Church of St Columba, St Columb
Introduction
The Church of St Columba is generally acknowledged to be a building ahead of its time.
However, because of its 14th century south doorway and Decorated style tracery to some of
its windows a claim to general 14th century ancestry has been misleading. The south doorway
must be a re-used feature, probably relocated from the former south wall of the nave. The 14th
century style windows of the south chancel aisle are a 19th century invention. However, it is
likely that the south transept window is a much restored version of an original 14th century
window and it therefore fits the date of the building as it was before the addition of the aisles.
Despite these misunderstandings the building is still ahead of its time, particularly with
respect to its large aisles, having achieved its present plan form by the early-mid 15th century.
The church has every plan space that is common to Cornish churches: nave, chancel,
transepts, nave aisles and chancel aisles, 2-storey porches and a west tower. The open
passage under the west tower is believed to have been provided to maintain a right of way
between land and former buildings close to but not owned by the church.
Building Description
Date
The earliest surviving fabric in the church may be in remnant pre 14th century masonry within
the lower parts of the east end of the chancel and similarly at the west end of the nave. The
transepts are probably early-mid 14th century but the church was otherwise rebuilt as part of a
grand scheme including the provision of chantry chapels from about 1433, date of will by
John Arundell who requested “for his body to be buried in the middle of the new chapel (the
south chancel aisle) annexed to the chancel of the Church of St Columb Major”. The tower
appears to be about the same date as further indicated in his will: “also I bequeath to the new
work of the bell tower and the bells of the same Church of ------“. This might indicate a whole
new tower or improvement to an existing one. Stylistically the tower looks late 15th century
so it is likely that all that remains of the Arundell endowment is the lower part. A 1440 will
by William Facy includes this wording: “He leaves his body to be buried in the Chapel of the
Holy Trinity that is constructed on the north side of the said church”. This may suggest that
the north chancel aisle was added slightly later but part of a cohesive design. The porches
may also be slightly later in date, or have been altered, the battlements of the south porch, and
those fronting the roof of the south aisle anticipate the Tudor style. The porch doorways share
a similar design theme, with an outer pointed arch rising clumsily from the jambs and an
inner 6-centred arch, both arch forms close to the shape of what became the ubiquitous
trademark of the Tudor style, the 4-centred arch. The earliest window is restored 14th century
window in the south transept. Other windows that have not been replaced are late
Perpendicular, most of these in openings that have been enlarged.
The building was restored in 1903 by E J Fellows-Prynne and many of the fittings are from
this period.
Materials
The church is built from slate-stone rubble with Beer (or Bere) stone, granite, elvan
(including Pentewan stone) and freestone dressings. The very dark greenish stone used in
parts of the church is probably Catecleuse (or Cateclews) stone, the more greenish stone is
volcanic aglomorate from near Launceston. This stone is often called greenstone on account
of its colour but greenstone is a geological term for a wide variety of metamorphic stone,
some of which is a green colour. A stone that resembles the greenish stone that was used in
the medieval period is Polyphant stone. This was used widely in the dressed masonry of 19 th
century churches and for the restoration or replacement of medieval windows. This stone
accepts fine carved detail but generally has not withstood the ravages of the Cornish weather
like the stone used in the medieval period, consequently it is often recognised by its poor
condition and the way that it has eroded. The roofs are dry Delabole slate, behind embattled
parapets to the south of the nave and to the porch, and behind plain ashlar parapets to the
opposite north elevation.
Plan development
The Norman church was probable a simple plan form with nave and chancel, but of this
building there are no certain remains. By the early-mid 14th century the building had
developed a cruciform plan by the addition of transepts. Early in the 15th century the building
acquires at least chancel aisles and a west tower, but probably soon afterwards the nave aisles
are added, and finally the porches, probably before the end of the 15th century. A vestry with
boiler house under was added in the early 20th century and sits clumsily against north
transept, the north window re-sited at a higher level to compensate.
Exterior
The building retains original 15th century and earlier walling to all but the upper parts of the
walls. The embattled parapets are probably later 15th century or early 16th century. The
buttresses of the south chancel aisle have been greatly restored but appear to be integral to the
walls. Many of the windows have been replaced to different design than the former windows.
