Church Of Saint Laud

The Church of Saint Laud is a parish church with possible 13th or 14th century origins in parts of the chancel, largely dating to the 15th century, and restored in 1868. It is constructed of granite ashlar for the tower and south aisle, with the remainder largely of granite rubble with granite dressings. The roofs are covered in dry Delabole slate with gable ends, and the porch has a granite coped gable. The plan includes a nave and chancel under a single roof, a 15th-century west tower, a 15th-century north aisle largely rebuilt in the 19th century, a 15th-century south aisle, and a 15th-century south porch. A projection for a rood stair is situated against the south wall.

The complete, unbuttressed, 3-stage embattled west tower is of the 15th century, with crocketted pinnacles above the cornice. It has a high moulded plinth and strings dividing the stages. A four-centred arched west doorway is enriched with carving and carved heads as label stops. Above the doorway is a four-light traceried Perpendicular window, and in the upper stage are three-light traceried windows. The north aisle was largely rebuilt in the 19th century, reusing five 15th-century two-light windows on the north wall, and incorporating a three-light window to each gable end. The chancel features a 15th-century three-light east window with bosses on the cusps of the tracery. The complete 15th-century south aisle has its original traceried Perpendicular windows, including a four-light east window, and further three-light windows. A high moulded plinth, similar to that of the tower, and a coved cornice to the wallplate are also present. A canted rood stair projection is located midway between the porch and the east end, with a small round-headed priest’s doorway to the right of the projection. The 15th-century porch has original gable copings carried on moulded kneelers, and a four-centred arch doorway with cable moulding and leaf carving to the deep spandrels. The inner doorway is carved freestone with similar cable mouldings, and a holy water stoup is set into the porch wall to the right of the doorway.

Inside, the walls are plastered, and there is a 15th-century arcade with octagonal piers and four-centred arches. The tower arch also features carved heads on the imposts. The roofs are arch-braced and wind-braced, dating to the 19th century. Most fittings are from the 19th century, though there are a few reset fragments of old alabaster incorporated within the reredos.