Church Of St Mewan

Church of St Mewan

This parish church has origins in the 12th century but was largely rebuilt in the mid to late 15th century and underwent substantial restoration around 1851 by G.E. Street. The building is constructed of granite rubble with granite dressings, with some squared granite rubble and the tower in granite ashlar. The roofs are slate with ridge tiles, and gable ends feature raised coped verges and cross finials.

The church plan consists of a nave and chancel in one, possibly of 12th-century origin and much rebuilt in the 15th century. A north chancel aisle was added, along with a mid-15th-century south aisle and south porch. The west tower, built in two stages only, dates to the late 15th century. The north transept was rebuilt around 1851 during G.E. Street's restoration, when other alterations were also made.

The nave exterior is largely concealed except for two bays to the north, which feature two 19th-century windows, each with a 2-centred arch of 3 lights with varied tracery and hood moulds. The chancel has a 3-light 15th-century east window with cusped lights and Perpendicular tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould. A slate headstone attached to the east wall, dated 1733 and bearing a nowy head, hourglass, pierced heart and cherub, commemorates Nicholas Robin. The chancel also has 19th-century lancets to north and south, with 2-centred arched head to north and 3-centred arched head to south.

The north transept's gable end has a 19th-century 3-light window with cusped lights and a gable end stack. A 2-centred arched doorway to the west has a door with strap hinges, accompanied by a 3-light window with cusped lights, both 19th-century. A single-storey boilerhouse is attached.

The north chancel aisle comprises 2 bays. Its east end has a 19th-century 2-light window with cusped lights, 2-centred arch and hood mould. A 3-light 19th-century north window features cusped lights and a square head. Attached granite and marble headstones commemorate Ann (early 19th century) and Maria Vivian (1898).

The south aisle spans 5 bays with a chamfered plinth along the south side. Three 19th-century windows to the south feature cusped lights, 4-centred arches and hood moulds. A doorway at the east end has a 19th-century door with strap hinges, 4-centred arch with recessed spandrels and square hood mould. An attached headstone commemorates William Andrew (1818). The east end has a 3-light 15th-century Perpendicular window with cusped lights, 4-centred arch and hood mould. The west end features a similar 4-light 15th-century Perpendicular window with Y tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould.

The south porch is gabled without plinth. It has a 2-centred arched, chamfered outer doorway. The interior features a pitched slate floor and 19th-century wooden benches to the sides, with a 19th-century unceiled wagon roof. The inner doorway is chamfered with 2-centred arch and has a 19th-century door with strap hinges.

The west tower rises in 2 stages on a moulded plinth with weathered set-back buttresses. The parapet is embattled with masks on the merlons, and pinnacles feature cable moulding and masks. The roof is pyramidal with half-hipped dormers as bell-openings. The west doorway has a 4-centred arch with wave mouldings and hood mould, with a 19th-century door with strap hinges. A 19th-century 2-light west window features cusped lights, 4-centred arch and hood mould. The second stage to the east has a rectangular chamfered window, with lancets for the stair to the north.

The interior features all 19th-century common rafter roofs except the chancel, which has a 3-bay roof of 19th-century date with cusped arched-ranges. Walls are plastered except the chancel and north aisle. A tall 4-centred tower arch is carried on Pevsner A-type piers and has a 19th-century wooden and glazed screen. The 3-bay south arcade features Pevsner A-type piers and 4-centred arches, with a similar arch to the north transept. The chancel has a piscina with cusped arch to the south. The east window in the chancel has 12th-century nook-shafts, probably re-used during the 19th-century restoration, with masks at the top of the shafts and a mask at the apex of the east wing. A 19th-century panelled reredos is fitted to the chancel. The south aisle contains an aumbry.

Fittings include 19th-century benches in the south aisle and chancel, and a 19th-century carved wooden pulpit in the nave. The font is re-carved 14th-century stone with an octagonal bowl and carved sides, set on a 12th-century shaft with palmette-style carving. A fragment of similar 12th-century carving remains in the nave. Monuments include: a marble monument on slate ground with urn to William Oliver (1838) in the nave; a marble tablet to William Hocker (1842) in the chancel; and a painted shield of arms to Sir Francis Layland (1933) in the south aisle. The church contains 19th-century stained glass.