Church of St Julitta

Details

ST JULIOT SX 19 SW 2/120 Church of St Julitta 17.12.62 GV II* Parish church. Circa C15 south porch and nave. North aisle and tower circa 1870-72 dating from the restoration by Thomas Hardy. South porch and nave of granite ashlar with moulded plinth. North aisle and tower of local stone rubble with brick dressings. Slate roof. Prior to the 1870's, the church comprised a nave and chancel, west tower, north transept, south aisle and south porch. The chronological development of the earlier church is uncertain as much of the fabric was rebuilt during the C19 restoration leaving only the C15 south porch and south aisle unaltered. In 1867, the Dorchester architect, John Hicks, was commissioned to survey the church which had fallen into a state of extreme dilapidation. Hicks however died early in 1869 with work unstarted and the commission fell to his successor G.R. Crickmay. Thomas Hardy, who had been working in Hicks's Dorchester office, was persuaded by Crickmay to take plans and particulars of the church and made the journey down to St Juliot which was to change his life and influence much of his late poetry. The restoration which was fairly severe, entailed the demolition of the nave and chancel which was replaced by the present smaller north aisle, the demolition of the north transept and the rebuilding of the west tower. Only the south aisle and south porch remained relatively unaltered. The south aisle being remodelled to form present nave and chancel. Sketches by Thomas Hardy and Emma Gifford (later Emma Hardy) and Polsue's description indicate that a fine set of circa C15 carved bench ends, screen and pulpit were removed during the restoration. Unbuttressed C19 tower of 3 stages at west end of north aisle; battlemented parapet with crocketted finials and stair turret. Three light west window and 2-light belfry openings with slate louvers. In the C19 north aisle, two one-light cusped windows flank two C19 two-light windows with a 2-light C19 east window in'2-centred arched opening. The chancel has a 4-light Perpendicular window with hood mould and the nave four 3-light Perpendicular windows with cusped heads and hoodmoulds in 4-centred arches. The fine C15 south porch has a battlement parapet with a moulded 4-centred arch. The roof is of high quality comprising a granite waggon roof with 3 chamfered ribs, carved granite wall plate and bosses. The south door has a 2-centred moulded arch with very hollow chamfers and bar and run-out stops. Interior Nave and chancel (originally south aisle); unceiled circa C15 waggon roof with moulded ribs, carved wall plate partly renewed on south side and carved bosses. Two-centred moulded tower arch. The circa C15 arcade was reduced by one bay and is now a 4-bay arcade with 4-centred arches moulded with a chamfer and cavetto, moulded type A (Pevsner) piers, moulded bases and capitals. Simple C19 and early C20 pitch pine furnishings, pulpit and chancel screen. Two Glastonbury-type chairs in chancel. Square granite font with hexagonal bowl. Memorials; on north wall plaque, erected in 1928 to Thomas Hardy. Also plaque designed by Hardy to his wife Emma Lavina Hardy nee Gifford, sister-in-law of Rev. C. Holder, who lived at rectory between 1868-1873 (qv Old Rectory) and died at Dorchester in 1912. Also memorial to Rev. C. Holder rector responsible for the restoration of the church. Drawings at west end of nave include a copy of Hardy's sketch of the ancient north door accidently destroyed in 1870, St. Juliot church prior to restoration illustrating the old transept from a watercolour drawing by Emma Gifford, (1870) and a copy of Hardy's sketch of the bench ends. (The original drawings are in Dorset County Museum). Despite the severe C19 restoration, the fine C15 south aisle and south porch remain relatively unaltered. The church has important literary associations with Thomas Hardy and his wife Emma. Hardy's novel, A Pair of Blue Eyes is based on his experiences in St Juliot and much of his later poetry recalls the surrounding area and his belated love for Emma. Gitting, Robert Young Thomas Hardy, 1980 Halliday, F.E. Thomas Hardy,1984 Pevsner, N and Radcliffe, E The Buildings of England, Cornwall 2nd edition, 1970 Polsue, J Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, 1868 reprinted, 1974 For discussion of Hardy's restoration of St. Juliot and comparisons with the restoration proposed by Hicks including reporduction of original drawings, see 'The Part Played by Architecture in the life and work of Thomas Hardy (with particular reference to the novels)', PhD Thesis. C.J.P. Beatty, 1963, University of London. Information from Rev. D. Nash

Listing NGR: SX1290291221

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

68795

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, (1970)
Halliday, F E, Thomas Hardy, (1984)
Beatty, C J P, The Part Played by Architecture in the Life and Work of Thomas Hardy with Particular Reference to the Novels, (1963)
Polsue, J, Lakes Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, (1872)
Gittings, R, Young Thomas Hardy, (1980)
Hardy, T, A Pair of Blue Eyes, ()

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