Details
ST ALLEN ST ALLEN VILLAGE
SW 85 SW
4/59 Church of St Allen
30.5.1967 (Alleyne) (formerly listed as
Parish Church of St Alunus)
GV II*
Anglican parish church. C12, C13 and C15. Killas and granite moorstone,
slate roofs.
Plan: Nave and chancel in one, C12-C13, with parallel south aisle added
for almost full length in C15, and C15 west tower to original nave, which
was also refenestrated at same time. C15 south porch.
Exterior: North door blocked; late C12-early C13 nook shafts with
elementary stiff-leaf capitals, round arch with chamfer enriched with
nailheads, all possibly reset. Lancet window in north chancel wall. North
nave wall and south aisle nave C15 3-light foiled windows. East window of
four lights, replicated in C19 in east window of aisle, now the vestry.
South door moulded 4-centred arch with corbel over, and different mouldings
to porch arch. Inner doorway simply chamfered, with C18 fielded panelled
door. West tower of 3 stages, with set-back buttresses, moulded west door
deeply set in thick walls with hood moulding, and 3-light panel traceried
window over. Stair tower part-octagonal in north-east corner, rising to
crenellated tower above the main crenellated parapet and terminating in a
conical spirelet. Two-light bell openings. Porch has cross-crested ridge
tiles. Lead spouting adjacent south of tower has moulded arms, initials
and date 1705.
Interior: Nave plastered. Standard Cornish granite arcade of 6 bays.
Piers of 4 attached shafts divided by hollow chamfers, the shafts rising
to small capitals. Four-centred depressed arches. East of eastern arch
the jamb of former south lancet of chancel is interrupted by last bay of
arcade, and piscina partly covered by medieval or early post-medieval
rebuild of east chancel wall further to west. East wall has some early
plaster painted with red band around east window. Two slots, probably
from removed corbels, either side of window. Boarded wagon roof of C19.
Aisle similarly plastered and ceiled. Tower base raised over 4 steps;
corbelled reveal with single chamfered supporting arch.
Fittings: Font, granite, octagonal with large chamfer stops returning
octagonal bowl to square, recut and remounted in C19. Ogee oak cover of
C17 with ball finial. Font is enclosed in effective early C19 balustrade
with narrow pointed arches between balusters. Pulpit, C19, and simple,
panelled. Reader's desk has front of c.1570-1600, panelled and carved,
with 3 flat consoles. Communion table, now by south door, or oak, with
turned legs and stretchers. Organ in east end of aisle.
Monuments: North Wall: (a) White marble tablet on grey slate field. C18.
Corniced panel with crest, scrolls above and below, by Edgecombe of Truro.
To Rev. Edward Tippett MA, died 1840, and wife. (b) Limestone slab, to
Rev. Buckland, died 1780. (c) Wall monument, white marble in limestone
frame, to Mary Morris, died 1862, Rev. George Morris, and their children.
Also slate slab of 1922 and 3 x C19 brasses. On north wall of nave, (d)
White marble tablet on grey, a pascal Lamb panel on top. Lettering to
William Bennetts of Engilley, died 1835, and family. South wall of aisle:
(e) Corniced marble tablet on slate to Rev. Peter Gurney and children,
erected 1823, by Edgecombe. (f) Simple tablet to child John Rowe
Nicholas, died 1826.
Miscellanea: North wall: Painted and framed royal arms of Charles II
dated 1660. Persian carpet with 3 major stripes and pear field.
Glass: East window 1862, to Lanyon family. North window of 1889 by Moore
of London, and a second window of 1909-10.
The living was appropriated by the Bishop of Exeter to Glasney College in
1287, and is now held by the bishop's chaplain.
Alexander Barclay, 1495-6 - 1552, poet and theologian, author inter
alia of the English version of 'The Ship of Fools' was appointed vicar
1530-31.
(Church Guide. Pevsner: Buildings of England; CORNWALL)
Listing NGR: SW8223850602
