Sheviock, Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In mid-August 2019 I headed way down east to the Torpoint peninsula, across the broad Tamar from Devonport. I took a look at Torpoint itself but was singularly unimprerssed. My main port of call was to be Antony for St. James Church, Maryfield but I also took the opportunity to see the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sheviock. The majority of Cornish village churches were largely built or rebuilt in the 15th century. That in Sheviock is unusual in that much of the fabric is of the late 13th and early 14th centuries. It is also unusual in that the tower is narrow compared to the nave, and that it has a "broach" spire, starting from a square base but developing into octagonal form. In the 15th century a north transept was converted to a north aisle. In the south transept are funeral recesses; a knight and a lady of about 1375 lie on plain tomb chests, Sir Edward Courtney(1371), presumably related to the Courtney Earls of Devon, and his wife Emmeline, daughter of the local great family, the Dawnays. On the north wall is another tomb chest bearing another knight of similar date. There are three plain sedilia and piscinas in the chancel and south transept. The Minton tiles in the chancel floor date from an 1850 restoration by G E Street. Slate tablets of the Lord's Prayer and the Creed are in the north aisle. There is an elaborately decorated triple panel pew back and a particularly fine collection of bench ends. There are good 19th century stained glass windows.
Sheviock Church
Wesley Window
Effigy of Lady Emmeline Courtney
St.
Photographs
More in Churches & Holy Sites
South Petherwin and Lawhitton
At the beginning of January 2018 I made another trip to the Launceston area, this time primarily to visit the village of South Petherwin and to take a good look at its church. On the way I made a detour to Lawhitton, to the south-east of Launceston. It was a bit of a wasted journey as the church was firmly locked. However I did note one unusual feature; attached to the east side of the three-stage tower was a stair turret, itself in an unexpected three stages of square turret. Next, in South Petherwin, I found car parking for the church and village hall. The latter is quite entertaining, built of corrugated iron, painted green, and with a nice name plaque, probably designed by local children. The church is quite impressive, standing high on a raised enclosure, not uncommon in Cornwall and possibly of pre-Christian origin. Most unusually, the entrance to the church is by a north porch. The first thing you notice, before entering, is a short massive pillar to the right of the porch; Pevsner explains this as a relic of the Norman church that stood here previously. Several things took my eye inside. Wooden ceilings are barrel-vaulted with ribs and carved bosses. The octagonal Jacobean (1631) pulpit is carved with fine linen-fold panelling. The lectern has somewhat similar panelling. Elaborate bench-ends carry figures of angels. The altar table is decorated with panels of embroidered flowers. An octagonal Norman font stands on a central column, surrounded by narrower columns. A chair in the chancel appears to be of early date. A wall monument to Ambrosius Manaton de Trecarrel is somewhat degraded but appears to date from 1651. There are rood stairs but both openings are blocked by later wooden doors.
St. Allen
On the same day that I re-visited Perranzabuloe church I made a first visit to St. Allen church on a minor road off the A30 near Zelah. My choice of route from the A30 was fortuitous as I found a good Cornish Cross halfway between Trevalso and Rosemerryn. St. Allen itself consists of little more than the Church and Old Rectory so it was something of a surprise to find a large car park by the church; perhaps a large congregation comes by car. The most striking feature is the tower with a tall stair turret rising above it. Inside, both nave and aisle have stained glass windows and wooden wagon roofs. Although there are no carved bench ends, one pew has a fine carved wooden back. I quote here from the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust: "There are three granite medieval crosses in the churchyard. One, a wayside cross, was found buried in the churchyard, close to the east end of the church in 1882 when the grave of Mary Morris, the incumbent's wife, was being dug. It was re-erected in 1912 at the south east corner of the church, near where it was discovered. A tall "wheel-head" cross, also formerly buried, now stands near the porch following its discovery in 1930. Both these crosses are thought to have been concealed at the Reformation and have survived well." In August 2017, when I visited, thre was lovely flower display, standing by a figure wth a staff; is it St. Allen or St. Christopher?
St. Anietus Church at St. Neot
Neot