Church Of St Stephen

LAUNCESTON

SX3285 ST STEPHEN'S HILL, St Stephen 660-1/3/222 (East side) 27/02/50 Church of St Stephen (Formerly Listed as: Church of St Stephen-by-Launceston)

GV I

Parish church. Norman chancel surviving from collegiate church of Augustinian Priory founded 940AD which later moved to St Thomas (qv); consecrated 1259 and extended 1419 and early C16, restored 1883 by Hine and Odgers. Granite ashlar 3-stage tower with setback buttresses,strings dividing stages and embattled parapet with crocketted corner pinnacles; also granite ashlar to remainder of west end and south aisle up to and including porch, otherwise slatestone rubble with granite or greenstone dressings; low-pitched roof hidden by embattled parapets. Plan: 4-bay nave; chancel; C16 west tower; south aisle shallow S transept and 2-storey porch; north chancel chapel. Exterior: C15 Perpendicular traceried windows with hoodmoulds, most with 5 lights, to north wall. East wall of chancel has 2 blocked doorways or windows with niches and carved Norman volcanic stone statues; seated Saviour, and Virgin and Child probably from an Adoration of the Magi (Pevsner). Tower has 5-light window over 2-centred arched doorway with square hoodmould C17 studded oak door with angled random planks; clockface to 2nd stage; 3-light window to each side of upper stage. Porch has 4-centred arched doorway, also inner doorway with original C15 or C16 studded door. C19 windows in Perpendicular style to S aisle. INTERIOR: skimmed walls; 4-bay Polyphant stone arcade with square piers with demi shafts and 2 centred arches; another bay to east of rood with more-complex moulded piers to S transept, late C19 greenstone arch to N aisle. Late C19 oak roof structure with squat 4-centred arched moulded tie-beam trusses with trefoil-headed arcade above and moulded wall plates and purlins; Norman arches visible to north and south walls of chancel near C13 rear arches. Medieval holy water stoup in porch. Fittings: round Norman font of volcanic stone with 3 cabled cornice to round shaft on moulded rings to square base; cinquefoil headed aumbry niche to south wall of chancel; C18 holy water stoop in porch; medieval stone coffin at west end; late C19 rood screen and late C19 pitch-pine pews with carved oak ends including three C16 bench ends with quatrefoils; elaborate late C19 pulpit. Monuments: slate slab set into north wall to Digory Prior, died 1631 with guilloche border and coat of arms; another to N wall of chancel to John? Briers of Colacott, (q.v.) Werrington parish, died 1615, with Corinthian end pilasters and scrolled pediment; another to S transept dated 1667 with most of ornate inscription; wall marble aedicule to S wall of aisle to John Tripp, 1792-1864. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Cornwall: London: 1953-1970: P.200 & 201; Kelly's Directory: Directory of Cornwall: 1902-: P.170, 171).

Listing NGR: SX3247985700