Description

SX 45 NW ANTONY ANTONY

5/17 Church of St. James
23.1.68

GV I

Parish Church. The church was rededicated in 1259; C14 tower, C15 aisles, first
south, then north, late C19 re-roofing and alterations to some windows. Sandstone
rubble, roughly coursed on north aisle, the rest random, granite dressings, slate
roofs with raised coped verges and crested ridge tiles with cross finials. Some
dressings in metamorphic stone of early date.
Nave and chancel in one, one chancel window and the sedilia and piscina proving that
the east part belongs to the C13 phase of building; west tower, south aisle, north
aisle, south and north porches, the north porch of circa 1600. C15 building in
Perpendicular style.
2-stage tower on moulded plinth has diagonal buttresses to west and weathered
buttresses to east, with string courses and embattled parapet on corbels. Pointed
arched west door with hood mould and relieving arch, C19 door with strap hinges, 3-
light C15 window above with cusped lights, 4-centred arch, hood mould and relieving
arch; to south at upper level a lancet in metamorphic stone. The top stage has 2-
light bell-openings to east and west, cusped, with 4-centred arch and relieving arch
and slate louvres, single light to north and south. To south, the parapet is stepped
up over an embattled stair tower of square plan, string course continued, with
lancets, 2 to each stage. Wooden clock at 3nd stage north with moulded edge and gold
numerals, dated 1810.
One bay of chancel projecting beyond aisles, has east window of 3-lights, C19
Perpendicular, with 4-centred arch and hood mould; to south, C13 lancet in
metamorphic stone, C19 cusped lancet to north. Single storey lean-to in angle
between chancel and north aisle.
5-bay south aisle has all 3-light windows with flat heads and hood moulds, trefoil
lights, except 2nd from east with pointed arched lights and plain hood mould, others
with square or circular stops. To west a 3-light C19 Perpendicular window with hood
mould. Attached to west wall, a nowy-headed slate plate to Margaret Bligh, 1785.
Similar C19 east window.
Gabled south porch has 2-centred arched hollow-chamfered outer doorway with wave
moulding, flat head and hood mould; stone benches to sides, tall pointed arched inner
doorway with roll and hollow mouldings and convex step stops, early door with studs
and strap hinges and sanctuary handle. Plain rafter roof. Laid on the floor, a lead
sundial about 1½ metres square, with pointed numerals, date illegible, of late C18.
6-bay north aisle has all north windows with cusped ogee heads, of 3 lights with
upper tracery, 4-centred arch with hood mould; 3rd bay from east has projecting rood
stair tower with pitched roof. West window is 3-light Perpendicular with replaced
mullions, east window largely C19, also 3-light Perpendicular.
Gabled north porch on plinth in metamorphic stone with stone eaves cornice (similar
to plinth on tower) has 4-centred arched hollow-chamfered granite outer doorway with
flat head and hood mould, leaves in spandrels. Wooden benches inside, with C19
moulded arched-braced roof, tall 4-centred arched roll and hollow moulded inner
doorway with holy water stoup to left and remains of ogee-headed image niche above,
C19 studded door with decorative strap hinges.
Interior Tower has 4-centred arched hollow-chamfered doorway to stair, C19 framed
ceiling in 18 panels. Pointed tower arch in rubble with impost mouldings. Nave and
chancel in one, with C19 7-bay roof of arched-braces, upper collar and collar purlin,
with brattished wall-plate, east bay has C19 painting of figures of the saints. 6-
bay south arcade of granite piers, with shafts at corners and moulded capitals, with
4-centred hollow-chamfered arches of 2 orders. 6-bay north arcade, later C15, with
Cornish standard piers. Chancel has splayed splayed reveal to south window, pointed
arched piscina and sedilia to south, C19 marble reredos. South aisle has 6-bay C19
roof of arched-braces, collar and collar pulin, one row of purlins, ceiled. Round-
arched chamfered piscina in south wall. Granite segmental inner head to windows,
probably of C19 at time of rebuilding of upper part of wall. North aisle has lower
and upper door to north rood stair, doors with Cl9 basket arch and doors with strap
hinges. Image niche with trefoil head to left of east window with C19 image.
Central pier of arcade has corbel above pier, possibly for springing of former roof.
Fittings: C19 octagonal stone font in north aisle with Perpendicular style cover.
Late C19 carved wooden pews in nave and aisles. Pulpit in south aisle, circa 1500,
with 4 carved panels of the Evangelists, possibly Spanish. In the chancel, a pair of
reading desks incorporating carved panels with figures, a tall C18 sanctuary chair
with panelled back and sides. In the nave, a slate tablet recording the foundation
of a school by Sir Coventry Carew, 1766, and a metamorphic stone bowl font with
moulded corners, possibly C15. In north aisle, a C16 wooden chest used as altar.
Remains of rood screen and carved wooden cupboard with panels with heads in roundels.
Carved C19 wooden screen across tower. Stocks in north porch. C19 painting of
stations of the cross in roundels in spandrels of north and south arcades.
Monuments in tower: baroque marble monument with convex oval slate inscription panel,
festooned with flowers, putti to top and skulls below, with Corinthian columns to
sides and female figures, plinth with shield of arms on apron, cornice and
entablature with 2 upper putti, to Sir John Carew, 1692 and other members of the
family. In south aisle an oval marble tablet on slate ground to Mary Collings, 1771;
marble tablet with draped urn on slate ground, neo-Greek style, to Margaret Nesham,
1808; marble monument with circular inscription panel, pilasters and frieze, cornice
surmounted by urns with Roman columna rostrata and 2 ships, to Admiral Thomas Graves,
1755; marble tablet with bay leaf surround, to Mrs. Mary Graves, 1718. In north
aisle, a marble tablet on corbel with carved head, to Elizabeth Carew, 1679; slate
tablet to Carew family with Latin inscription, 1611; monument with slate inscription
panel, marble Corinthian columns with frieze and entablature, lion masks, head of
putto with wings on frieze and central shield of arms, to Sara Carew, 1671; marble
tablet to Caroline Anne Pole Carew, 1833; C19 marble tablet with segmental head and
reclining figure, to Reginald Pole Carew died 1835; slate tablet with Latin and
English verses written by Richard Carew immediately before his death, 1620; marble
monument with portrait medallion, draped curtains and putti, to Mary Carew, 1731.
Large brass on chancel floor, to Margery Arundell, 1420, with a thin architectural
surround with ogee arch and finials; slate tablet with plinth and cornice, inlaid
brass shield of arms, to Thomas Wolsdon, 1608; marble ledger stone, to Elizabeth and
Honow Carew, 1682; marble ledger stone, to Oliver Deeble, 1656; slate tablet with
bolection moulded surround on plinth, to Jane Carew, 1679, with whitewashed stone
shield of arms below.
Stained glass in chancel and south aisle, c. 1850-60 by Clayton and Bell; north aisle
west window by Kempe.
(Sources: Radcliffe, E.: Buildings of England: Cornwall 1970)

Listing NGR: SX3983454584

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St James at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17529098

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.

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