St Nonna's Church, Altarnun
{{Use British English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Short description|Church on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, England}}{{Infobox church
| name = St Nonna's Church, Altarnun
| image = Altarnun, St. Nonna's Church - geograph.org.uk - 4676019.jpg
| caption =
| dedication = Saint Nonna
| denomination = Church of England
| previous denomination = Roman Catholic
| churchmanship =
| parish = Altarnun
| deanery = Trigg Major
| archdeaconry = Bodmin
| diocese = Truro
| province = Canterbury
| pushpin map = Cornwall
| pushpin mapsize = 250
| pushpin label position = left
| map caption = Location in Cornwall
| canon =
| priest =
| vicar = Rev. Andrew Balfour
| vicar1 =
| rector =
| curate =
| curate1 =
| minister =
| assistant =
| honpriest =
| deacon =
| pastor =
| organistdom =
| organist =
| organis1 =
| website = [http://www.achurchnearyou.com/altarnon-st-nonna/ St Nonna, Altarnon]
| coordinates = {{coord|50.604608|-4.512809|display=inline,title}}
| embedded = {{Infobox historic site
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Grade I
| designation1_offname = Church of St Nonna
| designation1_date = 22 November 1960
| designation1_number = {{listed building England|1142805}}
}}
}}
St Nonna's Church, also known as the Cathedral of the Moors, is the second largest church on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, located in the village of Altarnun (meaning: "altar of Nonn").{{cite book|first=Nicholas |last=Orme|title=The saints of Cornwall|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JxIjiMStTKIC&pg=PA205|accessdate=25 September 2011|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-820765-8|pages=205–|mode=cs2}} The dedication is to Saint Non or Nonna, who was the mother of St David.Cornish Church Guide (1925) Truro: Blackford; p. 54 The church is mentioned in Daphne du Maurier's Jamaica Inn; it is the church in which the evil vicar of Altarnun Francis Davey depicts himself in a painting as a wolf while the members of his congregation have the heads of sheep.
The church is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Trigg Major, the archdeaconry of Bodmin, and the diocese of Truro. Its benefice is united with those of Saint Sidwell and Saint Gulval, Laneast, and Saint Clederus, St Clether.{{Citation | url = http://www.achurchnearyou.com/altarnon-st-nonna/| title = Altarnon: St Nonna, Altarnon| accessdate = 25 September 2011| publisher = Church of England}} The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.{{NHLE |num= 1142805|desc= Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2}}
History
Architecture
It is a building largely of the 15th century in the Perpendicular style, with a tower {{convert|109|ft|m|abbr=on}} high. It is notable for the fine Norman font and the amount of old woodwork, including the screen, bench-ends and communion rails which date to 1684.
The screen is one of the finest 15th century examples in Cornwall; it has three gates and the cornice of vines and tracery and vaulting are finely carved.Mee, Arthur (1937) Cornwall. London: Hodder & Stoughton; pp. 19-20 The 79 bench-end carvings were executed by Robert Daye between 1510 and 1530 (Pevsner attributes them to 1524 or later) and portray a range of subjects including a Cornish piper and fiddler (Daye's name is given on one but the date is illegible).{{cite book |author1=Mike Salter |title=The Old Parish Churches of Cornwall |date=April 1999 |publisher=Folly Publications |isbn=1871731372 |page=12}} Also, one of the damaged pew ends was repaired to its former glory by the late local master joiner Douglas Edwards in the 1980s.Pevsner, N. (1970) Cornwall, 2nd ed. Penguin Books Langdon (1896) records seven stone crosses in the parish, of which one is in the churchyard.
The church has a peal of eight bells.Dove, R. H. (1982) A Bellringer's Guide to the Church Bells of Britain; 6th ed. Aldershot: Viggers; p. 2
= Gallery =
File:Altarnun, St. Nonna's Church, The Norman font and nave - geograph.org.uk - 4676054.jpg|alt=
File:Altarnun st nonna 002.JPG|alt=
File:St Nonna's church, Altarnun - bench-end (3) - geograph.org.uk - 3559648.jpg|alt=
File:St Nonna's church, Altarnun - bench-end (1) - geograph.org.uk - 3559631.jpg|alt=
File:St Nonna's church, Altarnun - bench-end (2) - geograph.org.uk - 3559641.jpg|alt=
File:Altarnun st nonna 004.JPG|alt=
External features
Associated with the church are five structures that are listed at Grade II. These are the northeast entrance to the churchyard,{{NHLE |num= 1138163|desc= North East Entrance to Churchyard of Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}} the northwest entrance,{{NHLE |num= 1142806|desc= North West Entrance to Churchyard of Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}} the gate, gatepiers, nearby wall and a mounting block at the southeast entrance,{{NHLE |num= 1328058|desc= Gate, gatepiers, wall to right and mounting block at South East Entrance to Churchyard of Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}} and two items in the church yard; the Isbell tomb,{{NHLE |num= 1386520|desc= Isbell Tomb in Churchyard of Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}} and a tombchest and headstone.{{NHLE |num= 1138153|desc= Tombchest of J Lawers and Headstone of J Stephens, 7 metres to north of north aisle of Church of St Nonna, Altarnun|accessdate= 25 September 2011|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
{{Commons category|St Nonna, Altarnun}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Altarnun, Saint Nonna's Church}}
Category:Church of England church buildings in Cornwall
Category:Grade I listed churches in Cornwall