south aisle is of 6 bays on chamfered plinth, in granite ashlar, with the porch
in the 2nd bay from the west. All the south windows are of 3 lights, in
Perpendicular style, with cusped lights and upper tracery, 4-centred arches and hood
mould; eaves cornice. The east gable end has raised coped verges and cross finial,
with 4-light window with cusped lights and Y tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould;
straight joint to chancel. The west gable end also has raised coped verges and cross
finial, 3-light window in Decorated style as on north transept, possibly re-used.
Parapet wall built up to conceal valley to nave. 2 slate headstone set on wall, to
Hugh Littleton, 1740 and Thomas Littleton, 1769, with carved cherub.
The south porch is gabled, with raised coped verges and cross finial, on plinth with
eaves cornice. 4-centred arched doorway with recessed spandrels and hood mould,
wave-moulded surround with C20 double doors. Slate sundial set on gable, with
gnomon, dated 1755. The porch plinth is continuous with the plinth of the south
aisle.
The west tower is in granite ashlar, of 3 stages on hollow-chamfered. plinth, with
setback buttresses rising through 2 stages, stopped by corbels set under the string
course, with carved masks, lions, angels and figures holding a head. The string
course at the top of the 3rd stage has gargoyles, embattled parapet with embattled
corner turrets with crocketed pinnacles and cross finials. C19 4-centred arched west
doorway with quatrefoils in spandrels and hood mould, plain double door. 4-light
window above with cusped heads, Y tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould, 2 courses
of relieving arch. Bell-openings at 3rd stage, 4-light to west and other sides 3-
light, with mullions, 4-centred arch and slate louvres, 3-light openings have cusped
heads. To east, the string course at first stage is stepped over the gable end of
the nave, with a 2-light 4-centred arched window above, with slate ventilators, hood
mould and relieving arch. The stair tower is set within the tower, pierced
quatrefoils and lancets to north.
Interior : Tall pointed tower arch, with arch of 3 wave-moulded orders, rebuilt in
C19, with 5 clustered granite piers to each side with moulded abaci; pointed arched
doorway to north west to tower stair. The nave and chancel have ceiled wagon roof.
6-bay south arcade with 2 bays to chancel and 4 bays to nave, of 4-centred arches
with Cornish standard piers with quatrefoils on abaci and 2 hollow-chamfered orders
to arches. Slate floor to nave and aisle, plastered walls. Window reveals rebuilt
in C19. South aisle has 12 bays remaining of C15 waggon roof, to east, other
timberwork removed. Moulded ribs and bosses, wall-plate partially re-carved in C19;
fine bosses including a green man and a grotesque mask. The south porch has a wagon
roof with moulded ribs and bosses, of C19 reconstruction. Granite floor with stone
benches to sides, holy water stoup to right of door. 4-centred arched granite
doorway with step stops, studded door, which is a refacing of an early door, with
strap hinges to inner side and wooden lock with decorative iron facing. The north
transept is entered through a 4-centred arch, as in the arcade, but with different
mouldings to abaci. Blocked squint to chancel and 4-centred arched hollow-chamfered
door to rood stair, lower part of stone newel stair remaining. Ceiled wagon roof and
blocked fireplace to northwest. Early roof may remain under plasterwork in nave and
north transept.
Fittings : Large octagonal granite font in south aisle on octagonal stem with
quatrefoil panels and shields to sides. Late C19 wooden pews and pulpit in nave and
aisle. C18 panelled chest in nave. In north transept, a hatchment painted with a
letter of thanks from Charles I "given at our camp at Sudely Castle" 10th September
1643, with nowy head and initials CR, with finials. In the tower, a hatchment dated
1811, with verses on the laws of bellringing and primitive painting of Bellringers.
Monuments in nave : limestone tablet with pinnacles, frieze and cornice, to Nicholas
Kendall, 1844; in chancel, a heart-shaped tablet with bay leaf surround, cornice and
shield of arms above, to Walter Kendall, 1696, monument erected 1703 by his relict;
marble tablet on slate ground with cornice, scrolled pediment and acroterial
ornaments, to Anne Wynter, 1835. In south aisle, a slate tablet with pediment on
plinth, with moulded corbels, central shield with ancient colour remaining, to
Nicholas Kendall, 1739; slate tablet set low on wall, with arcade of 3 arches, with
carved borders. There is a shield of arms in the arch to left, inscription in arch
to right, central arch has raised carved female kneeling at a prie-dieu, with a
pennant from her lips with the words: my spirit doth heaven inherit. To Jane
Kendall, 1643. Marble tablet on slate ground, to T W Kendall, 1798. Fine baroque
monument, with slate inscription panel, on moulded base with scrolled supports, apron
has skull with crossed bones and bat wings, modillion cornice and entablature, broken
pediment with central shield and obelisk finials; to Joan Kendall, 1675. Marble
tablet with drapery, to Penelope Kendall, 1687. Marble classical monument with Ionic
columns in coloured marble, cornice and entablature, broken pediment with central
urn; to Mary Fletcher, died 1754, monument erected 1753. Marble tablet on slate
ground, to Mary Collins, 1781. Chancel windows, and windows in south aisle, with
stained glass of late C19. Chancel east window incorporates small coat of arms of
medieval glass, 1 north window in nave has fragment of medieval blue glass.
Sources : Radcliffe, E : Buildings of England : Cornwall 1970.

Listing NGR: SX0799259047

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

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Church of St Brevita

A Grade I Listed Building in Lanlivery, Cornwall

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Description

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