Description

GWINEAR-GWITHIAN GWINEAR CHURCHTOWN
SW 53 NE
4/23 Church of Saint Winnear
-

GV I
Parish church. Base of Norman font and some Norman carved heads reused; chancel
probably C13; otherwise C15 except for north aisle which is C16, built by the
Arundell family. Most windows and the roof structure renewed in the C19. Granite
ashlar tower and part of north wall, otherwise granite and elvan rubble with granite
dressings. Dry Delabole slate roofs with gable ends.
Plan: C13 chancel, otherwise C15 or C16. Nave/chancel ; west tower, north aisle and
porch ; later parallel north aisle or chapel and south aisle.
Exterior: virtually complete C15 3-stage embattled west tower with set-back
buttresses, pinnacles at the corners and external stair turret north of the north-
west corner ; 2 centred west doorway with 3-light window over ; 2-light louvres to
the middle stage and 3-light windows with slate louvres to the upper stage. C15
north and south doorways with Tudor roses to the spandrels of the 4-centred arches.
C15 or early C16 north porch doorway has moulded jambs and imposts surmounted by a
steep 4-centred arch. Beside this is a C16 doorway with outer and inner arch to the
Arundell chapel. Chancel east window is circa late C13 with intersecting tracery C15
or early C16 windows and blocked priest's doorway to south aisle ; remodelled C15
window to south wall of nave ; otherwise the windows are C19, mostly in the
Perpendicular style.
Interior: pointed tower arch ; 6-bay arcade between nave/chancel and north aisle with
C15 standard A (Pevsner) piers for the 2 western bays and presumably C16 octagonal
piers for the other 4 bays, all with carved capitals ;
C15 4-bay arcade, between nave/chancel and south aisle, with standard A (Pevsner)
piers and moulded capitals. C16 3-bay arcade with octagonal piers between north
aisle and far north aisle (The Arundell Chapel).
Plastered walls and C19 waggon roofs except for C15 waggon roof over chancel.
Fittings: ancient granite cross fragment with carved crucifixion. Norman font base
with chevron carving, surmounted by fat green elvan round shaft and octagonal granite
bowl dated 1772 ; base of C15 rood screen with carved ogee-headed paired panels
between heavily carved muntins; cast-iron fire back dated 1588 with initials IFC ;
octagonal C19 pulpit incorporating 5 C16 carved ogee arch-headed panels ; painted
letter from Charles I ; otherwise C19 fittings.
Monuments: marble wall monument to Elizabeth Arundell, wife of John Arundell of-
Sithney and daughter of Thomas Lanyon of Gwinear, died 1683 aged 36.

Listing NGR: SW5950237370

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of Saint Winnear at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17529370

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)