The south transept window has been greatly restored but its design with three roundels in the
tracery over four lancets is probably that of the original 14th century window. Windows that
look 14th century in the south chancel aisle replace what were late Perpendicular windows as
shown in a view that pre-dates 1845. Similarly the present 3-light east window of the south
chancel aisle is what looks like a late 14th century design is in fact a 19th century replacement
of what is shown as a 5-light Perpendicular window in the old picture. The surrounding
masonry, including the whole of the gable is clearly rebuilt. Otherwise, most of the windows
are in the Perpendicular style, both early and late types. Some of these are genuine late
Perpendicular windows in enlarged early 15th century openings with relieving arches that
span former narrower openings.
The embattled south elevation of the south nave aisle, all standing on a chamfered plinth, has
from left to right: a small 3-light window, with a trefoil in its tracery (probably a restoration
of the original design of an early 15th century window and if so a clue to design of other
former early 15th century windows that the building had before the insertion of the later kind
of Perpendicular window probably in the early 16th century), and porch stair projection left of
the porch; then a 2-storey porch with ordered shallow pointed-arched door head and a small
trefoil-headed light centrally above, and right of the porch is a large 5-light late Perpendicular
style window, a probable copy of a former enlarged window..
The south transept has weathered angle buttresses and its gable has been substantially rebuilt.
The window has already been described and probably contains some original 14th century
historic fabric. There is a blocked doorway to the west wall of the transept.
The south chancel aisle stands on a chamfered plinth and has much-restored weathered
buttresses dividing the bays. There are three identical windows, all 19th century in the
Decorated style that replace two 5-light early Perpendicular windows at left and right, and a
smaller central late medieval window. Much of the masonry above impost level of the
windows was rebuilt when the windows were replaced.
The east elevation has a series of 3 gable ends of similar size, each gable end with a central
window replaced in the 19th century and the masonry of the gables rebuilt, though the jamb
masonry of the right-hand window may be original. The window on the left (south chancel
aisle) has already been described. The 5-light chancel window is the largest window in the
church and may be a copy of a former 15th century window. The 5-light east window of the
north chancel aisle is also large and may be a copy of a late Perpendicular window.
The north wall of the north chancel aisle has three identical late Perpendicular windows,
much restored but containing sufficient original early 16th century masonry to be sure that
they are an authentic late15th century design, but inserted to enlarged openings with relieving
arches that do not reach the present jambs. Left of the central window is a small priest’s
doorway for access to what was a chantry chapel.
An early 20th century vestry, despite its Gothic style detail, is a serious carbuncle to the
design integrity of the north transept. Like the south transept there are angle buttresses and a
large central 5-light window but any evidence of the original 14th century window has gone.
The jamb masonry and much of the gable masonry was rebuilt when the present window was
inserted. Between the much rebuilt angle buttresses to the left-hand corner is a vestry
doorway. The fitting of this feature, in order to gain access to both the vestry and the north
chancel aisle, involved the loss of the north-east corner of the 14th century transept.
Set back between the north transept and the north porch is the north wall of the north aisle
with a plain ashlar parapet, probably a late 15th or early 16th century addition. There are two
restored late Perpendicular 4-light windows fitted to enlarged openings with no relieving
arches.
The north porch is virtually unaltered and retains the patina of its early 15th century date.
There is a small chamfered single-light window over a doorway with an ordered pointedarched head. Above the window a Celtic cross has been added. The complex-moulded
pointed-arched north aisle doorway within the porch is 14th century like the south doorway
but less elaborate. This doorway must also have been re-sited when the original north wall of
the nave was demolished to create the north aisle.
Right of the porch set back in the angle with the north wall of the aisle is the porch stair
turret. Right of this is a late 15th or early 16th century 3-light window, inserted to an enlarged
opening with no relieving arch. This window is much less restored than most of the other
windows. The west window of the north aisle is a 19th century copy of the north window
nearby.
