Details
SX 25 NW DULOE DULOE
3/21 Church of St Cuby
21-8-64
GV I
Parish church. Consecrated 1321. Church probably of cruciform plan in C13. Tower
circa early to mid C13. Church extended with addition of 4-bay north aisle in C15.
2-bay chantry chapel for Colshull family added at east end of north aisle in late
C15. North transept added in C16. Restored in 1860-1 by St Aubyn at cost of £2,700,
Patrons, Bewes family. Restoration included part rebuilding of walls to nave, south
transept, north aisle and chancel; addition of south porch and re-roofing of church.
The tower, originally 3 stages, had begun to incline northwards. In 1861 the top
stage was removed and a pyramid roof substituted. Church of snecked ashlar
slatestone with moulded plinth to nave, south porch, south transept and chancel.
Lower plinth to north aisle and north transept. Both probably contemporary with C19
alterations. Moulded plinth to Colshull chapel on north east. Stone rubble tower
with set back stone rubble buttresses to lower stage only and with set-offs, renewed
on north west and north east corners. C19 slate roofs with nave and chancel in one.
Slate pyramid roof to tower. Church comprises nave, chancel, north and south
transepts, square tower at south of south transept and south porch.
South side of nave with C19 3-light Perpendicular window, probably in original
opening. South transept with C19 door with granite arch at angle with nave. South
elevation of tower with C19 granite 2-centred arched opening with engaged columns and
C19 plank door. Pointed relieving arch above, pierced at apex by later freestone
dressed window. Lancets, louvered in second and third stages on west, south and east
elevations. East side of transept with 2, probably C19 lancet windows with pointed
relieving arches. To east, beyond transept, 2 Perpendicular windows with partly
renewed granite tracery beneath 4-centred arches with hoodmoulds. Priests door
between with freestone dressed 4-centred arch with hoodmould. Chamfered arch and
jambs with stops. 4-light Perpendicular east window beneath 4-centred arch with
hoodmould. North east chapel with late C15 unusual east window of high quality of 4-
lights beneath 4-centred arch with moulded jambs and mullions and ornate cusped
lights. Carved label steps with grotesque figure at apex. The north windows of
chapel with original late C15 Perpendicular tracery with moulded mullions, cills and
jambs with ornate cusped lights. Rood loft projection to west, contemporary with
chapel with quatrefoiled light with cusped light above. A castellated cornice and
moulded string course decorated with grotesques and gargoyles continues around the
chapel and rood loft projection.
North transept with circa C19 door surround on east and C19 4-light Perpendicular
north window beneath 4-centred arch. North side of north aisle with 2 original circa
C15 3-light Perpendicular windows beneath 4-centred arches. Both with hoodmoulds.
Blocked north door between, in rectangular granite surround with inner 4-centred roll
moulded arched opening. Incised spandrels with eroded carved label stops. Renewed
C19 tracery in west windows of nave and north aisle. C19 south porch, gabled with
steeply sloping roof. 2-centred moulded arched opening. with similar arch to south
door. C19 south door with cover moulds.
Interior C19 waggon roof to nave, north aisle, north and south transept and south
porch. Reused carved bosses in C19 waggon roof to chancel. 4-bay north arcade of
Pentewan stone; tall shafts with unusual variation of type A (Pevsner) piers with
moulding comprising 2 pronouced fillets to right and left of the deep hollow, tall
bases slightly masked by raised floor, capitals decoratively carved and moulded 4-
centred arcade arches with pronouced crank at springing. 2-bay north east Colshull
Chapel with decoratively carved arcade, moulded piers as in north aisle with hollows
decoratively carved with hearaldic motifs, intertwined foliage, grapes and vine
leaves so producing convex moulded shaft carved tall bases with quatrefoils in
central panels and moulded 4-centred arcade arches with central hollow chamfer. At
east end, arcade arch rests on carved corbelled bracket of angels head.
South transept arch similar to arcade arches of north aisle. North transept arch,
slightly more pointed with heavy moulded arch. Tower arch blocked.
C19 furnishings. Oak seats in chancel and Colshull Chapel, from Balliol College,
Oxford, donated in 1937. C19 pulpit. Late C19 reredos by Harry Hems of Exeter.
Circa C15 octagonal font of granite; octagonal bowl, lead lined and decorated with
quatrefoils in square panels. Baptistery with decorated marble pavement laid in
1900. Further font in north aisle, near north transept, known as St Cuby's Font.
Circular granite font from holy well (qv St Cubys Well, B 3254). Possibly of pre-
Christian origin and possibly carved with figures of griffin and dolphin. Holy water
stoup to west of south door. Square in plan with decorated carved panels with
bulbous foliage. Possibly late C14. In chancel, piscina with cusped arch with
projecting basin carved with quatrefoils.
North transept probably added in C16. Reset circa late C15 carved parclose screen,
probably part of rood screen. Incorporates symbols of saints and Colshull family
arms. 4 bays with first, second and fourth bays with carved 3-light Perpendicular
traceried openings. Moulded base with cusped lights below with later panelling.
Partly restored in circa C19. Colshull Chapel with circa late C15 carved parclose
screen. 4-bays with 3-light Perpendicular traceried openings at junction with north
aisle. Elaborately carved with intertwined foliage and decorated with shields.
Screen of 3 panels, each of 4-light continues to east in first bay of arcade dividing
chantry chapel from chancel. Perpendicular tracery with plain later panels below.
Memorials Large number of fine memorials in Colshull Chapel. Vault beneath Colshull
Chapel used for burials until 1889. Recumbent effigy of knight in plate armour, Sir
John Colshull who died in 1485. Second richest man in Cornwall. Decorated with
carved panels with quatrefoils and shields. On west end has relief of crucifixion.
Inscription Johe's Colshull 1483 around margin of tablet. Beneath north window table
tomb of John Killiow of Westnorth (qv Westnorth Manor), died 1610 and wife Dorothy
Trevelyan who died in 1600 and whose arms are impaled with those of her husband on
panel above tomb. Strapwork decoration. 3 slate memorials: to Anna Coffyn, died
1592, in Elizabethan dress holding gloves and book. 2 shields in spandrels with
skull below: To Maria Arundel, died in 1629, daughter of Thomas Arundel and niece of
Sir John Arundel who defended Pendennis Castle, Falmouth. Verse with anagram of name
'Man a dry laurel'. Below east window of chapel, slate with 2 Elizabethan ladies
with their families. Well carved. Other memorials include 1 to Henry Bewes by
William Adran, 1793, signed 'Adran Fect London'. Well executed with relief of woman
with portrait medallion of dead man. Also to Vice Admiral Sir Edward Buller, Bart of
Trenant Park (qv Trenant) 1764-1824, sarcophagus with urn and heraldic arms. Also to
Jeremiah Miles, 1746; to Isac Miles, rectory St Pinnock, 1766; Johannis Ogilvie,
1839; John Grigg of Bodbrane (qv Bodbrane) died 1792, Martha Nicholas Grigg died
1810; Thomas Bewes, died 1857 and Edward Bewes died 1806.
Glass; 2 windows in south wall of chancel in memory of Rev. P Bush, who was
responsible for the restoration of church, and his wife. 1893 one of David, St Paul
and Isaiah. The other of Faith, Charity and Hope which is signed in the right-hand
corner with signature of 3 bees, probably by Percy Bacon and Brothers.
Former rector, Rev. Robert Scott, partner with Liddell in production of the Greek
Lexicon.
Church stands on a Lan.
Pevsner No and Radcliffe E. The Buildings of England, Cornwall Church Guide 2nd ed
1970.
Listing NGR: SX2349858183
