Description

BLISLAND TEMPLE
SX 17 SW
9/82 Church of St Catherine
6.6.69
GV II*

Church. Circa late C12 or early C13 origins, heavily restored between 1852-1883 by
Silvanus Trevail. Snecked granite and moorstone with granite dressings. Steeply
pitched slate roof with decorative fish-scale slates and slate barge boards. Nave
and chancel in one with gabled ends to lower north transept and south porch.
Plan: Church had fallen into state of decay when fund set up for restoration in 1850.
Although the base of the tower may date from the late C12 or early C13, the church
was almost entirely rebuilt by Silvanus Trevail, who drew up the plans free of
charge. There are the remains of a Norman font and much of the earlier dressed stone
has been reused in the church and building to the south (qv). Church reputedly
rebuilt on earlier foundations with west tower, nave and chancel, north transept and
south porch.
Exterior: West tower of 2 stages with chamfered plinth and strings. 1-light window
to first stage and C19 1-light belfry openings with slate louvres. The second stage
is recessed and the top corbelled out with a heavy battlemented parapet. 1 and 2-
light C19 lancet windows in north and south sides of nave and chancel with reused
dressed stone cusped head and spandrels to lancet window on north side of nave. C19
gabled south porch with ornate C19 hinges to inner plank door.
Interior: C19 arch braced roof. Chamfered 2-centred tower arch with impost
mouldings. No floor to second stage of tower. Restored Norman font with square base
and simple round granite bowl. C20 furnishings. C19 stained glass windows with
subjects largely relating to Knights Templars and Hospitallers.
In 1150 King Stephen gave the Knights Templars (a military and religious order
founded in 1118) the Manor of Trebeigh in St Ive parish (qv Trebeigh Manor) together
with Temple, forming the Preceptory of Trebeigh. In 1312 the Knights Templars were
suppressed and their lands handed over to the Knights Hospitallers. The order was
suppressed during the Reformation and the lands confiscated, later being granted to
Henry Wilbye, George Blyke and passing to the Wrey family in the C17. The church,
until 1753, became famous as a place where marriages could be performed without banns
or license. When such marriages became illegal, the church fell into disuse and no
services were held for more than a century. A fund was started for rebuilding in
1850 and the church was opened in 1883.
Church Guide.
Pevsner, N and Radcliffe, E The buildings of England, Cornwall 1970
Listing description for Trebeigh Manor, St Ive, Cornwall.

Listing NGR: SX1461473240

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534646

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy