Details
SX 15 SE
3/33
LANSALLOS
Church of St Ildierna
21.8.64
GV
I
Parish church. Dedicated in 1331. Nave and chancel possibly of date of dedication. Three-bay north aisle to north of east end of nave and chancel may comprise part of earlier masonry of north transept in west wall. North aisle probably late C15. Circa mid C15 six-bay south aisle. Two stage west tower probably C15 reusing some C14 masonry. Third stage probably added in later C15. South porch added to south aisle in circa late C15. Restored in 1883-4 and in early C20 by E.H. Sedding. Sedding noted that reused wrought stonework taken from Norman arcade had been built into the north and south walls of the present structure.
Coursed stonework to south aisle, north aisle, south porch and lower two stages of west tower. Upper stage of stone rubble. Several straight joints in north aisle partly where masonry from earlier north transept was used and partly where rood-loft projection has been removed. Rag slate roof to nave, chancel and north aisle. Regular slate roof to south aisle.
Nave and chancel in one, projecting at the east end beyond the six-bay south aisle and three-bay north aisle. South aisle with five original Perpendicular traceried windows in south wall. three-light openings with four-centred arches and hoodmoulds. Top lights renewed. Perpendicular west window of south aisle renewed in C19 and east window restored. Chancel and east window of north aisle C19 Perpendicular tracery. North aisle with door in low rectangular surround with moulded flat four-centred arch with incised spandrels. Simple, possibly C16 three-light window to west with round-headed lights and simple traceried lights above. To west, three-light rectangular window with chamfered mullions and moulded jambs. West end of north aisle altered with re-worked window high in gable end.
To west, north wall of nave with two three-light Perpendicular windows in rectangular surrounds. West window renewed and east window with cusped heads to lights. West tower of three-stages with stepped angle buttresses, with carved panels at base and battlemented parapet with turrets and crocketted finials. West door in rectangular surround with heavy roll mould. Possibly renewed or restored. Renewed three-light Perpendicular window above with four-centred arch. Directly above, niche with grotesque on corbelled base. Possibly C14 ogee headed opening above. Three-light Perpendicular belfry openings with four-centred arches and slate louvres. Gabled south porch with cavetto moulded three-centred arch. Holy water stoup on east wall of reused stone. South door with heavily moulded four-centred arched opening. Oak door of double construction.
Interior; circa C15 unstained waggon roofs of high quality. Waggon roof to nave with carved transverse ribs with two unmoulded ribs between. Carved longitudinal ribs, arcade and wallplates. Bosses partly restored. Chancel with C20 boarded ceiling to roof. Finely carved longitudinal and transverse ribs and north arcade plate. Bosses restored. South aisle with moulded transverse ribs with three plain ribs between. Carved longitudinal ribs decorated with scroll work. Interlaced carving on arcade and wallplates, probably originally decorated with shields. Similar interlaced carving to longitudinal and transverse ribs at east end of south aisle. North aisle carved transverse ribs with three unmoulded ribs between. Carved longitudinal ribs, arcade and wall plates and bosses which have been partly restored. South porch also with fine waggon roof with moulded and carved longitudinal and transverse ribs. Carved wallplate with mostly renewed bosses.
Three-bay north arcade with four-centred arches with concave and convex moulding. Granite type A (Pevsner) piers. Second pier from east with carved capital. Six-bay south arcade with four-centred arches with concave moulding. Type A (Pevsner) piers with moulded bases and capitals with carved abaci. Tower arch almost four-centred on corbel responds.Thirty-four particularly fine carved oak bench ends, circa 1490 to 1520, decorated with heraldic arms, figure heads and Renaissance detailing. Remains of rood screen at east end of nave, east end of south aisle and in part of north aisle. Ogee headed lights with Renaissance detailing, carved intertwined foliage and moulded rail. Base of rood loft stair in north wall of north aisle.
Square Norman font with panelled sides decorated with Tree of Life and fleur de lis. Circa C18 marble piers at corners. Behind font, remains of earlier font found buried at Higher Town Farm, Lansallos. Remains of altar table, heavily restored with claw and ball feet. Mutilated circa C19 effigies of knight and lady by south door. Probably members of the Hywysch family who were Lords living at the fortified manor house of Raphael (qv).
Memorials Ledgerstone remounted on south wall of south aisle. To Margery Smith, died 1579. Signed by Peter Crocker. Shallow relief of woman in farthingale, pointed stomacher and ruff. The kirtle is decorated with incised patterns heraldic arms and marginal inscription. Several C18 and C19 memorials and ledger stones, some set in east end of slate flag floor. Cracked bell resited at west end of church inscribed 'Sancta Margareta ora pro nobis'. Heraldic shields. William of Worcester in circa 1478 suggested that St Hildern, Bishop, was buried before the high altar. No evidence of this has been revealed in archaeological excavations.
The Church of St Ildierna is of particular high standard with very fine waggon roofs, carved bench ends, memorial by Peter Crocker, Norman font and C14 mutilated carved figures of the Hywysch family.
Pevsner, N and Radcliffe, E The Buildings of England, Cornwall, 2nd ed. 1970 Tompsett, Rev Aubrey An account of Lansallos Parish Church Illustration of font in Sedding, E.H. Norman Architecture in Cornwall, 1909, plate LXXXV, p 201-2
Listing NGR: SX1728851648
