Launceston

St Stephen

The mother church of Launceston with roots in a Norman priory, St Stephen’s stands high on the opposite side of the valley from the castle and town (Beacham & Pevsner, 2014). An extensive restoration in 1883 by Hine & Odgers of Plymouth refurnished throughout.

Seats (16) – Photographs (PWDRO 116/57) R.F. Wheatly architect; 1934

One of the photographs in PWDRO shows seven bench ends and is labelled ‘Part of set of twelve seats North aisle’, whereas the other image illustrates the back of one of four seats located at the rear of the nave. All the seats have ends with carved borders of various designs, and the set in the north aisle has a carved front and back. The latter bears an inscription stating that it is in memory Thomas Johnes Llewellin (died 1933) of St Stephen’s House. The other seat back in the nave is carved with a border of seaweed, fish and seahorses, in a church that is probably as far from the sea as one can be in Cornwall, but a familiar theme of Pinwill carving, conceived in designs by Sedding and perpetuated in those by Wheatly. The faculty plan submitted in June 1934 was drawn up by R.F. Wheatly (CRO D/R 129).

Sources

Beacham, P. & Pevsner, N. (2014) The Buildings of England. Cornwall. Yale University Press, London.

CRO D/R 129 Faculty Plans. Launceston St Stephen. New Seating.

PWDRO 116/57 Photographs. Launceston St Stephen. Bench Ends, Front and Backs.