Porthleven, St. Bartholemew's Church
On a fairly sunny day in mid-December I headed down west to visit three churches: St. Germoc's in Germoe for its Holy Well and St. Germoc's Chair, St. Breaca's in Breague for its remarkable collection of frescoes, and St. Bartholemew's in the harbour town of Porthleven for its slightly unusual Victorian layout. St. Bartholemew's is located behind and above the main car park and looks out over town and harbour. You might think that being Victorian, it would be of no great interest. However, it is well worth taking a look at this 1842 church by Sampson Kempthorne, restored in 1891 by H Fellowes Prynne who added the baptistery. The church is unusual in that both east and west ends finish with a semi-circular apse, the east end the baptistery with a massive granite font, the west end the chancel. There is a certain Norman Revival feeling to the church, so many openings are round-arched. There is also a strong Anglo-Catholic feeling, notably from the images of the Stations of the Cross around the walls. It is a pity that there are no pews, only chairs, but the colourful tiled floor, similar to the baptistery, tends to keep one's eyes off the chairs. There is no Rood Screen but the Rood, in the form of an anchor, is both unusual and appropriate to a fishing port. The low finely-wrought-iron chancel screen is unusual and attractive. The altar is simple, behind it a reredos with figures in each of three round-headed arches. There is a rectangular Lady Chapel where an oak pew has carving representing fishing and farming interests. The pulpit is highly unusual, a stone base carries the wrought-iron pulpit which has brass stencils of fish, starfish and anchors. A figure of Christ depicts him as carpenter, with mallet and chisel. Altogether an unusual and enjoyable Victorian church.
Porthleven's unusual Pulpit
St. Bartholemew's
Porthleven Altar Rail
Photographs
More in Churches & Holy Sites
Porthpean, Higher Porthpean, St. Levan's Church
This is an unusual and attractive small church, in the centre of the little village of Higher Porthpean. Built in 1884 by J Reeves for Lady Graves-Sawle of nearby Penrice, its front is quite unexpected, an arcade bearing coats of arms, presumably including those of the Graves-Sawles, and a bell-cote above. I know of no other church in Cornwall with a similar arched loggia for its west front. It's on a pretty tight site, the lane on the south side running down steeply to Lower Porthpean and St. Austell Bay. The interior is of local Pentewan stone, un-plastered, colourful and attractive and nicely sets off the three-light east wndow by Clayton and Bell. No pews, instead chairs. The altar is simple; when I was there flowers stood on the altar-cloth. A reredos is of Devon marble. The font at first looks simple but on closer inspection is quite complex, incorporating seven different bands of shaping. A St. Levan's Sunday School banner hangs on one wall.
Portloe, All Saints Church
At the very end of September 2019 I visited little All Saints Church in Portloe on my way to the church of St. Symphorian in Veryan. This is not a church of any great significance, except in so far as it offers a welcome to all, not just those of its Anglican denomination. It was built around 1890 and is topped by an open octagonal bell-cote. Driving through, you could miss it as it just part of a row of homes on the hill out towards Veryan. In so far as All Saints has any style, it is vaguely late-Victorian Gothic, a little surprising as the building was originally constucted as a lifeboat house, despite being so far from the little harbour. Reordering of the church has made it extremely flexible and it is very much the centre of this small community. During the summer cream teas are provided (from 2.30ish) every Tuesday. In winter a "Soup Lunch" is held on the 1st Monday of the month.
Poughill, St. Olaf's Church
Poughill - pronounced Puffle - is tucked away on a quiet lane, leading to Northcott Mouth, on the north side of Bude. It is a steep village and the lane is narrow but, fortunately, there is a good sized car park below the church. There are some attractive cottages, particularly Church Cottage and St. Olaf's Cottage. St. Olaf's Church, dedicated to the Norwegian King and Martyr, stands on a knoll, perhaps suggestive of an ancient site. The oak tower door has an impressive surround. The porch, in it a slate memorial in Latin, has an ancient studded oak door. Inside, wagon roofs have carved bosses. The frescoes of St. Christopher are a remarkable survival: whitewashed at the Reformation, they were only rediscovered in 1894. The elaborately carved pulpit is unusual for its open fretwork. A wall plaque commemorates Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, Wadebridge doctor, builder of Bude Castle and inventor of a steam road carriage. His limelight illuminated the House of Parliament for 60 years. As at Kilkhampton, there is a fine collection of early bench ends. The attractive looking Preston Gate Inn, which also calls itself a cafe, is open 11 to 11 daily and does interesting sounding food lunchtime and evening. There is fish and chips on Friday and roasts on Sunday.