The 4-stage tower is unusually tall. It has slender weathered set back buttresses and an
embattled parapet surmounted by slender octagonal pinnacles. Unfortunately, the tower is
rendered, except for the upper stage that displays good granite ashlar masonry. 3-light
ventilator windows with panelled (lozenge) tracery to the upper stage are original to the later
15th century date of the tower heightening. Below the south window is a clock-face. The west
window at the top of the lower stage has a granite outer frame and mullions but greenstone
tracery probably copied from the original window. The tower has a very unusual feature at
ground level. There is a simple chamfered pointed-arched north and south doorway situated
at either end of a wide through-passage, apparently to provide a right of way through the
tower when the adjacent land and nearby buildings were not in church ownership. Within the
passage central to the west side is a chamfered pointed arched doorway to the tower stair
turret that projects from the north-west corner of the tower. The opposite doorway to the west
end of the nave is similar but fitted to walling that possibly has been added to the pre-15th
century nave. The doors are late 19th century and have remains of ornate Gothic style hinges.
Chamfered beams supported on granite corbels carry a 19th century floor above.
Interior
The Church of St Columba has one of the largest interiors of any church in Cornwall.
However, there are only three arcade bays between the nave and its aisles and to the transepts
but the bays are unusually wide. There are two smaller arcade bays between the chancel and
its aisles, all the pier masonry said to be Beer stone from Devon. Except for the standard A
(Pevsner) piers to the north chancel aisle, all the piers have round shafts at the points of the
compass and fillets between (like the piers at St Stephen by Launceston), all surmounted by
ring-moulded capitals and there are moulded pointed arches between. The walls are plastered
but the interior is still dim, particularly at the east end, because of the coloured glass in so
many windows. Nave, chancel and aisles have old possibly original wagon roofs, though
much restored including a replaced section at the east end of the south aisle. These have
boarded panels between the moulded ribs and purlins, and wall-plates. The ribs (principal
trusses) are very widely spaced in the nave aisles and very closely spaced to the nave. The
chancel roof has diagonal wind-bracing, painted panels and gilded enrichment. The wallplates have trailing vine carving and there are winged corbels (added in 1903). There are
original doorways to the porch stairs and to the rood stairs, and memorial windows to the
chancel, chancel aisles and the transepts. Fitting memorial glass often involves the loss of
original windows and their total replacement or substantial restoration. The 3-light nave west
window is lit only by borrowed light from the west tower window but is an interesting
Perpendicular design incorporating a 6-bay arcade with trefoil-headed arches and blind
quatrefoils under a transom. Within the chancel there is an aumbry and a piscina.
Fittings
Pre-Reformation fittings include a 15th century octagonal granite font of unusual design with
‘corner’ shafts, and there are 38 carved bench ends thought to date from 1510. A medieval
stone altar is hidden under the present altar.
There is a painted letter of thanks from Charles II.
Most of the fittings date from the 1903 restoration and include the rood screen, parclose
screens, panelling, pulpit, lectern and pews.
Monuments
Many old monuments were, including fine Arundell monuments, destroyed when a supply of
gunpowder that was stored in the south rood stair exploded, after the magazine was ignited by
local youths 1676. The youths were killed and this part of the church was seriously damaged
(information from Church Guide). There are two Arundell brasses on either side of the altar.
Context
This church is large, and lofty, with a particularly high west tower that due to the elevated
land on which it stands can be seen from a great distance. In the churchyard a vertically-set
stone between the south porch and the south transept that might be mistaken for a wayside
cross is really a medieval coffin lid. The church relates to the town to the south and to the east
where there are some of the most historic buildings. These include the very interesting 17 th
century ‘Bishop’s House’ or ‘Glebe House’ that is jettied on two sides. There are some good
18th century buildings and some 19th civic century buildings of interest including a former
bank by the notable Cornish architect, William White.
Discussion
The Church of St Columba is historically and architecturally one of the most important
churches in Cornwall and its plan developed accordingly, both to provide chantry chapels
flanking the chancel and to accommodate the congregation from a thriving market town.
Today the town has a strong air of neglect about it. It used to be a serious bottleneck on the
A39, but the town was by-passed many years ago and the town has subsequently fallen into
decline. This is a great pity for it is, as they say in Cornwall, ‘a quaint old Cornish town’ that
rewards those who discover it. The real glory of the town is its church that appears to belong
to a bigger town. Of course, all Cornish towns were much smaller in the medieval period but
most of the others have grown in comparison. Even St Columb has much new housing from
the late 20th century onwards but this is an ugly suburban sprawl at the south-east side of the
town covering a former green hillside that once enhanced the character this hilltop town.