Description

ST CLEMENT ST CLEMENT
SW 84 SE
7/118 Church of St Clement
30-5-67

GV I

Parish Church C15. Shale with granite quoins and dressings and scantle slate roofs
with gable ends. Nave, chancel, west tower, north transept, south aisle and porch.
North wall of nave partly rebuilt, C19 resetting of C15 Perpendicular granite 3
light window west of transept and inserted C19 Perpendicular style window east of
Transept. North transept has straight joint to nave and is later but probably C15
with C19 cusped headed windows. East wall of chancel rebuilt C19 to receive
pointed window with rose in tracery. East wall of south aisle does not align with
chancel and has C15 Perpendicular granite window with monolithic jambs. South wall
has 1:1:4 bays. Second bay is porch with semi-circular arched moulded granite door
frame probably C15-C16 (similar inner door). Other bays have C15 granite 3 light
Perpendicular windows. West window of south aisle is C19 in Perpendicular style.
Three stage west tower is reputed to be C14 (Pevsner and Church guide) and has
inscribed date 1326 in belfry but the building displays no architectural evidence
for this. Moulded round headed granite doorframe with hoodmould and relieving arch
is probably C15, as is outer frame of window over. Bottom stage has buttressing to
corners of north and south walls. Second stage and parapet have clasping corner
buttresses whereas top stage is unbuttressed. This stage may have been inserted
C16 - C17 reusing parapet stonework. Gargoyles over second string resolve the
junction. Granite windows to upper stage are round headed with hood moulds and
relieving arches with 3 round headed lights, the centre light higher, and pierced
slate louvres. Parapet has corner pinnacles, two of which are C19 replacements
(original ones are in Vicarage garden). Lead roof. Interior has granite near-
semi -circular arched arcade standard A type (Pevsner) piers of 6 bays between nave
and chancel and south aisle, with further C15 arch to transept. Tall tower arch
has inner rib arch carried on corbels. Roofs are C19 and arch braced over heavy
wallplates with shields and baliflower carvings to nave and south aisle and
incorporating carved wood from old wagon roofs in porch and transept. Evidence for
fitting of rood screen but nothing survives. Tower granite newel stair is in north
west corner. Lower stages of tower have very thick north and south walls, swept
towards stair. Lively patterns of clear, red, blue, yellow and green glass in
windows dedicated to eminent parishioners of 1840s to 1860s. Particularly striking
is chancel enamel painted window of interlacing design to Admiral Sir Barrington
Reybolds GCB 1861. Fittings include C19 pine pews with scrolled ends; carved oak
from old root in reredos panel in chancel and cut into blocks between muntin of
modern glazed screen to transept; organ near tower; painted George III coat of
arms; stocks in porch of octagonal font with quatrefoils in panels Cl5 to C16;
serpentine pulpit and slate chest tomb slab with hands holding foliage against
south wall to William, son of James Hankey 1705. Monuments on south wall to Samuel
Thomas of Tregolls 1796 with carved figures in romantic dress signed by Bacon and
to Rear Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds 1811 with 3 sailors in period costume,
sinking ship, anchor and medallion against sunburst over, all within tapered slab.

Listing NGR: SW8506143875

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529653

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

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)