Page:County Churches of Cornwall.djvu/31

 INTRODUCTION 9 of St. Mary Magdalene, Launceston, built entirely afresh by Sir Henry Trecarrel between 151 1 and 1524. The outer walls are profusely sculptured with coarsely executed ornaments, panelling, and lettering. For our own part, such overdone work in such a material seems almost to border on the vulgar, and only excites wonder as to its great cost and poor taste. The fine 16th cent, tower of St. Probus shows, however, what good results could be produced by surface granite when well chosen and worked with care ; the tower of St. Ives is another good example, and there is also some simple dignity about the lower one of Towednack. It is true, however, as remarked some years ago by Mr. Blight, that — " Surface granite is totally unfit for delicate work- manship, being frequently studded with pieces of felspar, which, coming on sharp angles, get thrown out by exposure to the atmosphere, and the sharpness of the outline soon becomes effaced. It may be seen on most of the exposed granite towers how the angles have fretted away, and such sculpture as was attempted has been reduced to almost shapeless masses." The chief granite towers, other than those first named, are those of St. Anthony - in - Meneage, Callington, Calstock, Cardinham, St. Cleer, St. Clether, St. Constantine, St. Crowan, St. Germoe, Helston, Illogan, St. Ive, Ladock, Luxulyan, North Hill, Pillaton, St. Paul, Roche, St. Stephen -by- Launceston, St. Stythians, and Week St. Mary.