Description

ST ERVAN ST ERVAN
SW 87 SE
3/183 Church of St Hermes

GV II*

Parish church. C13, refenestrated in C15, restored in 1887-9 and top of tower re-
erected in mid C20. Slate rubble and Catacleuse stone windows. Stone roofs with C19
granite coping and apex crosses over the east gable ends of the chancel and nave.
Plan: The church is probably largely C13, of cruciform plan comprising nave,
chancel, north and south transepts, west tower and south porch. The church was
refenestrated in the C15, and the west tower is probably also C15. In 1887-9 it was
heavily restored, the upper stage of the west tower was dismantled and the south
transept and all the roofs were rebuilt, which included the rebuilding of the chancel
arch and transept arches. The upper stage of the tower was re-erected in the mid
C20. A C19 photograph inside the church shows the tower of 2 storeys with 3-light
Perpendicular bell-openings and battlements.
Exterior: The nave has C15 3-light Perpendicular windows, 2 on the south side and
one on the north side, all with 2-centred arches and hoodmoulds. C13 moulded 2-
centred arch south doorway with pyramid stops hoodmould and C18 or early C19 fielded
panel door. Rebuilt gabled porch with reused moulded 2-centred arch doorway with
hoodmould. The north doorway is also C13 but boarded over at time of the survey
(1987); to the west of the north doorway a buttress with weathered set-offs. The
north transept has similar Perpendicular windows with weathered set-offs set back
from the corners. The south transept has a similar Perpendicular south window
without a hoodmould and a straight-headed 3-light window on the east side with
trefoil-headed lights; a gable kneeler is dated 1888.
The 3-light chancel east window is similar to the other Perpendicular windows but
probably C19. On the north and south sides of the chancel a C19 3-light window with
straight head and cusped head lights.
Only the lower stage of the original unbuttressed west tower survives; it has a
weathered granite string at the first stage level, a blocked stair window slit on the
south side and a late C19 3-light west window. The mid C20 rebuilt second stage is
rendered and has a pyramidal slate roof and 2-light Gothic south and west windows.
The porch has C19 wrought-iron gates.
Interior: The roofs of the porch, nave, transepts and chancel are late C19 and have
arch braced principals. The internal walls are plastered, but the chamfered stone
rear arches are exposed. The nave and chancel are not aligned on a straight axis.
The late C19 re-built chancel arch and transept arches are all similar 2-centred and
chamfered with moulded capitals to the responds. The rebuilt tall narrow tower arch
also has moulded imposts. The doorway to the stair turret has a hollow-chamfered 4-
centred arch with pyramid stops. The stoup by the south doorway in the nave has a
chamfered 2-centred arch. Circa late C15 carved corbel set into the east wall of the
north transept.
Late C12 or early C13 plain octagonal font. C18 octagonal fielded panel pulpit with
fluted pilasters at the corners. Circa early C20 choir stalls with pierced
quatrefoil panels in the backs. Plain mid to late C19 soft wood benches. Late C19
patterned encaustic tiles in the sanctuary.
Monuments: Notable for its good slate wall monuments. In the chancel Richard Harvey,
died 1666 and Richard Russell, died 1654. In the south transept; William Pomeroye,
died 1622 with figure carved in central panel in contemporary dress. Humphrey
Arthur, died 1676 with floral decoration around a central inscription panel and
another slate to his wife Elizabeth. In the north transept an unidentified slate has
10 kneeling figures and date 162 (7or9). In the nave slates to : Nicholas and Jane
Brewer, died 1642, Richard Hare died 1610, Richard Louis died 1688, John Tom died
1647. Two daughters of Walter Piper, died 1723 and fragment of slate with carved
kneeling figures.
There are also 2 late C17 monuments with columns and entablatures, one in the south
transept to Ralph Keate who died in 1672, and the other in the north transept to
Richard and Eleanora Vivian who died in 1708 and 1707.
Stained glass: There is no stained glass except for a few coloured lights in some of
the tracery and window heads.
The bell at the base of tower is a recast of the bell which formerely hung in a
makeshift belfry in the churchyard. It was the subject of John Betjeman's blank-
verse autobiography "Summoned by Bells" (1960) which describes his boyhood and life
at Oxford. Betjeman visited the Rectory, now St Ervan House qv.
The first Rector, Master Lawrence died in 1258.
Source: Kelly's Directory.

Listing NGR: SW8917670283

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533259

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)