Church Of St Keria

EGLOSKERRY SX 28 NE 8/36 Church of St Keria (previously 22.11.60 listed as Church of St Kyriacur or St Coriantus and St Petrock)

GV II

Parish church. Consecrated 1222. Norman origins. C15 west tower and possibly C17 south aisle. Stone rubble with moulded plinth to south aisle and to tower. Granite ashlar south porch. Slate roofs continuous over nave and chancel. Nave and chancel in one, south aisle, south porch and west tower. Plan: The Norman church fabric survives in parts of north wall of nave, north transept, tympanum above blocked north door and reset tympanum above south door, font and piscina (a rare survival). C15 west tower and probably 5-bay arcade to south aisle. The church guide attributes the south aisle to Sir John Specott, 1622 and it is possible that the south porch may be of this date. Restored 1879. Exterior: Church situated on high mound in centre of the village. West tower of 3 stages with a battlemented parapet and crocketted finials. C20 west door and window and Perpendicular 2-light belfry openings with slate louvers. Much of the Perpendicular tracery in the south aisle, nave and chancel was replaced during the C19 restoration, using the earlier openings. Remains of Perpendicular tracery in east window of south aisle and the chancel and north transept have earlier 1-light and 2-light lancet windows with cusped heads. Blocked north door to nave with Norman tympanum above depicting dragon devouring its own tail. Granite ashlar south porch with 3-centred granite roll-moulded arch and south door arch which has an empty niche above. Original waggon roof with bosses and moulded ribs all carved from single pieces of timber. Interior: Circa C15 tower arch and Norman arch to north transept. C19 waggon roof to nave and chancel. South aisle with boarded waggon roof which has some of the probably original moulded ribs, carved bosses and wall plate with C19 boarding. 5- bay south arcade with type A (Pevsner) piers and 4-centred moulded arches. Tympanum reset above inner side of south door with Agnus Dei; discovered in south aisle wall during 1887 restoration where it was used as building stone. C19 furnishings. Norman font with cable-moulded rim and Norman piscina. Helmet and gauntlet attributed to Sir John Speccott on window ledge at east end of south aisle wall with alabaster monument probably to Sir Guy Blanchminster in recess below. Other monuments to Speccott family 1644-1705 on south aisle wall; classical marble aedicular surround. Also, Rev John King Lethbridge of Tregeare, 1861; Rev. John Morgan 1792; Grace Speccott of Penheale, 1636; William Sattren of Treludick 1742; Elizabeth Lethbridge 1833 and Henry Addington Simcoe of Penheale, 1868. The north door and tympanum are illustrated by Sedding. Pevsner, N. and Radcliffe, E. The Buildings of England, Cornwall 2nd edition 1970. Sedding, E.H. Norman Architecture in Cornwall Church guide.

Listing NGR: SX2727486602