Church Of St Nonna

Church of St Nonna

Parish church with Norman origins, though largely rebuilt in the late 15th century when the north and south aisles were added. The building was restored in 1867 by E. Sedding and again in 1986 following damage from lightning.

The church is constructed of roughly coursed local stone with granite moulded plinth for the aisles and porches. The chancel is of stone rubble with granite quoins, while the tower has a lower stage of roughly dressed ashlar stone with upper stages of stone rubble. All sections are covered with regular slate roofs.

The plan comprises a nave and chancel in one, with 5-bay north and south aisles, north and south porches, and a west tower. The church probably has Norman origins, evidenced by the Norman font and remains of a piscina. The tower was likely started in the late 14th century, with the second and third stages added in the 15th century. The north and south aisles and porches date to the late 15th century. The church was repaired and restored in 1867 by E. Sedding and was repaired in 1986 after a pinnacle fell from the tower through the roof during a lightning strike.

The west tower has three stages with set-back corner buttresses rising just above the second stage. It features a moulded plinth and strings with a battlemented parapet bearing crocketted finials. A stair tower occupies the north-west corner. The west door has a low multiple moulded 4-centred arch, with a 19th-century 3-light west window and a 2-light Perpendicular window above. The 3-light belfry openings have slate tracery and slate louvres.

The north and south aisles retain almost complete late 15th-century Perpendicular tracery with varying lead patterns. The west end of the south aisle has a 19th-century window, while the north aisle has a datestone reading "DV:WC: 1795" above its west window, which displays granite intersecting tracery. The chancel has a 4-light Perpendicular window. A granite ashlar rood loft projects into the north aisle. The 15th-century north and south porches feature 4-centred roll-moulded granite arches with incised spandrels and hood moulds. The 15th-century waggon roofs have carved bosses, and the doors are probably late 17th-century, constructed with double panels of heavy raised and fielded design.

Interior walls are of bare stone rubble, plastered at the east end. The nave and chancel waggon roof is heavily restored. The north and south aisles have 15th-century waggon roofs, partly restored, with carved bosses and wall plates. The arcades of north and south aisles consist of 5 bays of 15th-century granite with Pevsner type A piers, moulded bases and caps, and moulded 4-centred arches.

A fine quality 15th-century carved rood screen extends across the east end of the nave and north and south aisles, featuring 2-centred arched openings with Perpendicular tracery. The 19th-century rood loft has its stair removed. Communion rails extend across the east end of the chancel and north and south aisles, displaying fine moulded balusters with an inscription reading "JOHN RUDDLE MINISTER OF LAUNCESTON PREBENDARY OF EXON AND VICAR OF IRIS PARISH 1684". A bench at the west end of the church bears the inscription "WP: SC ANNO 1684".

Fine quality 16th-century bench ends survive, with some complete benches remaining. One bench end is inscribed "Robert Daye maker of this worke and William Bokyngham Curate, John Hodge, Clarke, on M.D. (1500)". The pulpit dates to the 19th century.

The Norman font, dated circa 1100-1130 by Sedding, has a square bowl carved with floral patterns and painted carved bearded heads at the corners, with an octagonal shaft and 19th-century base. A carved head of a Norman pedestal piscina survives at the west end of the church. Painted texts comprising the Lord's Prayer, Creed and Commandment boards are displayed. Circa 18th-century altar tables are present.