Description

LAUNCESTON

SX3285 ST STEPHEN'S HILL, St Stephen
660-1/3/222 (East side)
27/02/50 Church of St Stephen
(Formerly Listed as:
Church of St Stephen-by-Launceston)

GV I

Parish church. Norman chancel surviving from collegiate church
of Augustinian Priory founded 940AD which later moved to St
Thomas (qv); consecrated 1259 and extended 1419 and early C16,
restored 1883 by Hine and Odgers.
Granite ashlar 3-stage tower with setback buttresses,strings
dividing stages and embattled parapet with crocketted corner
pinnacles; also granite ashlar to remainder of west end and
south aisle up to and including porch, otherwise slatestone
rubble with granite or greenstone dressings; low-pitched roof
hidden by embattled parapets.
Plan: 4-bay nave; chancel; C16 west tower; south aisle shallow
S transept and 2-storey porch; north chancel chapel.
Exterior: C15 Perpendicular traceried windows with hoodmoulds,
most with 5 lights, to north wall. East wall of chancel has 2
blocked doorways or windows with niches and carved Norman
volcanic stone statues; seated Saviour, and Virgin and Child
probably from an Adoration of the Magi (Pevsner).
Tower has 5-light window over 2-centred arched doorway with
square hoodmould C17 studded oak door with angled random
planks; clockface to 2nd stage; 3-light window to each side of
upper stage. Porch has 4-centred arched doorway, also inner
doorway with original C15 or C16 studded door. C19 windows in
Perpendicular style to S aisle.
INTERIOR: skimmed walls; 4-bay Polyphant stone arcade with
square piers with demi shafts and 2 centred arches; another
bay to east of rood with more-complex moulded piers to S
transept, late C19 greenstone arch to N aisle. Late C19 oak
roof structure with squat 4-centred arched moulded tie-beam
trusses with trefoil-headed arcade above and moulded wall
plates and purlins; Norman arches visible to north and south
walls of chancel near C13 rear arches. Medieval holy water
stoup in porch.
Fittings: round Norman font of volcanic stone with 3 cabled
cornice to round shaft on moulded rings to square base;
cinquefoil headed aumbry niche to south wall of chancel; C18
holy water stoop in porch; medieval stone coffin at west end;
late C19 rood screen and late C19 pitch-pine pews with carved
oak ends including three C16 bench ends with quatrefoils;
elaborate late C19 pulpit.
Monuments: slate slab set into north wall to Digory Prior,
died 1631 with guilloche border and coat of arms; another to N
wall of chancel to John? Briers of Colacott, (q.v.) Werrington
parish, died 1615, with Corinthian end pilasters and scrolled
pediment; another to S transept dated 1667 with most of ornate
inscription; wall marble aedicule to S wall of aisle to John
Tripp, 1792-1864.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Cornwall: London:
1953-1970: P.200 & 201; Kelly's Directory: Directory of
Cornwall: 1902-: P.170, 171).

Listing NGR: SX3247985700

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529495

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

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)