Church Of St Carantoc

This is a parish church of considerable historical importance, with origins in the 12th century. A college was instituted here by Bishop Brewer of Exeter in 1236, which prompted the enlargement of the chancel. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century. The tower collapsed in 1412 and was rebuilt; its lower stage appears to date from the 13th century, with the upper stage added in the 15th century. The church underwent significant restoration and alteration of roofs and windows in the 18th century, and a major restoration programme took place in the late 19th century, principally between 1902 and 1907, undertaken by Edmund Sedding.

The church is constructed of slatestone and granite rubble with granite dressings; the tower is roughcast. The roofs are of slate with crested ridge tiles and gable ends with raised coped verges to the east.

The building comprises a nave and chancel with north and south transepts, all from the 12th century. The west tower was probably added in the 13th century. Fourteenth-century work includes the enlargement of the chancel to serve the College. In the 15th century, the tower was rebuilt and a south porch was added. The north and south aisles are likely to be 15th-century work.

The exterior shows the nave with two bays visible to the south, with the porch positioned between them. Two windows, both 19th-century two-light cusped windows with relieving arches, are visible here. The north side has two 19th-century windows with cusped lights and relieving arches. The south porch is gabled with raised coped verges and a cross finial. It features a rounded arched doorway with 20th-century double doors, above which is an 18th-century slate with the Latin inscription "Ego sum Ianua per me Qui intrabit Servabitur" (I am the Door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved). The interior of the porch has a slate floor and stone benches to the sides, with a 19th-century wagon roof. The inner doorway is a four-centred arch, chamfered with an outer hollow moulding featuring pyramid stops, and has a 19th-century door.

The north transept is gabled with raised coped verges and a cross finial, with weathered ashlar angle buttresses. It has a 19th-century three-light Perpendicular window to the north. The south transept has one rough rubble buttress to the left; its gable end features a three-light 19th-century Perpendicular window above a niche containing a statue of Christ crucified with attendant figures. Inset stones bear lettering with the inscription "Who died for us", erected by Father Parsons around 1900.

The chancel features a five-light 19th-century Perpendicular east window with rosettes in the tracery. The chancel and aisles have roughcast finish to the east end. The chancel roof forms a catslide over the aisles. The north aisle has a four-centred arched doorway with hollow-moulding and hoodmould, with a 19th-century door. To its left is a single 19th-century cusped light with hood mould. To the right are two three-light 19th-century Perpendicular windows and a buttress. The east end has a similar three-light window. The south aisle has a similar doorway and two-light window to right and left, with a similar three-light window to the east end.

The west tower rises in three stages, each stage set back, with angle buttresses extending to the second stage only. It has a corbelled embattled parapet. The west doorway is a four-centred arch with 19th-century panelled double doors, above which is a three-light 19th-century Perpendicular window. The third stage has a single tall cusped lancet with slate louvres and hood moulds on all sides. The second stage to the south has a clock. A projecting stair tower with pitched roof is set at second-stage level to the north, featuring a lancet window, with another lancet at the second stage to the north.

The interior has plastered walls and a slate floor. The nave, chancel and transepts all have 19th-century wagon roofs, painted above the rood with painted bosses, while the aisles have common rafter roofs. The chancel roof similarly features painted bosses and cross braces, with angel and shield corbels on the wall-plate. The nave contains a holy water stoup. A tall pointed four-centred arch with imposts spans to the tower. The nave opens to the north and south transepts via wide segmental arches with imposts. At each side are the remains of 12th-century piers with ring moulding at the base and carved stops.

The north transept has a blocked 12th-century doorway in the west wall with a round arch and imposts, in front of which stands a 19th-century internal porch with panelled door containing reused 15th-century carving. There is a fine 19th-century carved screen with open arches and roof above. Fifteenth-century carving is reused in the screens between the chancel and aisles. The chancel contains a 19th-century panelled wooden reredos with carved figures. The arches from each transept to the aisles are segmental with imposts. On the inner side of the north transept arch is a four-centred arched chamfered doorway to the rood stair, featuring a very fine carved 16th-century door with panels, vines and grapes, and primitive guilloche moulding. The upper doorway to the rood is positioned above the arcade pier. The south aisle has a 19th-century arch to the end bay and a 19th-century piscina.

The church contains several important fittings. The nave has a fine 12th-century stone font with a circular bowl resting on a central stem with four outer shafts surmounted by faces. The bowl has a later carved inscription and the date 1474. Chevron carving decorates the rim. Fragments of carving are set on the south wall of the tower on a wooden panel. The nave benches feature 19th-century carved bench ends, the work of Miss Rashleigh Pinwill. A 17th-century communion rail with turned balusters is present. A 19th-century carved wooden pulpit stands in the nave. In the south transept is a wooden arched panel with a painted and carved low-relief scene of Abraham, probably of 17th-century Dutch origin, found in the parish. The sanctuary chair in the chancel is probably 17th-century. Slate paving stones with 18th-century dates and initials are visible in the nave. The church contains 19th-century stained glass, and fragments of medieval glass with a Latin text remain in the sacristy.