Church Of St Phillack (St Felicitas)

The Church of St Phillack, also known as St Felicitas, is a parish church with origins dating back to the 12th century. The west tower is from the 15th century, with the rest of the church largely rebuilt around 1856-1857. The church is constructed of granite ashlar for the tower, and granite and elvan rubble with granite dressings for the remainder. The roofs are dry scantle slate with granite coped gable ends; the tower has a pyramidal slate roof, while the vestry and south gable have octagonal stone chimneys.

Originally, the church likely had a cruciform plan, but in the 15th century it was extended with a north aisle and west tower. Around 1886, all but the west tower was demolished and rebuilt in an Early English style, creating the current plan which includes the west tower, nave/chancel, north aisle, vestry, south transept, south aisle, and south porch.

The west tower is a complete 15th-century structure with three stages, set-back corner buttresses, and strings separating the stages. It features a steep 4-centred arched doorway, possibly repositioned in the 19th century, and original three-light traceried windows with slate louvred lights. The tower also has two original crocketted pinnacles, with two others replaced in the 19th century; the originals are in the churchyard. The 19th-century additions to the church have original doors and windows with cusped lancets. The south aisle east window has intersecting Y-tracery. A medieval tomb lid with cabled ornament, possibly dating from before the Norman Conquest, is set in the angle between the tower and the south porch. A reset chi-rho stone, likely from the 5th century, is located in the porch gable, and a 12th-century carved head is in the north gable of the vestry.

Inside, a Norman fragment is incorporated into the north wall. The tower arch is 15th century, with moulded responds, and 19th-century transepts connect to the nave and chancel. The church features earthenware roof floor tiles and arch-braced roofs. Carved fragments from the former roof are incorporated into the pulpit and organ frame.

The church’s fittings include a retooled Norman font bowl on a 19th-century replica base, a reset Norman altar slab with incised crosses, and a 12th or 13th-century tomb lid set into the east wall of the vestry.