Church Of Saint Buryan

The Church of Saint Buryan is a parish church with a north wall of the chancel dating back to the 12th century, and the remainder largely from the 15th and possibly early 16th centuries. It was restored in 1814 and 1886. The church is constructed of granite ashlar and granite rubble walls, with dressed Elvan to sections of the 12th-century walls, and features dry Delabole slate roofs with granite coped gable ends.

The plan incorporates a nave and chancel under a single roof, a west tower, a north aisle, a south aisle, and a south porch, all primarily 15th or early 16th century, except for parts of the chancel which are 12th century. Late-medieval arcades and roof structures are present.

The exterior is largely unaltered from the late medieval period, retaining most original openings. There are 4-centred arched north and south doorways, and late-Perpendicular windows, apart from the east window of the chancel and windows at the east and west ends of the south aisle, which are late 19th century in Perpendicular style. The tall, four-story embattled tower of the 15th century has buttresses set back from the corners, dividing strings between the stages, and an octagonal stair tower in the angle between the north wall and north aisle, along with corner pinnacles. A 2-centred arched west doorway leads to the tower, above which is a 5-light traceried window, and 3-light traceried windows to the upper stage. Principal openings are topped with hoodmoulds. The circa-late 15th century embattled porch includes a moulded doorway and buttresses set back from the corners. A blocked priest’s doorway is found toward the east end of the south wall of the south aisle.

Inside, the interior is lofty and mostly plastered, retaining numerous late-medieval features, including a pointed tower arch carried on moulded corbels, and 6-bay arcades with 'A' (Pevsner) piers and 4-centred arches between the nave/chancel and the aisles. A rood stair is visible in the south wall, and waggon roofs are throughout. A 12th-century arcade with a round pier and respond, and round arches, is visible in the north wall of the chancel; a later doorway indicating a former chapel to the north is present on the outside wall.

The church has a 15th-century font with a round bowl and four carved angels over a central shaft that resembles the arcade piers. Fragments of a 15th- or early 16th-century rood screen were reassembled and extended in 1910, retaining original red, blue, and green paint, and gilding to the medieval parts. Two medieval bench ends, and other carved fragments, were incorporated into a lectern and two, probably 16th-century, double misericords; other fittings are 19th or 20th century.

Monuments include a probable 13th-century stone coffin-shaped tomb to Clarice, wife of Geoffrey de Bolleit, in the north-west corner; a 17th-century slate memorial to Arthur Levelis, who died in 1671, on the west wall of the south aisle, and several memorial windows.