Details
CARDINHAM CARDINHAM
SX 16 NW
6/28 Church of St Meubred
6.6.69
GV I
Parish church. C15 ; sundial dated 1739, boss in porch dated 1830. Restoration and
addition of vestry in late C19, Incorporated Church Building Society board dated
1896. Slatestone rubble with granite dressings ; porch and tower in granite ashlar.
Slate roofs with ridge tiles, crested ridge tiles on nave and chancel, with raised
coped verges in granite and cross finials to east.
Plan: Nave and chancel in one, the chancel restored in C19 with the addition of a
north vestry ; north aisle, south aisle with south porch ; west tower.
Exterior: The nave is concealed by the aisles. The chancel has 3-light east window
with Perpendicular tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould. 2-light south window and
lancet to north, 2-light window to north with 4-centred arched lights. Single storey
north vestry with gable ends and cross finial, north door with pointed arch and 2-
light east window with cusped lights.
South aisle is on a chamfered plinth, of 6 bays with long and short granite quoins.
All windows to south are 3-light, with cusped lights, Perpendicular tracery, 4-
centred arch and hood mould. Similar 4-light east window with Y tracery, and similar
3-light west window. Slate tablet attached to south, to Nicholas Saunders, 1776. At
the west end, both the south and north aisles have their gable ends cut back for the
tower.
The south porch is gabled, on a chamfered plinth, not continuous with the plinth to
the aisle. Outer 4-centred arch doorway with colonnettes. Slate sundial set over,
with gnomon, inscribed I. Batte and W. Coppin, Wardens, 1739. Interior of porch has
granite paved floor, granite benches to sides. C15 wagon roof with carved
principals, wall-plates and bosses, one central boss replaced and inscribed Thos.
Smith 1830. Inner 4-centred arched doorway with wave mouldings ; C19 door with cover
strips and studs, the inner side of the door with re-used fleur de lys strap hinges
and a wooden case lock.
The north aisle is on a chamfered plinth, of 4 bays, east and west windows as on
south aisle ; the north windows are 3-light, with cusped lights, 4-centred arch and
hood mould ; 3 C19 door with studs. Slate tablet attached to north, to William
Coppin, 1774.
West tower in 3 stages on a moulded plinth, with narrow set back weathered
buttresses, with clasping pinnacles at each stage rising from the buttresses.
Embattled parapet with octagonal pinnacles with crocketed spirelets. 4-centred
arched west doorway with roll-mouldings and recessed spandrels with carved leaves,
C19 door with cover strips and studs ; square hood mould with label stops. 4-light
west window with Y-tracery, 4-centred arch with hood mould and label stops ; the cill
of the window has panel with carved granite quatrefoils and stars and central shield;
each side of the door jamsb have large similar carved panel. Clock at second stage
to north and lancets to north for the tower stair. Third stage has 3-light bell-
openings with Perpendicular tracery and 4-centred arch.
Interior: Slate paved floor and plastered walls. Nave and chancel have C19 scissors
truss roof. North and south aisles have C15 wagon roof with carved ribs, bosses and
wall-plates. Nave has 5-bay north arcade, with Pevsner A-type piers, 4-centred
arches with hollow-chamfered mouldings ; similar 6-bay south arcade. Tall tower arch
with Pevsner A-type piers, 4-centred arch and early C19 wooden screen across with
engaged Ionic columns. Tower has hollow-chamfered 4-centred arched north door to
stair, door with strap hinges. Chancel has triple sedilia with carved latin
lettering, trefoil-arched piscina and 4-centred arched aumbry. Tomb recess with
chamfered 4-centred arch and colonnettes to sides, with trefoil moulded niche over
and carved granite ledger stone. South aisle has piscina.
Fittings: stone font in south aisle, a square bowl with blank arcade to sides, carved
with trefoils and stars. C17 stocks in porch. In the tower, the weights of a clock
are visible, given by the parishioners in 1920 ; C19 painted Gothic boards with Bible
verses. In the chancel are painted Gothic candlesticks and wooden piers forming a
reredos in the same style. Nave and aisles have benches with C15 carved bench ends.
C19 wooden pulpit in nave. North aisle has carved C17 wooden sideboard, with panels
of the Coronation of the Virgin and saints, given in 1967 from Carblake, Cardinham.
Over the north door, a letter of thanks from Charles I at Sudely Castle, 1643, oil on
board with nowy head. Warden's wand mounted on wall below the board. C18 stone
baluster font with lid in north aisle, and a stone carved with 2 crosses. In north
aisle, a fine plaster coat of arms, of Charles II, 1661, very well modelled, with no
paint.
Monuments in chancel : brass to Thomas Awmarle, Rector, circa 1400. In south aisle,
the Glynn family moument, a convex oval tablet with swags, Corinthian columns and
entablature, inclinded shield of arms and freestanding putti, painted, with putti set
as corbels below the plinth and scrolled supporters ; erected by Dennys Glynn, 1699 ;
remains of slate tablet to William Glynn, C17 ; marble monument on slate ground, to
Thomas Grylls, 1845 ; marble monument on slate ground, to John Bate, 1856. In north
aisle, 3 slate ledgers, on dated 1608 ; slate tablet to Elizabeth Coppin, 1788 ;
metal tablet with nowy head, to Henry Bennett, 1777.
Sources: Pevsner, N.: Buildings of England : Cornwall 1970.
Listing NGR: SX1230368697
