St Carantoc's Church, Crantock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Carantoc's Church, Crantock
Crantock Church
St Carantoc's Church, Crantock
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OS grid reference	SW 790 605
Location	Crantock, Cornwall
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Anglican
Website	St Carantoc, Crantock
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Carantoc
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Specifications
Materials	Slatestone and granite rubble with granite dressings Slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Crantock
Deanery	Pydar
Archdeaconry	Cornwall
Diocese	Truro
Province	Canterbury

St Carantoc's Church is a very old and important church located in the village of Crantock, Cornwall, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. Since 1951, this church has been recognized as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest. It serves the local community as a parish church.

History of the Church

A church has stood on this spot for a very long time. It was here even before the Normans arrived in England in 1066. The first church dated back to the 6th century, linked to St Carantoc. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, mentions Crantock as belonging to the Canons of St Carantoc's.

Early Buildings and Changes

The oldest parts of the church you see today are from the Norman period. In 1224, the choir, where the church's singing group sits, was rebuilt. A tower was also added around this time.

In the mid-13th century, a special type of church called a collegiate church was started here. This meant it had a group of clergy, including a Dean and nine prebendaries, who worked together. They were responsible for the parishes of Crantock and St Columb Minor.

Challenges and Rebuilding

Over the years, the church faced many challenges. In 1312, the Pope gave the deanery to a Frenchman. Because the Dean was often away, a local vicar looked after the church. The college also struggled financially, especially after the Black Death in the mid-1300s.

By 1384, it was found that none of the main clergy lived at the church, and the Dean was very poor. In 1377, the church needed serious repairs. The tower even collapsed onto the main part of the church, called the nave, causing a lot of damage. Funds were raised, and a new tower was built at the west end of the church in 1412.

Later Years and Restoration

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the college at Crantock was closed. For over 300 years, the church was not well cared for. The local curates, who looked after the church, were paid very little.

However, in the late 19th century, a major Victorian restoration project began. More work was done between 1902 and 1907 by an architect named Edmund H. Sedding. He was later buried in the churchyard. Thanks to these efforts, the church became "the best adorned church in Cornwall," as described by historian Charles Henderson in 1925.

Church Architecture

The church is built using local materials like slatestone and granite rubble, with granite details. The roofs are made of slate. You can still see some older stone, called sandrock, which might have contributed to the earlier tower collapse.

Exterior Features

The church's layout includes a tower at the west end, a main area called the nave, and side sections called aisles. It also has north and south transepts (parts that stick out like arms), a chancel (the area around the altar), and a south porch.

The tower has three levels, each set back slightly. It has strong supports called buttresses. The top of the tower has a decorative edge called a parapet with a battlement design. There's a doorway on the west side and a 19th-century window above it. A clock face is on the south side of the second level.

Interior Features

Inside, the church walls are plastered, and the floor is made of slate. Some of the arches that separate the nave from the aisles show Norman architecture styles. In the west wall of the north transept, there's a blocked-up doorway from the 12th century.

You can find a piscina (a basin for washing communion vessels) from the 19th century in the south aisle. The font, used for baptisms, is very old, dating back to the 12th century. The communion rail is from the 17th century, and the wooden pulpit is from the 19th century.

The church has beautiful stained glass windows from the 19th century. There are also small pieces of even older, medieval glass in the sacristy (a room for sacred items). The rood screen, a decorative partition, was carved in 1905 by Mary Rashleigh Pinwell. The church also has a silver chalice (a cup for communion) from 1576. The church's parish registers, which record births, marriages, and deaths, date back to 1559.

The church has a ring of six bells. Three of these bells were made in 1767 by John III and Fitzantony II Pennington. The other three were made in 1904 by John Taylor and Company.

External Features

The churchyard around St Carantoc's Church has several interesting historical items. These include a medieval stone coffin and four old monuments, all listed as Grade II historical objects.

You can also see a granite cross from the 19th century, set on a granite base that might be even older than the Norman Conquest. There are also stocks from the 17th century, which were used to hold people as a form of punishment. These stocks are now protected by a roof. The lychgate, a covered entrance to the churchyard, was built in the late 19th century.