Church of Saint Laud
Encyclopedia
The Church of Saint Laud (variant: Mabe Church) is an active parish church
in Mabe, Cornwall
, England
, UK, originally built in the 15th century and dedicated to the sixth-century Saint Laud of Coutances
. It is part of the Church of England
's Diocese of Truro
. Struck by lightning in the 19th century, much of it had to be rebuilt, though parts of the original church remain. It has been a Grade II* listed building since 10 July 1957.
, sharing a single vicar with St Michael and All Angels, Ponsanooth
. The benefice is part of the Deanery
of Carnmarth South in the Diocese of Truro.
. The old form "Lavabe" suggests that it is derived from "lan" and "Mabe" though old records always show the dedication as being to St Laud. In 1308 or 1309 Bishop Stapeldon consecrated the cemetery and held an ordination at the Chapel of St Laud (capelle Sancti Laudi) (it had been recorded as capella Sancti Laudi in 1302 and in 1340 appears as capella Sancti Laudy). The parochia Sancti Laudi is recorded as early as 1327. However, alternative sources state that the church was dedicated to St Mabe.
, mainly through the financial contributions of Miss Williams of Falmouth
and William Shilson of Tremough
.
The rebuilt north aisle included reused 15th century light windows on the north wall and at each gable end. A stoup is located in the porch wall to the right of the doorway. The original octagonal, Gothic
-panelled font
is now buried under the church floor.
are from the 13th or 14th century. The church's interior is made of plastered walls, octagonal piers, and arches. Most of the rest of the construction is composed of granite rubble
with granite dressings.
The chief entrance is a south-facing porch with an inner and outer arch. The outer arch is ornamented with cable moulding and foliage. On one of the spandrils of the inner arch, which is made of Caen stone
, is the monogram
i h c, while on another can be found an encircled Greek cross. An arched west doorway includes carved moulding
and carved heads are used as label stops
. A priest's doorway to the right of the stair projection is small and rounded. The arcade
s are characterized by granite arches supported on granite pillars.
The nave
and chancel are under one roof. The roof is both arch-braced and wind-braced. The Delabole slate roofs have gable
ends. The rood
stair projection leads to the south wall. The tower and the south aisle are granite ashlar
. The unbuttressed
west tower is embattled and includes crocket
pinnacle
s over the cornice
.
The Perpendicular windows are mostly of the 3-light variety, though there is a 4-light east window. A traceried
Perpendicular window is located above a doorway while other traceried windows are located at the church's upper stage. The chancel's east window is adorned with bosses
.
.
, hung for change ringing
. The front two bells were cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1930.
and several gravestones that are of historical significance.
On 24 November 1988, several nearby structures became Grade II listed buildings. These include: the chest tomb and three headstones to the Rail Family located 8 m (26.2 ft) southwest of the church, the chest tomb that adjoins the church's north wall, consisting of a slate lid, that is otherwise buried, the cross located approximately 1 m (3.3 ft) southwest of the church's porch, the headstone
located approximately 3 m (9.8 ft) east of the church, the 1774 granite headstone dedicated to "MH" located approximately 0.5 m (1.6 ft) south of the church, the stone monolith dating probably to pre-Norman conquest of England
and located approximately 10 m (32.8 ft) south of the church's tower, and the Wills granite headstone slab circa 1840, located approximately 4 m (13.1 ft) south of the church.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Mabe, Cornwall
Mabe, Cornwall
Mabe is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated one mile west of Penryn....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK, originally built in the 15th century and dedicated to the sixth-century Saint Laud of Coutances
Laud of Coutances
Saint Laud of Coutances was the fifth bishop of Coutances and is venerated as a Saint....
. It is part of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
's Diocese of Truro
Diocese of Truro
The Diocese of Truro is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury.-Geography and history:The diocese's area is that of the county of Cornwall including the Isles of Scilly. It was formed on 15 December 1876 from the Archdeaconry of Cornwall in the Diocese of Exeter, it is thus one...
. Struck by lightning in the 19th century, much of it had to be rebuilt, though parts of the original church remain. It has been a Grade II* listed building since 10 July 1957.
Current status
The church remains an active parish church with at least one service each week. It is now part of a larger beneficeBenefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
, sharing a single vicar with St Michael and All Angels, Ponsanooth
Ponsanooth
Ponsanooth is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately four miles south east of Redruth and two and a half miles north west of Penryn on the A393 Redruth to Falmouth road. Ponsanooth was first recorded in 1613 as Ponsanwoth Ponsanooth is a village in Cornwall,...
