Church Of St Cyriac

Church of St Cyriac

Anglican parish church, mostly 15th century with some 14th century elements. Restored in 1861 by A.W. Blomfield and chancel rebuilt 1902–3 by H. Brakspear. The building is constructed in rubble stone and ashlar with stone slate roofs.

The exterior displays an elaborately battlemented and pinnacled 15th-century nave and north aisle, with a plain late 15th-century south aisle. The low and plain west tower is possibly 14th century in origin, with a battlemented bell-stage and an ornate gabled octagonal cap to the north stair tower of the 15th century. The recessed octagonal spire was rebuilt in 1604. An embattled west porch dates to around 1500.

The north transept contains Decorated tracery of 14th-century date, though the roof was raised in 1861. The south transept was rebuilt in the 19th century in matching style. West of the south transept stands a 17th-century two-storey-and-attic annexe known as the 'Cottage'. The chancel is entirely of 1902–3 externally, with harsh tracery and a pierced parapet.

The outstanding north-east chapel, built around 1430 for the Bonham and Croke families, is in highly carved Perpendicular style with unusual east window tracery, lavishly sculpted battlements and gargoyles. The nave comprises three bays with large clerestory lights and a 6-light east window over the chancel roof; the 4-centred arch of the window is echoed in a pierced parapet above. The west porch has a lierne vault with Baynard of Lackham arms. The 'Cottage' annexe has ovolo-moulded mullion windows and a blocked west door of later 17th-century type, though a new 'yle' with gallery is mentioned in 1619. A deep moulded elliptical-arched south door with hoodmould possibly dates to the early 17th century.

The interior reveals evidence of several building phases. The tower arch is interrupted at its springing; the 15th-century north aisle has springers for vaulting too low for the tall 15th-century nave piers. High arches north and south of the crossing were exposed only in 1861 but appear to have been intended for rebuilt transepts. One Decorated archway is visible on the south side of the south transept.

The nave retains its original 15th-century roof, boarded in the 19th century. The transepts have roofs of 1861. The south aisle roof is dated 1617, though three corbels of 14th and 15th-century date indicate the lines of a previous roof. The chancel contains a fragment of an arch in its south wall.

The north-east chapel features exceptionally rich lierne vaulting with centre pendants, carved bosses, and vaults springing above finely-canopied wall-niches. Much of the original colouring survives. Masonry evidence indicates that the chapel is in part a remodelling of an earlier structure.

Furnishings include a chancel reredos of 1902 and various wall plaques of 18th and 19th-century date to the Talbot family, including Sir John Talbot (died 1714); the architectural frame of one is now the War Memorial on West Street. The north-east chapel retains some 15th-century stained glass and an exceptional Renaissance memorial of 1566 to Sir W. Sharington of Lacock Abbey, possibly by J. Chapman. The north transept contains an organ in a Gothic early 19th-century case.

The south transept, known as Lackham chapel, contains a series of memorials to owners of Lackham House from the 15th to 20th centuries, including a fine brass to R. Baynard (died 1501), two elaborately painted wall panels of 1623 to the east and Lady U. Baynard, various 18th-century marble plaques to members of the Montagu family (including one to Captain J. Montagu, hero of Earl Howe's 1794 naval victory off Ushant), and a brightly coloured south window of 1862 to Captain F.W. Rooke. In the 'Cottage' are a circa 1700 pedimented memorial to T. Cobborn and Greek Revival plaques to J. Skottowe (died 1820) by Sir R. Westmacott and Dame P. Call (died 1822) by T. King. The south aisle contains a marble plaque to Bishop Johnson of Worcester (died 1774) and some 17th-century wall plaques. The nave contains a font of 1861 by Blomfield.