Church Of St Petroc

Church of St Petroc at Trevalga, a parish church dedicated to St Petroc. The building probably has Norman origins, with elements partly rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries and substantially restored in 1875 by J.P. St Aubyn. It is constructed of slate stone rubble with the tower featuring granite quoins and moulded granite strings. The roof is of slate, with the nave and chancel set under a single roof.

The church likely originates in the Norman period, as evidenced by a Norman font and early masonry surviving in the north wall of the nave. Around the 13th century the nave and chancel were probably rebuilt and a north transept added. The west tower is also likely 13th century in origin but was remodelled in the 15th century when the west door, plinth, and west window were inserted and a battlemented parapet added. During the 1875 restoration by J.P. St Aubyn, the south porch and south walls of the nave and chancel were rebuilt, the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt above the battered plinth, and the north priest's door was blocked. The roof to the nave was replaced and the church was reseated. The squint between the north transept and chancel was remodelled.

Prior to the restoration, there was evidence of frescoes on the walls throughout the church. The only surviving indication now remains in the arch above the east window of the north transept, showing yellow and red banded ornamentation.

The west tower comprises three stages with granite quoins and strings, topped by a battlemented parapet without finials. The circa 15th-century west door features a rectangular surround with hood mould, a two-centred arch with hollow chamfer and incised spandrels. The three-light Perpendicular west window is accompanied by two-light belfry openings with slate louvers. The north wall of the nave and north transept remain largely unrestored, retaining circa 15th-century one-light and two-light greenstone lancet windows. The east wall of the chancel was largely rebuilt during the 19th-century restoration with a 19th-century three-light Perpendicular window. The south wall of the nave, rebuilt during the restoration, contains a one-light cusped lancet window to the west of the porch and one and two-light lancet windows to the east of the porch. The south porch was largely rebuilt in the 19th century with a two-centred chamfered arch with run-out stops, a 19th-century roof, and slate-topped benches inside. The south door features a two-centred greenstone arch with hollow chamfer and pyramid stops, and a circa late 19th-century door.

The interior walls of the nave, chancel and north transept were re-plastered in 1875 and painted in the 20th century. Historical records indicate the walls were originally frescoed throughout in a masonic character with colours including black, red, yellow and orange. The tower arch is partly rebuilt with a four-centred chamfered granite arch on moulded corbelled brackets. The north transept arch was rebuilt and the squint between north transept and chancel partly remodelled.

The roof of the nave was replaced in the 20th century. The waggon roof structure of the chancel and north transept incorporates some circa 15th-century timbers, with ribs on the west and east sides of the north transept ornamented with floral motifs.

The church contains 19th-century pitch pine furnishings including a pulpit with carved panels illustrating scenes from the life of St Petroc. A circa 16th-century Flemish reredos comprises a fine carved triptych flanked by reset carved bench ends. The Norman font is of greenstone with a square base and round shaft. Two memorial windows in the chancel and tower are by Clayton and Bell.

Memorials include one in the north transept to Samuel, son of John Roscarrock, dated 1640 with arms; to the Rickard family of Trehane, circa 1829; and to James May, late rector of the parishes of Trevalga and Cheldon in Devon, dated 1832.

The church contains three bells: one dated 1756 inscribed JOHN TUCKER: C.H. WARDEN: F: A: PENNINGTON; one from 1773 inscribed IOSEPH THORPE RECTOR. THOMAS RICKARD CW + IP + CO; and a medieval bell with coat of arms.