Church Of St John The Baptist

Church of St John the Baptist, Kennerleigh

Parish church with origins in the 14th century, substantially extended and renovated during the 19th century. The tower and chancel date to the 14th century, the north aisle to the 15th century. Comprehensive restoration took place in 1847–48.

The building is constructed from red sandstone, volcanic and mudstone rubble with decorative details in Beerstone, Hamstone and red sandstone ashlar. It is roofed in slate. The plan comprises a nave with a narrower and slightly lower chancel, a north aisle, a west tower and a south porch. The architectural style is predominantly late Perpendicular, though largely the result of 19th-century restoration work.

The west tower is low and unbuttressed, divided into two stages with an embattled parapet, small pinnacles and a dwarf pyramidal roof topped with a 20th-century brass moline cross. The belfry windows have segmental arches that were restored in the 19th century using brick. On the west side of the tower is a 19th-century segmental arch containing a contemporary plank door with unusual wrought iron strap hinges.

The south side of the nave was largely rebuilt in the mid 19th century and includes four Hamstone square-headed windows in 16th-century style, with square heads and round-headed lights: two 2-light windows to the left of the porch and two 3-light windows to the right. The south porch is gable-ended with a two-centred arch of red sandstone and Beerstone. The right (east) end of the nave has large red sandstone quoins and part of a chamfered plinth, probably 15th-century work.

The chancel fabric is largely rubble tending to courses, with some possibly dating to the 14th century. It contains the blocked pointed arch of the priest's door and a narrow lancet, both of volcanic ashlar. The red sandstone quoins and the east chancel window (a two-light Perpendicular window with ogee heads and trefoil cusping) are mid 19th-century restorations. A similar three-light window appears in the east end of the north aisle. On the north side are two square-headed volcanic windows with elliptical-headed lights, possibly 15th century.

The interior retains an almost round-headed south doorway containing a 17th-century plank door with moulded cover strips, restored in the 19th century. The nave has a 19th-century plaster barrel vault ceiling with a crenellated wall plate. The north aisle has a much-restored wagon roof, though many of the original carved oak bosses are 15th century. The chancel has an ornate wagon roof that, despite restoration, retains much original 16th-century carving and carpentry, including moulded ribs, intersecting straight windbraces with carved flat bosses and a carved fernleaf wall plate.

A low, almost round-headed tower arch with plain volcanic voussoirs opens into the nave. A four-bay arcade of whitewashed ashlar comprises three bays to the nave and one to the chancel. The moulded piers, of Pevsner's A Type, have plain caps only to the attached columns. The arches are low and broad and form part of the 1848 renovation, as does the double chancel arch. The 19th-century parquetry floor includes one memorial slab to Amas Blagg (died 1732).

The sanctuary lancet window contains fragments of ancient stained glass including a crown, a Tudor rose and grissaille work. A hollow-chamfered rear arch to the east chancel window includes stained glass of 1860.

The fittings and furnishings are all Victorian Gothic in character. The vestry screen appears to include a length of 16th-century carved oak cornice, possibly from a rood screen. A brass lectern is dated 1894. The Beerstone font bowl is good 15th-century work, decorated with quatrefoils on panels and a band of foliage ornament underneath, though it is set on a 19th-century pedestal.