History

Small church which served deserted medieval village of Cogan. Dates in part from C12 or earlier, nave enlarged and extended to W in early C16, with later C16 porch. Fell into disuse by C19. Restored in 1888-1894 by W Frame, architect to Bute Estates, at expense (£250) of Third Marquess of Bute who also provided bronze reredos in memory of James A Corbett (died 1890), a kinsman, who had instigated restoration of church.

Exterior

Plan and materials: Small chancel, aisleless nave, S porch. Slate roof (C19), walls in lias limestone with some herringbone masonry, some freestone window dressings. Coped gables with wheel cross finials.

S elevation; chancel has trefoil single-light window to R (similar window opposes to N), and lower square-headed window; no E window. Nave has larger window to R of porch with two trefoil lights (C14 style but C19 restoration), to L of porch two-light window.
Porch has Tudor arch, stone seats and C19 tie-beam roof. Entrance doorway to church has three centred arch. West gable has belcote (C19) at apex. Between porch and R window is reset tombstone recording deaths of Davies family of Cogan. North elevation of nave has no openings; central section set back with herringbone masonry.

Set in walled churchyard with, to S of porch, base of medieval cross, square with chamfered top and circular socket.

Interior

C19 arch-braced roof to nave; collar and tie-beam roof in chancel. Much old plaster remains on walls except W wall which has blocked square-headed window. Low narrow chancel arch, round-headed with imposts. Above chancel arch old plaster with faint traces of wall painting. Fine bronze reredos (dedicated 6 November 1898) in form of traceried screen with, above, Transfiguration with Christ and Prophets, and three Disciples; to sides Bute and Corbett arms supported by angels. Natural oak panelling to walls with wooden benches built over stone seats set into N and W walls (and W end of S wall) of nave. Wooden floor said to cover over old cobbles; C17 tombstone of Herbert family remains under trapdoor in wooden flooring near chancel step; other tombstones said to remain beneath floor. Mutilated font (C14?) in nave, octagonal plinth, cylindrical base, remains of octagonal bowl.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as well restored church with early surviving fabric.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17722562

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)