Church of St Carantoc, Crantock
Introduction
The church of St Carantoc is one of very few Cornish churches to retain significant Norman
fabric, and sufficient to show that it was a church of considerable importance. It was the
mother church of the area and from at least before 1236 had a college of priests. Partly as a
consequence of an evolved plan, it is built with its west tower on lower ground and its
chancel and chancel aisles on the higher ground and with a roof that is taller than the nave.
Building Description
Date
The east side of the crossing has remnant masonry from the original Norman central tower.
The nave and north transept are also Norman, and probably also the south transept, as are the
foundations of the arcade piers relating to the chancel and aisles, and much of the chancel
east of the arcades must also be Norman (walls now rendered over). The central crossing
tower apparently collapsed in 1412, also causing much damage to the nave walls, and was
subsequently replaced by the present west tower. The porch is said to be 17th century but its
wagon roof appears to be late medieval. The wagon roofs and windows were first restored in
the 18th century when the panels were plastered over, and there was another major restoration
from 1902-07 by Edmund Sedding of Plymouth when the 18th century plasterwork was
removed, the internal walls were much re-faced, window tracery replaced re-using some of
the older stonework and the chancel roof embellished.
Materials
The walls are constructed from local slate-stone with some courses of roughly squared
volcanic stone, plus volcanic stone, limestone and granite dressings. The roofs are small-size
dry-laid Delabole slate.
Plan development
This church was originally a cruciform plan with north and south transepts plus chancel aisles
and a central crossing tower. As a consequence of the collapse of the crossing tower in 1412
the church was remodelled: a new tower was added at the west end, the arcades were rebuilt
and the aisles were widened. There was probably a Norman porch but this was replaced,
possibly in the 17th century, slightly west of its original location. When Edmund Sedding
examined the building during restoration foundations of the Norman choir were revealed
showing that it once extended about nine feet east of the present east wall.
Exterior
The exterior is quaintly vernacular in appearance (hiding unexpected architectural treasures
within). The walls are exposed rubble stonework except for the tower and the east end of the
chancel aisles, and the visible part of the chancel, that are rendered. Most of the
Perpendicular style windows are presumed to be the result of the 1902 Sedding restoration
but incorporate fragments of the eighteenth century restoration replacing sash windows that
had replaced the earlier windows (information from Church Guide), though some earlier
jamb masonry survives to at least two of the windows.
The south wall of the nave is an almost symmetrical composition with identical 2-light
traceried windows with square hood-moulds flanking the porch. The masonry surrounding
the window heads defines the earlier openings, possibly original. There are basket arches
over remains of jamb masonry that relates to some banded coursed roughly-squared masonry
in the adjacent walls. Adjacent to the windows lower down the rubble walling has clearly
been rebuilt when the present windows were inserted. The porch is a very simple structure
with an approximately round-arched doorway with rubble jambs. Just visible in the walling
left of the present porch roof is the weathering trace of an earlier porch roof, possibly from an
original Norman porch. This evidence also seems to indicate that the inner south doorway has
been relocated farther to the east than its original position, a change that would also help to
explain the loss of the original Norman doorway. The present inner volcanic stone doorway,
of uncertain medieval (possibly 14th century) date, is a curious design with moulded jambs
and pointed-arched head. The jambs incorporate moulded shafts that terminate at the
relieving arch. The inner frame has been cut back at the springing to fit a former door. A
blocked niche in the east wall of the porch is the probable location of a former holy water
stoup.
The south transept is mostly original and likely to be Norman like the north transept. There is
a blocked doorway in the west wall next to the angle with the nave (like the blocked doorway
in the west wall of the north transept). A buttress has been added to provide support in front
of the south-west corner. The south window retains some jamb masonry from a late medieval
window but the remains of a round-arched relieving arch relate to a wider opening, clearly
designed to fit an earlier window. The masonry beside the present jambs is disturbed
probably the result of the restoration of the present window. There are Latin texts inserted to
walling to the right of the window, and a niche, carried on three corbels, containing the
crucifixion has been inserted centrally above the window, its construction causing the loss of
the top of the relieving arch of the window.
The south wall of the south chancel aisle is slightly set back from the corner of the south
transept. 3-light mullioned windows flank a small priest’s doorway. The jambs show
evidence of former enlargement and subsequent making good. Below the right-hand side of
the left-hand window is a blocked former doorway opening. The present priest’s doorway has
old chamfered jambs and is presumed to be late medieval. A later buttress towards the right
separates the exposed stonework and rendered walling to the right. There is an Ordnance
Survey bench mark cut into the left-hand return of the buttress. The 3-light east window of
the south chancel aisle has a low transom separating memorial glazing at the top from three
square blind panels at the bottom.
The chancel projects a short distance from the south chancel aisle and has a large 5-light
Perpendicular style east window. The south window is a square-headed window under a
square hood-mould.
The east end of the north chancel aisle is aligned with the east wall of the chancel. The east
window is similar to the south window of the chancel. The north wall of the north chancel
aisle has a single-light window at far left, then a pointed-arched priests doorway under a
pointed hood-mould (possibly a re-used 13th century feature) and then a 3-light squareheaded window with a very slender hood-mould, and on the right what appears to be mostly
an early 20th century square-headed window with a traceried head and a square hood-mould.
A dressed stone weathered buttress on the right, very close to the angle with the north
transept, is also a c1903 century addition. There is a blocked Norman doorway in the west
wall of the transept but this is now externally covered in ivy and also partly hidden by a large
cupboard on the inside.
