Church Of St Bartholomew

Church of St Bartholomew

This parish church dates from the 13th century, with major additions and rebuilding in the early and late 15th centuries. The building has undergone significant repairs, notably to the tower in 1754 and following the collapse of the spire in 1818.

The nave and chancel, constructed in slatestone and granite rubble with granite dressings, retain a scantle slate roof with some hand-made crested ridge tiles. The chancel has a 19th-century slate roof with ridge tiles. The tower, south aisle, and south porch are built in granite ashlar with granite dressings and feature scantle slate roofs with ridge tiles and raised coped verges to the south aisle.

The church follows a perpendicular style. The nave and chancel were originally built as one structure in the 13th century. The west tower was probably constructed in the early 15th century, and the south aisle with south porch were added in the later 15th century. The roof covering the nave and probably the south aisle dates from after 1818, as do possibly the tower parapet and pinnacles.

The north side of the nave and chancel features two 2-light windows with recessed surrounds and chamfered mullions, a buttress of intermediate date, and one single 13th-century cusped light to the nave. A relieving arch remains from a former north door. The chancel's east window is of 3 cusped lights with a relieving arch.

The tower is set in two stages on a chamfered plinth, each stage set back, with an embattled parapet and pinnacles. A projecting stair tower with lancets stands to the north. The west door has a 4-centred arch, hollow moulded, with a relieving arch and keystone. The west window above is 3-light with ogee lights, hood mould, and relieving arch with keystone. In the second stage, all sides have a 2-light bell-opening with ogee lights and pierced slate louvres.

The south aisle extends across 5 bays on a hollow-chamfered plinth. Four windows on the south side are all 3-light with cusped lights and square hood mould. A similar west window was formerly taller, its lower part infilled but with jambs remaining. The east end has a similar 4-light window. A gabled south porch in the second bay from the west features a chamfered 4-centred arched doorway set in a hollow-chamfered surround with stops. The inner doorway has narrow roll-moulding with step stops and a rounded head, with a 19th-century door.

The interior features ceiled waggon roofs, plastered walls, and slate floors. A tall 4-centred tower arch with impost mouldings rises above the 5-bay south arcade. The arcade piers are of Pevsner A-type with 4-centred arches. All abaci are carved with geometric and natural designs, including one with a carving of a clan with a spear and a hare with her young.

The font in the south aisle, probably from the 14th century, is an octagonal stone bowl in an octagonal shaft with ring moulding, splayed at the base. An 18th-century baluster alms box stands in the south aisle. Fine plasterwork showing the Royal coat of arms in colour is displayed in the nave, dated 1664. A slate tablet in the tower records the repair of the tower in 1754 by the churchwardens.

Monuments in the south aisle include a slate ledger stone with a shield of arms and strapwork inscription to Richard Bere, dated 1618, and a marble tablet on slate ground with a shield of arms on the apron, to Mary Angove, dated 1805.