Marhamchurch, St. Marwenna's Church
Towards the end of January 2019 I headed to the far North of Cornwall to visit three churches - St. James Jacobstow, St. Marwenna Marhamchurch and St. Andrew Stratton. Second port of call was Marhamchurch. I had been in the village before, when walking a route from Bude, via the canal and Helebridge, to Dexbeer, Burmsdon and Tamar Lakes, but I had not previously been inside the church. Some Norman work survives but the greater part of the church is of the 14th and 15th centuries. The south porch has a typical Cornish roof with some carving; its floor is made of squares of small upright slates, reminiscent of Lutyens. The door, of studded vertical planks, with massive iron hinges, is unusual and very sturdy. Inside, the impressive nave has a 19th century Cornish wagon roof, while the north aisle roof is mostly of the 15th and 16th centuries. The seating in the quire, though probably Victorian, is attractively carved. The font is believed to be a late 19th century re-cutting of a Norman original. The pulpit dates from the 17th century. In the chancel is a small Cornish Cross, probably an early original. An unusual brass memorial to Maria Scott Maskell is set into a worn stone slab. There is quite a lot of attractive stained glass. mostly of the mid-19th to early 20th century. Below the chancel step are four 17th century slate memorial slabs. There are no Cornish Crosses in the churchyard, much to my disappointment.
Marhamchurch, St. Marwenna's
Chancel Ceiling
Brass Memorial
Photographs
More in Churches & Holy Sites
Martin-in-Meneage
On a sunny Saturday in late February I headed down to the Lizard peninsula to take a close look at a couple of churches, that of St. Mawgan in Mawgan-in-Meneage and that of St. Martin-in-Meneage. St. Martin's church is south of the village but at St. Martin I had a pleasant surprise: I knew that, remotely situated, the church would be locked and I was just planning on exterior photos. However, while I was sitting there enjoying my soup and sandwich before leaving, who should arrive but a lady churchwarden, so I was able to take my photographs inside as well. The tower is original, of the 15th century, but the rest of the church was rebuilt after a fire in 1830; note the use of serpentine blocks in the external walls. As the church is essentially a simple rectangle it feels more like a Methodist chapel of the period. Entrance is through an unusual blue door in the tower. One font is perhaps the oldest thing about St. Martins, while the other is Norman with corner shafts and foliate decoration. Pews are simple unornamented benches, relieved by a few colourful kneelers. There are a couple of attractive hangings, one of the Lord's Prayer, the other a pictorial of the village by local schoolchildren. In the churchyard I noticed a white camellia and a sundial minus its gnomon.
Maryfield
On a sunny Saturday in mid-August, I decided to look at a few places on the Torpoint peninsula - Antony, Sheviock, St. John for their churches, and Torpoint itself for its location n the water and for its harbour. In the event I was distinctly unimpressed with Torpoint, though I enjoyed the view across to Devonport Dockyard, and I was unable to gain entry to the little church at St. John. However the churches at Antony and Sheviock certainly made up for that. Despite Pevsner, there is really no such village as Antony, only the park, garden and great house. The church, along with a few other buildings, is actually in Maryfield and lies just to the east of Antony Park. Parts of the church date from its dedication in 1259, other old parts are the 14th century tower and the 15th century aisles. Like so many Cornish churches, St. James was heavily restored in the mid 19th centrury and the overall impression you get reflects that. There is some good stained glass but the feature that strikes you most strongly is the colourful decoration of the arches and arcade, with figures of saints and angels in a very striking frescoe. The reredos in he chancel is full of coloured marble and the altar when I saw it was decorated with flowers is small brass pots. The pulpit is striking, carrying four carved panels of the Evangelists. There are some fine monuments to the Carew family of nearby Antony House.
Mawes
There is really no parking here so you will need to park in town - quay or main car park - and walk up very steep Church Hill to visit St. Mawes Church. This small church was built in the early 19th century (and rebuilt in 1881) as a chapel of ease to the main church in St. Just in Roseland. It is in the Early English style and is topped by a slate-hung bell-cote. Inside, the roof is arch-braced, springing from granite corbels. Grisaille stained glass is by Powell and Sons and F W Skeat; two other stained glass windows illustrate the story of St. Maw. The unusual font is hexagonal with quatrefoil carving. Four steps lead up to a pulpit of only two sides. There are some attractive kneelers. One gets the impression that, despite the wealth of St. Mawes village, this is a poor church of but minor importance.