The north transept is largely original but the corners have been rebuilt to incorporate volcanic
stone ashlar buttresses. These are supported on substantial foundation masonry, presumably
meant to be below ground level but now exposed. The original transept walling stands on a
rubble plinth and below this projecting foundation masonry. The plinth of the west wall has
one dressed plinth coping, the remnant of what must have been a series of copings added to
the original plinth probably in the late medieval period. The north wall of the nave has two
widely-spaced windows, situated directly opposite and like those of the south wall, also like
the south windows under arched heads or relieving arches, but not traceried like those in the
north wall. The masonry of the north wall has some discontinued courses of squared volcanic
stone but distributed in the wall as if parts have been rebuilt or re-faced and much of the
stonework now disorganised. The is no clear evidence of a former north doorway but in its
presumed likely original location the masonry has all been rebuilt almost entirely with slatestone rubble with no clear courses of volcanic stone like that of the other parts of the wall.
The 2-stage tower is a rather squat building and not enhanced by the rough-cast render that
now covers it. The lower stage is stepped above ground-floor level and has angle buttresses.
An embattled parapet is corbelled out on pseudo machicolation. This detail provides design
balance and a sense of substance. There are slit louvered ventilators with square hood-moulds
to the bell chamber and a clock face to the south wall high up in the lower stage. The west
doorway is chamfered and has a pointed-arched head. The 3-light west window above the
doorway has original 15th century jambs but is otherwise replaced, the Perpendicular tracery
unusual but possibly copied from the original.
Interior
The interior displays a strong emphasis to the east end of the building where the earliest
architectural features survive. The lower masonry of massive Norman crossing piers survives
adjacent to the chancel and chancel aisles. The lower parts of paired shafts that once related
to the transept arches of the crossing survive hidden behind the rood screen. The south pier
retains evidence of having been dressed away at a higher level. The other pier was rebuilt in
the area above the surviving paired shafts when a rood stair was introduced probably in the
early 16th century. Linked to the south transept an original squat Norman arch, springing from
original impost stones, spans the doorway leading to the south chancel aisle. The stops
relating to this opening are identical to those of the remnant transept respond shafts. There is
a wider doorway into the north chancel aisle, presumably rebuilt in the 15th century but with
the original Norman impost stones re-used to a squat arch designed to resemble the arch over
the doorway to the south aisle. Diagonally-set piers support 2-bay pointed-arched arcades
between the chancel and the north and south arcades. These are a 15th century replacement of
Norman arcades and reuse the Norman pier foundations and incorporate what is probably
much of the original Norman stonework. The way that the piers adjoin the east end of the
chancel demonstrates that the solid walls of the chancel are at least partly Norman. The north
crossing pier has been much modified to accommodate a rood stair with a doorway leading
from the north aisle. This has an old or original carved oak door. Exposed stonework jambs
and squat arch of a Norman doorway in the west wall of the north transept is partly hidden by
a large cupboard. Plaster has been stripped from the walls of the tower revealing putlog holes.
The wagon roofs over the nave and chancel are presumed to be 15th century, dating from
when the church was repaired and remodelled after the collapse of its crossing tower in the
15th century. The chancel roof was much restored by Sedding and is richly decorated with
moulded cross-bracing and gilded bosses, a short section east of the rood also with painted
panels with gilded borders. A wagon roof over the porch appears to be of similar date to the
roof over the nave. Wagon roofs over the transepts appear to be copies of the former late
medieval roofs.
There is coloured glass in most of the windows.
Fittings
Fittings include a fine volcanic stone Norman font with a round bowl supported on a turned
central shaft and with four carved heads over corner shafts. The bowl has been re-tooled to be
carved with the date 1474 in relief. It has been suggested that this is the date of the restoration
of the church after the crossing tower collapsed.
The communion rail and turned balusters are 18th century.
The 1902 rood screen is part of the Sedding restoration but moulded muntins and some
carved tracery from the old screen have been re-used in the parclose screens between the
choir and the aisles. The screen is surmounted by a fine rood made in Oberammergau. Other
fittings from this restoration include fine choir or clergy stalls, modelled on medieval
misericords, carved panelling and sedilia in the south aisle, and pews with carved ends
depicting the life of Christ and his teachings, an octagonal pulpit, a lectern, and a fine reredos
with carved figures. All this carving is attributed to Miss Violet Pinwell and her school of
carvers. There is also a carved stone figure of St Carantoc.
Context
Within the churchyard there is a medieval stone coffin and what has been described as a font
base but is in fact a mill-stone. North of the church is an early 20th century church room.
South of the church a lychgate gives access to the village. Crantock has a good survival of
stone and cob thatched houses and cottages, and a partly thatched public house. Unusually, in
Cornwall there is a small village green. There are no houses within the village that rival the
age of the church but their date range is from the 17th century, considerable survival from the
18th century and there are also some good 19th century buildings. North-west of the green is a
former farmstead with good traditional farm buildings including a horse-engine house. To the
north side of the green is the Holy Well of St Carantoc. This is a very simple roofed rubble
structure like the holy wells at St Mawes and Manaccan. There is a simple Wesleyan chapel
relating to the village green but this has been converted to a house.
The village is located, presumably for its sheltered position, also having a water supply, just
inshore from an unspoilt cove on the north coast.
Discussion
St Carantoc is one of the best examples in Cornwall of a Norman cruciform church, also a
church with the remains of Norman chancel aisles. Most transepts in Cornwall are original to
13th century churches or have been added to Norman buildings. If the original Norman
crossing tower had survived this would be one of the most celebrated of Cornish churches. It
is still a remarkable building for many reasons. The survival of an almost complete suite of
wagon roofs is very unusual, although the transept roofs appear to be later replica roofs. It
would be very helpful to know the date of the nave, chancel and porch roofs.
Dendrochronology results at Lansallos, St Martin by Looe, St Veep have demonstrated dates
that range from circa 1500 to about 1540, and a 17th century date for the south transept chapel
at St Martin.