Church Of Saint Winnear

The Church of Saint Winnear is a parish church primarily of the 15th century, with earlier origins. Evidence of Norman work survives in the base of a font and some reused carved heads, and the chancel likely dates to the 13th century. A north aisle was added in the 16th century by the Arundell family. Most windows and the roof structure were renewed during the 19th century. The church is constructed of granite ashlar to the tower and part of the north wall, with the remainder being granite and elvan rubble with granite dressings. The roofs are of dry Delabole slate with gable ends.

The church comprises a 13th-century chancel, a nave and chancel area, a west tower, a north aisle and porch, a later parallel north aisle or chapel, and a south aisle. The west tower is virtually complete, featuring a 15th-century embattled three-stage design with set-back buttresses, corner pinnacles, and an external stair turret to the north-west. A two-centred west doorway is situated below a three-light window. Louvres of two lights are present on the middle stage, and three-light windows with slate louvres are on the upper stage. The north and south doorways are 15th or early 16th century, with Tudor roses in the spandrels of the four-centred arches. A 16th-century doorway with outer and inner arches leads to the Arundell chapel, situated beside a 16th-century porch doorway with moulded jambs, imposts and a steep four-centred arch. The chancel east window is circa late 13th century, while windows on the south aisle and nave are of 15th or early 16th century design, with a remodelled window on the south wall of the nave. The remaining windows are largely 19th-century, mostly in the Perpendicular style.

Inside, a pointed tower arch leads to the nave. A six-bay arcade separates the nave and chancel from the north aisle, featuring standard A (Pevsner) piers for the two western bays and, presumably, 16th-century octagonal piers for the remaining four bays, all with carved capitals. A four-bay arcade, also of the 15th century, divides the nave and chancel from the south aisle with standard A (Pevsner) piers and moulded capitals. A further three-bay arcade with octagonal piers separates the north aisle from the far north aisle (The Arundell Chapel). The walls are plastered and the roofs are largely 19th-century waggon construction, with a 15th-century waggon roof over the chancel. Notable fittings include a fragment of an ancient granite cross with a carved crucifixion, a Norman font base with chevron carving, a green elvan round shaft and an octagonal granite bowl dated 1772. A base of a 15th-century rood screen remains, featuring carved ogee-headed paired panels between heavily carved muntins. A cast-iron fire back dated 1588 is inscribed with the initials IFC. An octagonal 19th-century pulpit incorporates five 16th-century carved ogee arch-headed panels, and a painted letter from Charles I is also present. Other fittings are of the 19th century. A marble wall monument commemorates Elizabeth Arundell, wife of John Arundell of Sithney and daughter of Thomas Lanyon of Gwinear, who died in 1683 aged 36.