Church of St Michael

Details

LESNEWTH LESNEWTH SX 19 SW 2/98 Church of St Michael 17.12.62 GV II*

Parish Church. Probably Norman origins; circa C12 or early C13 lancet window reset in north wall of chancel, reset mensa and two possibly C12 capital and base reused in C19 2-bay arcade to south chancel aisle. Circa C13 font, C14 piscina, C15 arch to south door and circa C15 west tower. Church largely rebuilt with exception of tower in 1865. Restoration architect J.P. St Aubyn. Main body of church of snecked stone rubble; slate roof with higher roof to nave; vestry on south east with double gabled end. Circa C15 west tower of stone rubble with band of ashlar granite above moulded string of plinth. Original plan, prior to restoration comprised circa C12 church of cruciform plan. Tower added in circa C15, probably contemporary with the insertion of the C15 arch to the south door. In 1865 the church was largely rebuilt when the north and south transepts were removed, the south porch rebuilt to the west of the earlier porch and a vestry added in the form of a south chancel aisle. A shallow projection was added to the north wall of the chancel to accomodate the reset C13 lancet window and mensa. The west tower was left untouched. Unbuttressed west tower of three stages with stair turret on north side. Battlemented parapet and crocketted finials. West door has 4-centred arch with very hollow chamfered jambs and pyramid stops. 3-light Perpendicular west window, blocked 1-light cusped window above and 2-light belfry openings with cusped heads and hood moulds. North side of nave has 3 C19 geometric tracery windows and shallow projection at east end containing reset C12 lancet window and mensa reused as window cill on interior. Chancel has 3-light C19 window with intersecting tracery and small reused round window on south side. South side of church has geometric tracery in the C19 2-light windows and vestry on south east with double gabled end. Gabled south porch with C19 2-centred granite arch and wavy barge boards. Circa C15 3-centred arch to south door with carved spandrels, double roll mould and fluted and curved run-out stops. Interior : Chamfered 2-centred tower arch with granite quoins. Interior of main body of church dates from C19 restoration by J.P. St Aubyn; largely complete with simple and well designed detailing. 2-bay arcade to south chancel aisle, used as vestry; capital and base of column possibly circa C12 although previous position is uncertain. Circa C13 octagonal font with lead lined bowl. Well designed pulpit by J.P. St Aubyn. In chancel a circa C14 piscina with rectangular chamfered surround has possibly been reset in south wall and is lit by a small circular window above. On north side a mensa, reputed to have been moved from the north transept has been reset below the C13 lancet window. Lying on the floor at the west end of the church a possibly C12 scalloped capital has been hollowed out to form a trough. J.P. St Aubyn's drawings of the plan of the church are hung on tile south wall. Memorials; several slate ledger stones including those of Christopher Langman (1727), Humphry Prowse of Mamhead, Devon (1638) and William Yeo of Margar (1680); high quality lettering. The church is situated in a hollow in particularly picturesque setting with a fine tower. The C19 restoration by J.P. St Aubyn is simple and well detailed. Maclean, Sir J. Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor in the County of Cornwall,1879. Pevsner, N. and Radcliffe, E. Buildings of England, Cornwall 2nd edition, 1970. Polsue, J. Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall. 1872 reprinted 1974, Volume III. Information from Rev. D. Nash.

Listing NGR: SX1307690304

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

68770

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, (1970)
Polsue, J, Lakes Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, (1872)
Maclean, J, Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor in the County of Cornwall, (1879)

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