396 S. MYLOR AND MABE CHURCHES. 



The Church itself is most interesting. It was restored in 

 1869, or, rather we should say, was, with the exception of the 

 western tower, then rebuilt ; hut so lovingly, and with such 

 reverence for all that was of the past, that every ancient feature 

 was preserved. Previous restorations had not always been so 

 well done, as when, in 1845, the waggon roof of the north aisle 

 was removed. The building consists of nave with chancel, south 

 aisle with chancel aisle, a northern transept known as the 

 Carclew chapel, south porch, vestry, and western engaged tower. 

 The north wall is Norman. In the 14th century, or, perhaps, 

 earlier, the church was apparently cruciform, the north wall 

 being pierced as we see it to-day. The south half of the 

 transept was removed (as in so many of our Cornish Churches) 

 in the 15th century, and replaced by an aisle, with south porch.* 

 The transeptal projection on this side is modern, as is also the 

 vestry which is placed between this projection and the porch. 



The Norman north wall is of especial interest, though a 

 good deal of its character has been lost by the introduction of 

 narrow- jointed masonry at the rebuilding. Its chief feature is 

 the door-way, three feet wide, with its round arch spanned by a 

 snake having its wide open jaws to the west, and keyed with a 

 grotesque head. The lintel and jambs are decorated with zig- 

 zag bead-moulding and half-balls, in good preservation, as are 

 also the capitals of the side pillars and the round detached 

 shafts. The bases of the pillars are so worn and broken that it 

 is not easy to judge their character. The tympanum displays a 

 cross in a circular panel. The fact that this tympanum is not 

 large enough to fill its space, and has had to be pieced with 

 cement, might lead to the conclusion that it does not belong here, 

 but the almost perfect way in which it fits on to the jambs 

 satisfies us that it is in position. On each side of this door a 

 window has been inserted to accord with its character. 



Another Norman doorway is found in the west face of the 

 tower. Its several pieces were found in different parts of the 

 church at the time of the restoration, except some stones of the 

 relieving arch which being in situ led to the doorway being 



* It is stated in the '"Western Antiquary," vol. i., p. 167, that prior to 

 1869 the south aisle contained windows of the 17th century. 



