St Laud's Church, Mabe

St Laud’s Church stands in the quiet village of Mabe, Cornwall, on ground that has been sacred for centuries. Built originally in the 15th century and dedicated to the sixth-century Saint Laudus, it was struck by lightning in the 19th century and largely rebuilt in 1868 under Piers St Aubyn. The tower and porch survived the strike, and reused 15th-century windows were set into the new north aisle. The church belongs to the Diocese of Truro and shares its vicar with St Michael and All Angels, Ponsanooth. A Grade II* listed building since 1957, it remains an active parish church with weekly services. The church’s architecture tells a story of layered time. Parts of the chancel date from the 13th or 14th century, while the west tower, aisles and porch belong to the 15th. The rebuilt interior shows plastered walls, octagonal piers and granite rubble construction with granite dressings. The south porch has an outer arch of cable moulding and foliage, and inside are a monogram and a Greek cross carved in Caen stone. The nave and chancel share a single roof of Delabole slate with arch-bracing and wind-bracing. Inside, the font is buried beneath the floor, and a stoup stands in the porch wall. The organ, installed in 1920, is a two-manual instrument with ten stops. Six bells hang for change ringing, four cast in 1876 by John Warner & Sons and two in 1930 by John Taylor & Co. Outside, the churchyard of 0.164 hectares contains a pre-Norman monolith and several listed gravestones, including a 1774 granite headstone and the Rail family chest tomb.