Aldercombe Barton

The A39 heads through this village. The church can be seen peering above the trees.

A building along the A39 through Cornwall.

My car was parked in a lay-by beside the B3254, just before the turning to West Thorne Farm.

From its junction with the B3254. In the distance is the church tower of St James the Great.

From the pavement beside the A39.

For holiday trail biking.

Typical of the rather sparse landscape in this area.

The unnamed lane also goes to Forda and Thurdon hamlets. The distant smoke is from a bonfire.

Grade I listed The church dates from the 12th century onwards, although most of it is perpendicular. There is a tall west tower, nave, aisles, vestry and south porch. The tower is of three stages with a battlemented parapet and pinnacles, and is built of granite. The tower is 90 feet high. Interestingly, the church is also 90 feet long. There are eight bells. The south door is Norman with a zigzag pattern and there are a variety of capitals including heads and pinecones. It is believed that it could be the work of the masons who built Tewkesbury Abbey. The porch was built by John Granville who was rector from 1524 to 1580, a long and troublesome time. Above the door he wrote "Porta Celi" (The Gate of Heaven) and the date 1567. Inside, the church has north and south aisles with tall, granite seven bay arcades, each with two bays to the chancel. There is a screen and Rood. The church has a fine set of 16th century benches with carved ends and moulded rails. The carvings include symbols of The Passion, armorial bearings and grotesques. The 16th century granite font has an octagonal bowl with the Grenville coat of arms. The east end of the south aisle contains the Grenville Chapel with several monuments to the Grenville family. It is believed some of the memorials were done by local man Michael Chuke who was a pupil of Grinling Gibbons. The church contains several fine windows by Clayton and Bell. In 1860 the east end of the church was rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The organ was given in 1859 by Lord John Thynne who had acquired it from Saint Mary's, Langley. It dated back to the 18th Century, possibly the work of Father Smith. When it arrived at Kilkhampton it was reconstructed and very much altered by Henry Willis, although he retained old pipework as well as adding new. In 1958 the organ was rebuilt using the ancient pipework and a new console was provided. The old console has been retained as an exhibit.

The nave looking east. There is no chancel arch.

Grade I listed The church dates from the 12th century onwards, although most of it is perpendicular. There is a tall west tower, nave, aisles, vestry and south porch. The tower is of three stages with a battlemented parapet and pinnacles, and is built of granite. The tower is 90 feet high. Interestingly, the church is also 90 feet long. There are eight bells. The south door is Norman with a zigzag pattern and there are a variety of capitals including heads and pinecones. It is believed that it could be the work of the masons who built Tewkesbury Abbey. The porch was built by John Granville who was rector from 1524 to 1580, a long and troublesome time. Above the door he wrote "Porta Celi" (The Gate of Heaven) and the date 1567. Inside, the church has north and south aisles with tall, granite seven bay arcades, each with two bays to the chancel. There is a screen and Rood. The church has a fine set of 16th century benches with carved ends and moulded rails. The carvings include symbols of The Passion, armorial bearings and grotesques. The 16th century granite font has an octagonal bowl with the Grenville coat of arms. The east end of the south aisle contains the Grenville Chapel with several monuments to the Grenville family. It is believed some of the memorials were done by local man Michael Chuke who was a pupil of Grinling Gibbons. The church contains several fine windows by Clayton and Bell. In 1860 the east end of the church was rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The organ was given in 1859 by Lord John Thynne who had acquired it from Saint Mary's, Langley. It dated back to the 18th Century, possibly the work of Father Smith. When it arrived at Kilkhampton it was reconstructed and very much altered by Henry Willis, although he retained old pipework as well as adding new. In 1958 the organ was rebuilt using the ancient pipework and a new console was provided. The old console has been retained as an exhibit.

Grade I listed The church dates from the 12th century onwards, although most of it is perpendicular. There is a tall west tower, nave, aisles, vestry and south porch. The tower is of three stages with a battlemented parapet and pinnacles, and is built of granite. The tower is 90 feet high. Interestingly, the church is also 90 feet long. There are eight bells. The south door is Norman with a zigzag pattern and there are a variety of capitals including heads and pinecones. It is believed that it could be the work of the masons who built Tewkesbury Abbey. The porch was built by John Granville who was rector from 1524 to 1580, a long and troublesome time. Above the door he wrote "Porta Celi" (The Gate of Heaven) and the date 1567. Inside, the church has north and south aisles with tall, granite seven bay arcades, each with two bays to the chancel. There is a screen and Rood. The church has a fine set of 16th century benches with carved ends and moulded rails. The carvings include symbols of The Passion, armorial bearings and grotesques. The 16th century granite font has an octagonal bowl with the Grenville coat of arms. The east end of the south aisle contains the Grenville Chapel with several monuments to the Grenville family. It is believed some of the memorials were done by local man Michael Chuke who was a pupil of Grinling Gibbons. The church contains several fine windows by Clayton and Bell. In 1860 the east end of the church was rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The organ was given in 1859 by Lord John Thynne who had acquired it from Saint Mary's, Langley. It dated back to the 18th Century, possibly the work of Father Smith. When it arrived at Kilkhampton it was reconstructed and very much altered by Henry Willis, although he retained old pipework as well as adding new. In 1958 the organ was rebuilt using the ancient pipework and a new console was provided. The old console has been retained as an exhibit.

Grade I listed The church dates from the 12th century onwards, although most of it is perpendicular. There is a tall west tower, nave, aisles, vestry and south porch. The tower is of three stages with a battlemented parapet and pinnacles, and is built of granite. The tower is 90 feet high. Interestingly, the church is also 90 feet long. There are eight bells. The south door is Norman with a zigzag pattern and there are a variety of capitals including heads and pinecones. It is believed that it could be the work of the masons who built Tewkesbury Abbey. The porch was built by John Granville who was rector from 1524 to 1580, a long and troublesome time. Above the door he wrote "Porta Celi" (The Gate of Heaven) and the date 1567. Inside, the church has north and south aisles with tall, granite seven bay arcades, each with two bays to the chancel. There is a screen and Rood. The church has a fine set of 16th century benches with carved ends and moulded rails. The carvings include symbols of The Passion, armorial bearings and grotesques. The 16th century granite font has an octagonal bowl with the Grenville coat of arms. The east end of the south aisle contains the Grenville Chapel with several monuments to the Grenville family. It is believed some of the memorials were done by local man Michael Chuke who was a pupil of Grinling Gibbons. The church contains several fine windows by Clayton and Bell. In 1860 the east end of the church was rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The organ was given in 1859 by Lord John Thynne who had acquired it from Saint Mary's, Langley. It dated back to the 18th Century, possibly the work of Father Smith. When it arrived at Kilkhampton it was reconstructed and very much altered by Henry Willis, although he retained old pipework as well as adding new. In 1958 the organ was rebuilt using the ancient pipework and a new console was provided. The old console has been retained as an exhibit.