Church Of St Protus And St Hyacinth

The Church of St Protus and St Hyacinth is a parish church with Norman origins, extended in the mid-15th century and again in the late 15th century. It was restored around 1896 by F. C. Eden. The church includes earlier stone rubble masonry in the east wall of the chancel, the west end of the nave (which has a pronounced batter), and part of the north transept along with a section of the north wall of the north chancel aisle. The south aisle, south porch and north wall of the north chancel aisle are constructed of ashlar granite. The tower is of roughly coursed ashlar masonry and has slate roofing, as does the nave and chancel.

The original Norman church probably had a cruciform plan, with remnants visible in the west wall of the nave, the east end of the chancel, the north transept, and possibly the lower stage of the tower, which is situated on the north side of the north transept. During the mid to late 15th centuries, a south porch, a six-bay south aisle, the upper stage of the tower, and two bays of the north chancel aisle were added. The south wall of the south transept (the Morshead chapel) was rebuilt in the 19th century.

The tower is three stories high, featuring a rectangular stair projection on the northeast corner, a battlemented parapet, and crocketted finials. The belfry lights display circa 15th-century Perpendicular tracery, while the north chancel aisle has circa 16th-century tracery. A triple lancet Early English window with 15th and 19th-century Perpendicular tracery defines the chancel. The south porch has a circa 15th-century four-centred arch, along with a sundial dating to 1780 and a restored circa 15th-century waggon roof.

Inside, the walls are plastered and remnants of circa 19th-century painted texts are visible on the east wall of the chancel. There are high-quality waggon roofs from the mid to late 15th century. The tower arch is unmoulded and two-centred, with impost mouldings. A six-bay arcade leads to the south aisle, with four-centred moulded arches and type A (Pevsner) piers. A similar archway opens to the south transept. The north chancel aisle features three bays of a similar design, with carved capitals, the western bay forming the north transept arch. A rood loft stair remains intact, alongside a fine rood screen designed by F. C. Eden in 1896. The church contains a 15th-century octagonal font utilizing a Norman bowl of Pentewan stone on a later 20th-century stem and base. A timber pulpit with a sounding board, likely dating from the late 17th century, is decorated with fine carved timber details. Other furnishings include royal arms dated 1604, a 17th-century communion table, and a circa mid-17th-century chest with carved panels located at the west end of the south aisle. Memorials consist of a brass inscription from 1410 (Joh'is Balsam, rector) and several good 17th-century ledger stones. The church is located to the south of the village green.