Church Of Pol De Leon

CHURCH OF POL DE LEON, PAUL

A parish church with 15th-century tower, porch, and nave arcade elements, the body substantially rebuilt following a Spanish raid in 1595. The church was restored by J.D. Sedding in 1875, and has undergone extensive renewal for dry rot damage under John Philipps and, since 1986, under David Scott.

The church is constructed of local granite, polyphant and catacleuse stones with slate roofs. It follows a plan of west tower, nave and chancel in one space without a chancel arch, full-length aisles with nine-bay arcades, and a south porch.

The exterior is characterised by a long, low body contrasted by a finely proportioned three-stage tower of granite blocks, probably 15th century. The tower parapet is embattled with small pinnacles and a higher north-west stair turret with its own pinnacles. String courses at each stage continue round slim offset buttresses. The west door has a four-light Perpendicular window above, flanked by empty statuary niches. The second stage is blank except for a small slit window to the west and clock faces on each side. Three-light bell openings feature a transom and Perpendicular tracery. The south aisle has windows under four-centred arches and a renewed Perpendicular west window. Elsewhere, 15th-century style tracery, probably of 1875 and some renewed in the early 21st century due to erosion of the polyphant stone. The deep porch is perhaps 15th century and includes a Georgian slate sundial in the gable, with an outer opening of two-centred form and concave moulding. A five-light east window dates from 1875. The north aisle east window retains clear glass in small square panes with timber glazing bars, possibly early 19th century. Embedded in the north wall near the east end is a Saxon cross-shaft with incised scrolls and knot patterns. Also in the north wall is a Perpendicular doorcase with square frame and triangular sinkings in the spandrels, evidence that the outer walls survived the fire of 1595 to significant degree. The roof timbers, slates and leading were almost completely replaced around 1986–95 under David Scott.

The interior is broad and light, though quite low, with white-painted plaster vaults over nave and aisles, these barrel vaults and cornices replaced around 1986–95. The fine doorframe of the inner south door is early 16th century, with a four-centred arch, square label, and cusped traceried spandrels. To its right is a small stoup, reinstated around 1950 with a medieval corn measure as a bowl. The arcades are strikingly long, with nine arches running to the east wall without a break. The openings are wide and low with double chamfers and octagonal piers with flared capitals. An irregularity in the north arcade next to the pulpit, where a narrower arch and part of a fire-blackened Perpendicular pier with shafts and ringed capital survive, indicates preservation of part of the pre-1595 structure. The south aisle contains a restored medieval piscina.

A Georgian-style mahogany communion rail, three-sided with ramped rail and turned balusters, is a principal fixture. The granite font, probably 20th century, has a plain square bowl on a circular stem surrounded by four straight columns. The pulpit is of local granite, probably late 19th century, with foliate carved mouldings at the angles and an ogee arch in each face. The pews are of pine, probably circa 1862, with plain panelled front and doors. Quarry-tiled floors were laid around 1985–95, the east end is stone flagged, and the sanctuary has Victorian encaustic tiles. Choir stalls and aumbry date from after 1986 and were designed by David Scott, who also designed the vestry at the west end of the north aisle. The east window features good art glass signed by R. Anning Bell, 1917, with intense hues. A more conventional stained glass window in the south aisle east dates to around 1896.

Monuments include a fine Baroque tablet to Captain Stephen Hutchens, died 1709, with black Corinthian columns, flat entablature topped by two putti and a flaming urn, scrolls and trophies flanking the inscription, and sailing ships in the base. The inscription includes verse in Cornish. A smaller Baroque cartouche with swags commemorates Captain Andrew Elton of Rotherhithe, died 1710, killed in a naval engagement with the French off Land's End. The north aisle contains a memorial to the lost crew of the Penlee Lifeboat, 1981, a large block of granite topped by a lantern containing a crystal chalice.

The small triangular churchyard contains a granite obelisk with a Celtic-style cross to Dolly Pentreath, reputedly the last monoglot Cornish speaker, died 1777. This was erected by Prince Louis Bonaparte in 1860. The churchyard walls, which contain a Saxon cross head probably of late 9th to early 10th century, are listed separately. On the north-west boundary stands Hutchens House, built as an almshouse in 1709.

The first record of Paul church dates to 1259; shortly afterwards it became the property of Hailes Abbey, Gloucestershire. On 23 July 1595, raiders from four Spanish galleons attacked Mousehole, Newlyn and Penzance, setting fire to Paul church. The tower, south porch and parts of the aisle walls survived; the interior, arcades and roofs were rebuilt by circa 1600. Pieces of fire-damaged piers remain in the north arcade. A grant application to the Incorporated Church Building Society for re-seating was rejected in 1862, with architects Salter & Perrow. J.D. Sedding restored the window tracery and perhaps undertook other work in 1875. The medieval dedication to St Paul may have referred to any of three saints; most historians favour St Paulinus of York, while local tradition favours Paul Aurelian, a Welshman later canonised at Leon in France and known as St Pol de Leon. This dedication was applied around 1907 as part of a revival of Cornish culture.