. The benefice is part of the Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
of Carnmarth South in the Diocese of Truro.
Early history
Mabe was in early times a chapelry to Mylor and within the episcopal fief and peculiar deanery of PenrynPenryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
. The old form "Lavabe" suggests that it is derived from "lan" and "Mabe" though old records always show the dedication as being to St Laud. In 1308 or 1309 Bishop Stapeldon consecrated the cemetery and held an ordination at the Chapel of St Laud (capelle Sancti Laudi) (it had been recorded as capella Sancti Laudi in 1302 and in 1340 appears as capella Sancti Laudy). The parochia Sancti Laudi is recorded as early as 1327. However, alternative sources state that the church was dedicated to St Mabe.
Later history
The parish of Mabe was separated from Mylor during the 19th century. Only parts of the church, including the tower and porch, survived a February 1866 lightning strike. Most of the church was rebuilt in 1868, under the direction of Piers St. AubynJames Piers St Aubyn
James Piers St Aubyn , often referred to as J. P. St Aubyn, was an English architect of the Victorian era, known for his church architecture and confident restorations.-Early life:...
, mainly through the financial contributions of Miss Williams of Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
and William Shilson of Tremough
Tremough
Tremough Campus is a university campus situated in Penryn, Cornwall. It is the only such university project in Cornwall currently. The name Tremough derives from the Cornish word for "pig farm"....
.
The rebuilt north aisle included reused 15th century light windows on the north wall and at each gable end. A stoup is located in the porch wall to the right of the doorway. The original octagonal, Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-panelled font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is now buried under the church floor.
Architecture
The church consists of a chancel, nave, and north and south aisles. While most of the original church was built in the 15th century, including the west tower, the north aisle, the south aisle, and the south porch, parts of the chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
are from the 13th or 14th century. The church's interior is made of plastered walls, octagonal piers, and arches. Most of the rest of the construction is composed of granite rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
with granite dressings.
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
, is the monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
i h c, while on another can be found an encircled Greek cross. An arched west doorway includes carved moulding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
and carved heads are used as label stops
Hood mould
In architecture, a hood mould, also called a label mould or dripstone, is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater...
. A priest's doorway to the right of the stair projection is small and rounded. The arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
s are characterized by granite arches supported on granite pillars.
The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel are under one roof. The roof is both arch-braced and wind-braced. The Delabole slate roofs have gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
ends. The rood
Rood
A rood is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one in a church; a large sculpture or sometimes painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda...
stair projection leads to the south wall. The tower and the south aisle are granite ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
. The unbuttressed
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
west tower is embattled and includes crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s over the cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
.
The Perpendicular windows are mostly of the 3-light variety, though there is a 4-light east window. A traceried
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
Perpendicular window is located above a doorway while other traceried windows are located at the church's upper stage. The chancel's east window is adorned with bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
.
Organ
In 1920, a new organ was inaugurated in the church. It is a two manual instrument with pedals, with 10 stopsOrgan stop
An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; some can be "on" , while others can be "off" .The term can also refer...
.
Bells
In 1870 it was recorded that of the church's four or five bells cast in 1744, only one was still sound. At least four new bells were cast for the church in 1876 by the firm of John Warner & Sons, these survive as the back four of the present ring of six bellsRing of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
, hung for change ringing
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
. The front two bells were cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1930.
Churchyard
The church and its churchyard measure 1R. 25P. The churchyard contains a menhirMenhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
and several gravestones that are of historical significance.
On 24 November 1988, several nearby structures became Grade II listed buildings. These include: the chest tomb and three headstones to the Rail Family located 8 m (26.2 ft) southwest of the church, the chest tomb that adjoins the church's north wall, consisting of a slate lid, that is otherwise buried, the cross located approximately 1 m (3.3 ft) southwest of the church's porch, the headstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
located approximately 3 m (9.8 ft) east of the church, the 1774 granite headstone dedicated to "MH" located approximately 0.5 m (1.6 ft) south of the church, the stone monolith dating probably to pre-Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
and located approximately 10 m (32.8 ft) south of the church's tower, and the Wills granite headstone slab circa 1840, located approximately 4 m (13.1 ft) south of the church.