Details
ST ENODER
SW 85 NE
11/291 Church of St Enoder
10.2.67
GV I
Parish church. C14 origin; mid - late C15 additions including the south aisle and
the south porch. In 1686 the tower collapsed; the south aisle is dated 1886, when it
was substantially rebuilt, and the tower dated 1711 at the time of its rebuilding.
Restoration dated 1869, and ICBS board dating restoration of 1951. Squared granite
rubble with granite dressings; some granite ashlar, including the tower. C19 slate
roofs with crested ridge tiles and gable ends.
Plan: Nave and chancel in one, with north and south aisle. The original church
probably had a north transept, which was incorporated in the north aisle in C15. The
south aisle appears to be of C15 at the east end, substantially rebuilt in the same
style in 1686, with the south porch of C15. The west tower is of 1711, probably
incorporating materials from an earlier west tower.
Exterior: The nave is concealed by the aisles. The chancel's east end is on
chamfered plinth, with 3-light C19 Perpendicular window.
The south aisle is in stone rubble at the east end, the rest in squared granite
rubble; there are 3 bays to east without plinth and 5 bays to west including the
south porch, on a moulded plinth with quatrefoil panels. The early bays have three
3-light C19 Perpendicular windows to south and doorway with 4-centred arch, roll-
moulded with recessed spandrels and hood mould, C19 door. The east end has 4-light
C15 Perpendicular window with Y tracery. The west bays have a moulded cornice and
parapet with quatrefoil panels and battlements; there are 3 windows to east, of 4-
lights with Y tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould, and one similar window to west
of the porch. The west end has similar 3-light window. The merlons of the
battlements have carved panels which include the date 1686 and the initials WSV.
The south porch is 2-storey, on moulded plinth with quatrefoil panels, set-back
buttresses with carved shields, cornice and parapet with carved merlons to
battlements and crocketed pinnacles. 4-centred arched doorway with wave and hollow
moulding, demi-figures of angels as springers. C19 double doors. Stone bracket
above as image stand. The interior of the porch has slate floor with granite benches
to sides. C19 roof. 4-centred arched doorway to the porch stair with C19 door.
Remains of holy water stoup to right. Inner doorway is hollow-moulded with 4-centred
arch and hood mould, fine panelled door of early C18.
The north aisle is on hollow-moulded plinth, in granite ashlar; of 6 bays including
the wide shallow north transept. All windows are of late C17 - early C18, 4-light
with Y tracery, rounded arch and hood mould. Between the 2 bays to west is a roll-
moulded doorway with recessed spandrels, 4-centred arch and hood mould, C19 door.
The east end has large 5-light window, probably of C15, with cusped lights and 4-
centred arch. The west end has 3-light C19 Perpendicular window.
The north transept has a slurried scantle slate roof with raised coped verges to the
gable; in rubble with granite quoins. 3-light north window of C19 in Early English
style.
The west tower is in 3 stages, on chamfered plinth, angle buttresses with baroque
scrolled set offs, moulded string courses and embattled parapet with obelisk finials.
4-centred arched hollow-chamfered west doorway with hood mould and voussoirs and
floating cornice. 2-light west window with hollow-chamfered mullions, rounded arch
and keystone, dated 1711, with hood mould. Second stage has a lancet to west with
slate ventilator. Lancets to north for stair. Third stage has single round-arched
bell-openings with keystones and wooden louvres.
Interior: Plastered walls and tiled floors except for the north east aisle, which is
granite paved. The nave has an unceiled wagon roof, possibly of the C18. North and
south aisles have C15 wagon roofs with carved ribs, bosses and wall-plates; same roof
in north transept. The east end of the south aisle and the chancel have C19 arched-
brace roofs with windbraces. The tower arch is rounded with imposts. Nave has 4-bay
north and south arcade; the south arcade is of the C14, with 2-centred arches with
octagonal piers, convex and concave moulded arches. North arcade has Pevsner A-type
piers with carved capitals, 4-centred arches; similar arch to north transept. The
chancel has a 3-bay north and south arcade with Pevsner A-type piers with carved
capitals and 4-centred arches. The chancel has C19 paired cusped recesses to right
and left of the altar. In the north wall of the north aisle, there is an unexplained
niche to right and left of the window to west of the transept.
Fittings: C12 font in south aisle, with circular bowl and criss-cross pattern around
the rim, 2 masks remaining and circular stem. Slate sundial with gnomon dated 1766
in south aisle. C19 benches in nave and aisles, with C15 bench ends. Panelled C19
pulpit in nave, incorporating some C15 carving. C19 Gothic style rood screen also
incorporating some C15 carving. Good C19 Gothic altar table with clustered shafts.
Royal Arms of Charles II in north aisle. Painting in north transept, probably of
early C19, oil on canvas.
Monuments in north transept: 3 marble monuments to Richard Retallack, 1831, Elizabeth
Lawer, 1851 and Elizabeth Basset, 1854. In north aisle: 3 slate ledger stones, to
Anthony Carvinack, 1744, Anthony Tanner, 1708 and John Treseyse, C17. Fine slate
monument with 2 arches and 3 kneeling figures in low relief, with mottoes and verses
to Dorothy Tanner, 1634. Oil on board memorial in chancel, to Frances Flamank, 1785.
In south aisle, 3 slate monuments, to Richard Hoblyn, 1765, John Bassett, 1787 and
John Bassett, early C19.
Fragments of medieval glass in the east window of the south aisle.
Sources: Pevsner, N.: Buildings of England: Cornwall 1970.
Listing NGR: SW8925056971
