Church Of St Enoder

Church of St Enoder

This parish church originated in the 14th century and received substantial additions in the mid to late 15th century, including the south aisle and south porch. The tower collapsed in 1686 and was rebuilt in 1711, probably reusing materials from its predecessor. The south aisle was substantially rebuilt in 1886 in the original style. The church underwent restoration in 1869 and again in 1951 according to the Incorporated Church Building Society records. The building is constructed of squared granite rubble with granite dressings and some granite ashlar, particularly in the tower. The roofs are of 19th-century slate with crested ridge tiles and gable ends.

The plan consists of a nave and chancel in one, with north and south aisles. The original church probably had a north transept, which was incorporated into the north aisle in the 15th century.

The chancel's east end sits on a chamfered plinth and features a 3-light 19th-century Perpendicular window. The south aisle varies in construction: the east end is in stone rubble while the remainder is squared granite rubble. This aisle has 3 bays to the east without a plinth and 5 bays to the west including the south porch, all on a moulded plinth with quatrefoil panels. The early bays contain three 3-light 19th-century Perpendicular windows to the south and a doorway with a 4-centred arch, roll-moulded with recessed spandrels and hood mould (with a 19th-century door). The east end has a 4-light 15th-century Perpendicular window with Y tracery. The western bays feature a moulded cornice and parapet with quatrefoil panels and battlements. There are 3 windows to the east, 4-light with Y tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould, and one similar window to the west of the porch. The west end displays a similar 3-light window. The battlement merlons have carved panels including the date 1686 and the initials WSV.

The south porch is two storeys, built on a moulded plinth with quatrefoil panels, set-back buttresses with carved shields, and a cornice and parapet with carved merlons and crocketed pinnacles. The 4-centred arched doorway features wave and hollow moulding, with demi-figures of angels as springers and 19th-century double doors. A stone bracket above serves as an image stand. The porch interior has a slate floor with granite benches to the sides and a 19th-century roof. A 4-centred arched doorway with a 19th-century door leads to the porch stair. Remains of a holy water stoup survive to the right. The inner doorway is hollow-moulded with a 4-centred arch and hood mould, and features a fine panelled door of the early 18th century.

The north aisle sits on a hollow-moulded plinth and is constructed in granite ashlar. It comprises 6 bays including the wide shallow north transept. All windows are of late 17th to early 18th-century date, featuring 4-light with Y tracery, rounded arch and hood mould. Between the 2 western bays is a roll-moulded doorway with recessed spandrels, 4-centred arch and hood mould (with a 19th-century door). The east end contains a large 5-light window, probably of 15th-century date, with cusped lights and 4-centred arch. The west end has a 3-light 19th-century Perpendicular window. The north transept has a slurried scantle slate roof with raised coped verges to the gable. It is built in rubble with granite quoins and features a 3-light north window of 19th-century date in Early English style.

The west tower stands in 3 stages on a chamfered plinth with angle buttresses featuring baroque scrolled set-offs. It has moulded string courses and an embattled parapet with obelisk finials. The 4-centred arched hollow-chamfered west doorway has hood mould, voussoirs and a floating cornice. A 2-light west window with hollow-chamfered mullions, rounded arch and keystone is dated 1711 with a hood mould. The second stage has a lancet to the west with a slate ventilator and lancets to the north for the stair. The third stage contains single round-arched bell-openings with keystones and wooden louvres.

The interior features plastered walls and tiled floors except for the north east aisle, which is granite paved. The nave has an unceiled wagon roof, possibly of the 18th century. The north and south aisles feature 15th-century wagon roofs with carved ribs, bosses and wall-plates, as does the north transept. The east end of the south aisle and the chancel have 19th-century arched-brace roofs with windbraces. The tower arch is rounded with imposts. The nave has a 4-bay north and south arcade; the south arcade is of the 14th century, with 2-centred arches and octagonal piers with convex and concave moulded arches. The north arcade has Pevsner A-type piers with carved capitals and 4-centred arches, with a similar arch to the north transept. The chancel has a 3-bay north and south arcade with Pevsner A-type piers with carved capitals and 4-centred arches. The chancel displays 19th-century paired cusped recesses to right and left of the altar. In the north wall of the north aisle are unexplained niches to right and left of the window to the west of the transept.

Fittings include a 12th-century font in the south aisle with a circular bowl, criss-cross pattern around the rim, 2 remaining masks and a circular stem. A slate sundial with gnomon dated 1766 stands in the south aisle. The nave and aisles contain 19th-century benches with 15th-century bench ends. A panelled 19th-century pulpit in the nave incorporates some 15th-century carving, as does a 19th-century Gothic style rood screen. A good 19th-century Gothic altar table features clustered shafts. The Royal Arms of Charles II hang in the north aisle. A painting, probably of early 19th-century date, is in oils on canvas in the north transept.

Monuments in the north transept include 3 marble monuments: to Richard Retallack (1831), Elizabeth Lawer (1851) and Elizabeth Basset (1854). The north aisle contains 3 slate ledger stones to Anthony Carvinack (1744), Anthony Tanner (1708) and John Treseyse (17th century). A fine slate monument with 2 arches and 3 kneeling figures in low relief, with mottoes and verses, commemorates Dorothy Tanner (1634). An oil on board memorial in the chancel commemorates Frances Flamank (1785). The south aisle displays 3 slate monuments to Richard Hoblyn (1765), John Bassett (1787) and John Bassett (early 19th century). Fragments of medieval glass survive in the east window of the south aisle.