Building

The Church Building

The church very much remains true to its 13th century origins and subsequent 15th century additions. However, the original roof timbers were mostly destroyed in 1818 when
the spire fell down the length of the aisle and subsequently the old box pews
were replaced by simple Victorian benches.

The rugged exterior especially the north wall with its wide
buttress and small thirteenth century lancet window gives particular evidence
of the age of the church.

EXTERNAL WALLS

PICTURE OF RUGGED CHURCH

GRANITE RUBBLE

The building materials that form most of the north wall and
half of the east are made up from rubble (fragments of granite, elvan and vein
quartz etc.), this confirms the pre fifteenth century date. The granite moor
stone blocks of the south wall, tower and the rest of the chancel indicate an
extension was added about 1480, this would have virtually doubled the size of
the church.

Local Materials

Most of the stone and slate used in Warleggan church is very local, and could have been found as surface blocks or quarried within a radius of about two or three miles.

Devil's Door

In the north wall is a blocked 14th century doorway known as a Devil’s Door, a widespread belief in the Middle Ages was that the Devil resided in an unbaptised child’s soul; at the baptism, the Devil would be driven out of the child and had to be able to leave so accordingly a door was built into the“heathen” north wall for escape. These doors were often too small to have any real use and were therefore only figurative. Most Devil Doors in England, like at St Bartholomew’s have been blocked off – reputedly to prevent the Devil’s re-entry, more likely for draft control.

15th Century Extension

The fifteenth century extension provided the arcade of five bays with granite piers typical of moorland churches. The capitals have rather worn, simple decorations, once still recognisable as a bear’s head. The Beare/Bere family, landowners, mine owners and administrators would have had considerable influence in the area since medieval times, and may well have helped finance the extension.

NEXT: KNEELERS

Your cart

Your cart is empty