Details
SX 36 NE CALLINGTON CHURCH STREET,(west side),
8/17 Church of St. Mary
23.1.68
GV I
Parish Church, consecrated in 1438. Nave possibly slightly earlier. Nave heightened
and clerestory added when tower, south aisle, south porch and north aisle added.
Patron Nicholas Assheton. Restored by J P St. Aubyn in 1858. Further north aisle
added by J D Sedding in 1882. Tower and bells burnt out in 1895. Ashlar granite
masonry with set back buttresses at corners and stepped buttresses between windows.
Slate roofs. Nave and chancel in one. Separate roof over south aisle which is
shorter than chancel. North aisle continues in line with chancel. Added north aisle
is extended by late C19 vestry in line with chancel. Moulded granite string
continues along south aisle, south porch and east end of earlier north aisle.
Distinct break with chancel and tower. Later north aisle reuses much of C15
stonework from demolished north wall of earlier north aisle. West wall of later
north aisle with late C19 rusticated granite blocks. Battlemented parapet
throughout. Tower with polyphant and freestone dressings. South aisle; east window
of 3-lights with Perpendicular tracery partly restored, with eroded top lights.
Three 3-light Perpendicular windows on south with wide 2-centred arches, hoods and
drips. East window on south side of aisle has eroded tracery, and higher cill
level, over small priest's doorway with chamfered 2-centred arch. To left on south
side of south aisle a polygonal rood stair turret with battelements and string
courses. Window to west with original tracery and partly renewed jambs. Further
west C19 tracery. West window of south aisle of 2-lights in 2-centred arch with C19
tracery. Original right-hand jambs and mullions. Chancel; south window, 3-light
Perpendicular with C19 mullions and tracery. Earlier tracery at top eroded. East
window C19 5-light Perpendicular tracery with earlier jambs. C19 hoodmould and
angels heads in drips. North aisle; earlier east window, 3-light Perpendicular in
wide 2-centred arch with hood and rosettes in drips. West window of 2-lights,
Perpendicular, partly restored with C19 hood and drips. Clerestory windows of nave,
visible only from interior, positioned in spandrels of arcade. Of 2-lights with
cusped heads and mouchettes above. Later north aisle. Datestone 18 + 82 on buttress
in north east corner. North aisle east window partly blocked on exterior by vestry
in north east corner. North wall with four 3-light Perpendicular windows below wide
2-centred arches. Tracery mostly C19 with some earlier eroded work. Some mullions
and jambs resued. North door slightly protrudes into second window under C19 Tudor
arch with C19 rectangular hood and plain drips. 4-light C19 Perpendicular window in
west of north aisle. West tower of 3 stages with battlemented and coped parapet.
Stepped, set back buttresses on first and second stage. Top stage with octagonal
turrets on corners and winged angels used as corbel brackets at base. Surmounted by
pinnacles and crocketted finials. West door with polyphant stone dressings to wide 2
centred arch with moulded arch and jambs. C19 hood. Above, 4-light window, 1896,
with perpendicular tracery. Double relieving arch above. On east side of tower, in
second stage, 2-light window with cusped heads. Base slightly blocked by ridge of
roof. 3-light louvered belfry openings on four faces under 4-centred arches with
hoods and drips. Vestry in north east corner. Lower battlemented parapet and
moulded string. 5-light C19 window in rectangular opening on east wall. South
porch; battlemented parapet continues at a lower level on exterior. 2-centred arch
to door with moulded jambs and engaged piers with rounded caps. South door with 2-
centred cavetto moulded arch and jambs with run-out stops on right. Circa C16
timber studded door with plain strap hinges and early closing ring. Resited figure
in niche above. Remains of holy water stoup on east wall. Original waggon roof
(restored in 1933) to nave with carved bosses and moulded ribs. Small carved stone
brackets supporting arcade plate. Original flat roof to south porch with carved
bosses and moulded ribs. Small stone carved supporting brackets. 5 bay arcade to
south aisle and 6 bay arcade to earlier north aisle. Ellipitical arches with hollow
chamfers and type B (Pevsner) granite piers. Rounded bases and plain rounded caps,
with slightly deeper abacii on south aisle. Easternmost arch of north arcade
slightly lower and more pointed over alabaster effigy. Later north aisle with 5 bay
arcade with type A (Pevsner) granite piers and 4 centred arches. C15 tower arch
splayed and moulded on both sides with double relieveing arch. Rood loft stairs on
south wall. Entrance to stair beneath 3-centred arch. Upper opening with chamfered
jambs and segmental arch. Furnishings: nave, north and south aisle reseated in
1859. Later north aisle, 1882. Ornate base to parclose screen 1882 enclosing
chancel on north, south and west. Carved screen above on north and south with ornate
carved cornice. Reredos erected in memory of Rev. John Shaw (rector 1887-1906).
Carved oak super-reredos erected 1919. Early altar table in south aisle comprising
granite mensa with cyma recta moulded edge. Later supports. Pulpit also erected to
memory of Rev. John Shaw. Carved oak. Piscina in south aisle at east end of south
wall. Ogee head with cusping, blocked to rear. Norman pedestal font with round bowl
on later octagonal base of granite blocks. Bowl with rope work at waist and 4 figure
heads at corners. Decorated on 4 sides with palmettes and crosses. Locking flat
octagonal cover of timber and wrought iron.
Monuments; Between chancel and north aisle, beneath east arch of north arcade,
recumbent alabaster effigy in armour of Sir Robert Willoughby, 1st Lord Willoughby de
Broke who died in 1502. Steward of Duchy and held manor of Kellyland (Callington).
Held manor house of Bere Ferrers as favourite seat. Effigy, gartered wearing mantle
of order of the Garter. Feet resting on dog with bedesmen beneath soles of feet. On
moulded base decorated with heraldic shields and moulded cornice. Brass resited in
chancel aisle. To Nicholas Assheton of Callington, a justice of The Common Pleas
1444, sometime MP for Helston, Launceston and the county 1422-37 and patron of the
church, with his wife Margaret and 5 sons and 6 daughters, 1465. Assheton is dressed
in judicial costume. 4 shields of arms and the 2 groups of children have been
removed. Margin inscription with 12 elegiac verses below. Slate stones on exterior
of church; south wall of chancel, to William Ramsey 1730 and to William and Elizabeth
Ramsey 1726. On east wall of porch, in memory of Ann and Joan Holliday (signed W
Nichol 1810). Glass; Later north aisle east window, memorial to Thornton family and
several parishoners. Stained glass window with figures of St. Peter, St. Paul and
the 4 evangelists. Below, 6 carved stone figures with 6 carved stone panels.
Dedication plaque to right. Some reset early glass in west window of south aisle.
Kellys Directory 1901
Rev H. Haines A Manual of Monumental Brasses 1861, rp 1970
A. H. Hutchinson A Monograph on the history and restoration of the Parish Church of
St. Mary, Callington 1861
W. H. Paynter The Parish Church of St Mary, Callington rp 1976
N Pevsner and E Radcliffe The Buildings of England, Cornwall 2nd ed 1970
Listing NGR: SX3588369646
