Description

ST KEVERNE ST KEVERNE
SW 72 SE
3/138 Church of St Keverne
10 7 57
I
Parish church. North-west corner of north aisle circa late C13, continued east in
C14 and early C15. West tower circa early C15 with spire constructed in 1450.
North arcade circa early c15 followed by south arcade. Chancel circa late C15 and
east wall partly reconstructed in C19. South porch circa C16. Spire damaged by
lightning in 1770 and rebuilt. Part of south aisle rebuilt in C19 and 2 windows
renewed. Church restored in 1893. Abbots of Beaulieu patrons of church between
1235 and 1538. Rubble stone with slate roofs. Ashlar granite tower and spire.
Nave and chancel in one. 8-bay north and south aisle not quite full length.
Aisles extend west to flank west tower. East window rebuilt in 1898 (3-light
perpendicular tracery). North aisle, 1-light lancet on west side with 2-centred
arch over doorway. Hood mould and roll moulded jambs. One 3-light Perpendicular
window with cusped heads and three 4-light perpendicular windows. 2 early
buttresses with 2 later buttresses. East windows of north and south aisles 5-light
Perpendicular. South aisle; priests door with segmental arch. Two 4-light
Perpendicular windows renewed in late C19. One 3-light and one 4-light C15
perpendicular window, window to west blocked (visible on interior). South door C15
with 4-centred moulded arch flanked by shields at spring points. Banded voussoirs.
C18 panelled south door. Modern figure in ogee-headed niche above. Gabled south
porch with stoup in east wall and stone benches flanking internal walls. Rounded
stone arch. West windows to north and south aisles with checker voussoirs to 2-
centred arches. Window to north aisle, 3-light Reticulated tracery, circa early
C14, possibly reset. Window to south aisle 3-light Perpendicular tracery.
Battlemented unbuttressed tower in 2 stages with moulded plinth and strings.
Serpentine west doorway with checker surround. 4-centred arch with hood mould and
serpent heads in label stops. Quatrefoils in spandrels. 4 shields at spring point
of arch. Within, a small barrel-vaulted vestibule with stone benches and west
doorway. Tall serpentine west window with checker voussoirs over. 3-light belfry
openings with slate louvres on each side. 2-faced clock added in 1907. Octagonal
ribbed spire with quatrefoils. Long Nave, north arcade with type-A (Pevsner)
piers. Multi-coloured stone piers with shields in corners of capitals. Square
bases. 3-rood stairs in north wall. South arcade piers of unusual section. Abaci
of chancel arcade indicate later C15 date. Contemporary waggon roofs over north
and south aisles and nave and chancel, restored in 1893. Much repaired over north
aisle at west end. Chancel roof slightly painted. Carved bosses, ribs and arcade
plate with traces of ancient colour over east end of north and south aisles. Tower
arches open into nave and flanking aisles. Pointed arches of granite on plain
rounded capitals. Some early C16 oak bench ends to later benches, comprising 2
panels with cusped heads over decorative motifs (shields, initials). Banded and
intertwined foliage. Quatrefoils below. Pyramid stops. Font, circa C15, granite
with late serpentine curved shaft on square granite base. Figures at corners
holding shields and crossed swords with initials between. Octagonal pulpit, circa
C17 with carved panels and renewed base. 2 C17 cupboards decorated with angel
heads and cherubs as caryatids. Wall painting of St Christopher on north wall,
circa C15. Monument on south wall to George Tregosse Lale, Merchant, 1710. Broken
round pediment with shields and heraldic arms. Some colour remains.
Sources: Words from a Cornish Village, Jill Newton, 1981
The Buildings of England, Cornwall, N Pevsner and E Radcliffe, 2nd ed. 1970

Listing NGR: SW7912221298

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529537

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)