Church of St Clement

Details

ST CLEMENT ST CLEMENT SW 84 SE 7/118 Church of St Clement 30-5-67

GV I

Parish Church C15. Shale with granite quoins and dressings and scantle slate roofs with gable ends. Nave, chancel, west tower, north transept, south aisle and porch. North wall of nave partly rebuilt, C19 resetting of C15 Perpendicular granite 3 light window west of transept and inserted C19 Perpendicular style window east of Transept. North transept has straight joint to nave and is later but probably C15 with C19 cusped headed windows. East wall of chancel rebuilt C19 to receive pointed window with rose in tracery. East wall of south aisle does not align with chancel and has C15 Perpendicular granite window with monolithic jambs. South wall has 1:1:4 bays. Second bay is porch with semi-circular arched moulded granite door frame probably C15-C16 (similar inner door). Other bays have C15 granite 3 light Perpendicular windows. West window of south aisle is C19 in Perpendicular style. Three stage west tower is reputed to be C14 (Pevsner and Church guide) and has inscribed date 1326 in belfry but the building displays no architectural evidence for this. Moulded round headed granite doorframe with hoodmould and relieving arch is probably C15, as is outer frame of window over. Bottom stage has buttressing to corners of north and south walls. Second stage and parapet have clasping corner buttresses whereas top stage is unbuttressed. This stage may have been inserted C16 - C17 reusing parapet stonework. Gargoyles over second string resolve the junction. Granite windows to upper stage are round headed with hood moulds and relieving arches with 3 round headed lights, the centre light higher, and pierced slate louvres. Parapet has corner pinnacles, two of which are C19 replacements (original ones are in Vicarage garden). Lead roof. Interior has granite near- semi -circular arched arcade standard A type (Pevsner) piers of 6 bays between nave and chancel and south aisle, with further C15 arch to transept. Tall tower arch has inner rib arch carried on corbels. Roofs are C19 and arch braced over heavy wallplates with shields and baliflower carvings to nave and south aisle and incorporating carved wood from old wagon roofs in porch and transept. Evidence for fitting of rood screen but nothing survives. Tower granite newel stair is in north west corner. Lower stages of tower have very thick north and south walls, swept towards stair. Lively patterns of clear, red, blue, yellow and green glass in windows dedicated to eminent parishioners of 1840s to 1860s. Particularly striking is chancel enamel painted window of interlacing design to Admiral Sir Barrington Reybolds GCB 1861. Fittings include C19 pine pews with scrolled ends; carved oak from old root in reredos panel in chancel and cut into blocks between muntin of modern glazed screen to transept; organ near tower; painted George III coat of arms; stocks in porch of octagonal font with quatrefoils in panels Cl5 to C16; serpentine pulpit and slate chest tomb slab with hands holding foliage against south wall to William, son of James Hankey 1705. Monuments on south wall to Samuel Thomas of Tregolls 1796 with carved figures in romantic dress signed by Bacon and to Rear Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds 1811 with 3 sailors in period costume, sinking ship, anchor and medallion against sunburst over, all within tapered slab.

Listing NGR: SW8506143875

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

62819

Legacy System:

LBS

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