St. Endellion revisited
Endellion revisited
When I looked to see when I first visited the church at St. Endellion, I was amazed to discover that it was the better part of 13 years ago, in August 2006. So I made haste to revisit in mid-February 2019 - and added a visit to St. Michael's Church at Michaelstow, not far away. St. Endelient's church is unusual for Cornwall in that it is a collegiate church: originally staffed by four prebendaries, it became a collegiate church in 1928. [A collegiate church is one where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost.] Although John Betjeman's local church was St. Enodoc, he said his favourite was St. Endelient's and there are signs of his interest in the church: a plaque remembers him as poet laureate and a nearby carved and colourfully painted angel bears a shield commemorating him. Before entering the body of the church linger a while in the porch: angels support the ceiling timbers which bear carved bosses. Inside, the 15th century church consists of nave, two aisles and chancel. The light and airy interior has fine Cornish wagon roofs. The tiny font, of two different stones, is Norman. A Gothic altar is of carved and polished Catacleuse stone. A 15th century tomb chest in the south aisle is of polished Catacleuse stone. There are some fine late medieval bench ends; on one the arms of Roscarrock impale those of Grenville, both local North Cornwall families. In the north aisle there is a sixteenth century "ledger" stone with a cross in relief. In the belfry there are images of bell ringers together with ringers' rhymes. There are 17th century chairs in the chancel and a 17th century bench in the south aisle. The pulpit is unusual, with turned balusters and an ancient bench end worked into it. When I was there, the graveyard was alive with the sound of grass strimmers, eight yellow-jacketed men working away. Good sized car park at the east end of the church.
Porch Ceiling Boss
Catacleuse Stone Chest Tomb
St. Endellienta Banner
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