Details
ST DOMINICK ST DOMINICK
SX 36 NE
3/235 Church of St Dominica
23.1.68
GV I
Parish church. C14, with additions of early C15 and late C15; C19 restoration. Tower
in slatestone rubble with granite dressings. South aisle and south porch in granite
ashlar with granite dressings; north aisle in slatestone rubble with granite
dressings and granite ashlar roof stair, the west end rendered and the east end in
ashlar. Chancel in slatestone rubble. Slate roofs with ridge tiles and gable ends.
Plan: Nave and chancel in one; west tower of late C14. South aisle and south porch
added in early C15, with north aisle and rood stair of late C15.
Exterior: The nave is concealed. by the aisles. The chancel east end has no plinth;
C15 4-light window with C19 mullions, cusped lights with upper tracery, 4-centred
arch and hood mould with label stops.
West tower in 3 stages, with diagonal weathered buttresses, and string courses. The
third stage is corbelled out with a double upper string course and recessed panels
between the string courses to east, south and west, with 3 panels, each with a carved
figure. Embattled parapet and pinnacles. West doorway has 4-centred arch, rounded
convex-moulded surround with bar and heart stops, concave outer moulding with same
stops and hood mould, C19 double doors; this doorway is similar to that on the tower
at the Church of St Leonard and St Dilp, Landulph (q.v.). 2-light west window, with
cusped lights and upper tracery, 4-centred arch and hood mould. 2nd stage west and
south 2 lancets. South stair tower with pitched roof at first stage. 2nd stage north
has lancet and clock. 3rd stage has 2-light bell-openings with 3-centred arched
lights, and pierced lead louvres.
South aisle of 5 bays with the porch in the west bay; on chamfered plinth continuous
with the porch plinth. To south there are three windows, 3-light, with cusped lights,
square head and hood mould. To east, a 3-centred arched doorway with plain door and
similar 2-light window. East end has 3-light window with cusped lights and upper
tracery, & 4-centred arch and hood mould. Slate tablet attached, to Benjamin Fowell,
1803. The west end has 3-light window as to east.
Gabled south porch has weathered diagonal buttresses. 4-centred arched outer doorway
with clustered piers with plain abaci, C20 lamp set above. Stepped chamfered 4-
centred arch. The interior of the porch has C15 wagon roof, ceiled, with moulded ribs
and carved bosses and wall-plate. C19 tiled floor. Inner doorway has 4-centred arch,
hollow-chamfered with pyramid stops, C19 door with strap hinges.
North aisle of 5 bays, with four 3-light C15 windows, with cusped lights, square
heads and hood moulds recessed surround. In the centre, the ashlar rood stair, on
hollow-chamfered plinth, stepped up from the hollow-chamfered plinth of the aisle;
small single light an pitched roof. The west bay has a blocked 4-centred arched
doorway, with recessed spandrels with leaves, square head and hood mould, roll-
moulded surround. East end in ashlar, with 3-light window as on south aisle. West end
rendered, with similar 3-light window.
Interior: Plastered walls and C19 tiled floor. Nave, chancel and aisles has late C15
wagon roofs, ceiled, with moulded ribs and fine carved bosses, carved wall-plate with
pomegranates, leaves and flowers; the aisle wall-plates are brattished. Chancel roof
painted in C19 with stencilled decoration. Tall narrow 4-centred tower arch; pointed
chamfered doorway to south tower stair, door with strap hinges. The south arcade is
earlier that the north arcade, with stepped and chamfered rounded arches, with a 4-
centred arch at the east end. Piers of four shafts with moulding between, plain
moulded capitals and bases. Piers at the junction between the nave and the chancel to
north and to south have an opening for the rood loft. 5-bay north arcade, with taller
4-centred arches, with 2 concave mouldings and Pevsner A-type piers with geometric
carved abaci. The north arcade was probably built at the same time as the rood
screen, as the capitals of the pier on that side is not carved, whereas the pier on
the south arcade is carved on all sides. North aisle has a round-arched doorway to
the rood stari and an upper chamfered doorway; stone newel stair. Chancel has cusped
piscina and aumbry to south, C19 aumbry to north. North aisle has C19 south aumbry.
South aisle has chamfered piscina to south.
Fittings: C19 pews and pulpit, and fine organ, with panels with painted figures of
the saints. Part of the C15 rood screen preserved in the north aisle. Octagonal stone
front in nave, possibly C19. Monuments in north aisle: oval slate convex tablet with
stone carved wreath surround with putti and grotesque mask, to William Brendon, 1700
4/5. In south aisle: marble tablet on slate ground with arpon, cornice and urn, to
Thomas Horndon, Rector, 1800; marble tablet on corbels with slate pilasters, cornice
and inclined shield of arms, to John Clarke, 1749; fine chest tomb in slate with
stone dressings, shields and crests on stone pilasters to side, moulded edge with
geometric decoration; recumbent stone effigies, to Sir Anthony Rous of Halton and his
son Ambrose, both died 1620, both in Jacobean armour, with 2 shields of arms with
helms and inscription tablet on the wall at the east end.
Sources: Radcliffe, E.: Buildings of England: Cornwall 1970.
Listing NGR: SX3989267827
