Tywardreath, St. Andrew's Church
I made three church visits on a dull Saturday at the beginning of September. First call was at Tregaminion Church - closed but I got photos of the two Cornish Crosses - my second was to Tywardreath's parish church and my final visit was to the church of St. Fimbarrus in Fowey. There was once a Priory here but no sign of it remains although there is still a Priory Lane and Prior's Cottages. Tywardreath's church is easy for parking, there is room right below the west gate and the War Memorial at the western end of Church Street. Before entering the church it is worth first going to the east gate, outside which is a tiny Memorial Square. Enter by that east gate and you pass another War Memorial on your way to the south porch. But, before entering, look to the left of the porch where there is some old masonry on a grassy patch. The octagonal upright to the front of the grass is said to have been the stone post that marked the route across the bay in the days when the sea came right up to Tywardreath, as described in Daphne du Maurier's "House on the Strand", a literal translation from the Cornish Tywardreath. St. Andrew's Church looms large in the attractive village. The tower is 14th and 15th century; the body of the church was rebuilt in the 1880s. The lofty, spacious interior is attractive. Oak Cornish Wagon roofs have boarded panels and carved - but not painted - bosses. Furnishings are impressive. An octagonal font is 15th century and has shields within quatrefoils within circles. The attractive pulpit is made from 16th century bench ends and parts of the former rood screen, all varied and quite distinctive. There are some fine bench ends on the pews of the North Transept. The High Altar is of Caen stone with 14th century consecration crosses. There are a slightly cumbersome looking parclose screens. A slate memorial of 1534 remembers Thomas Colyns, last prior of the lost priory. On the walls are several memorials to members of the local Rashleigh family, most associated with their harbour at Charlestown. A partial slate memorial of 1632 remembers Jane Rashleigh.
Tywardreath Carved Pulpit
Tywardreath Church from the east
Tywardreath W.I. Banner
Photographs
More in Churches & Holy Sites
Veryan, St. Symphorian
I revisited Veryan early in July 2017. I had been there many times before, most particularly when doing a round walk from Portloe, heading first to Veryan, then by Carne Beacon to Carne Beach and on back to Portloe by the high and relatively difficult Nare Head, where you have not one but two fair climbs. I had also been there especially to photograph the most unusual and attractive round houses and to visit the lovely Trist House garden (I think it still opens but it may be best to ring the Salmons on 01872 501422 to check). On this occasion I was there for the well and for St. Symphorian's church. But first I enjoyed coffee and a bacon roll in Elerkey House, opposite the excellent New Inn. The well was erected by the Rev. Samuel Trist (of Trist House) in 1910. The church, tucked into a hill-side, is approached along an avenue of hydrangeas. It consists of nave, aisle and three-stage pinnacled tower. In the sloping graveyard above are two sealed mausoleums. Inside the church is a font with four columns and heads at each corner; an attractive carved wooden pulpit; a wooden roof supported by wooden beams with carved bosses; two charming sections of the former rood screen; on a window sill is a model of a four masted sailing ship. In the slloping churchyard is the Trist family tomb-vault and a charming sun dial.
Wadebridge, St. Petroc's Church, Egloshayle
Considering that I live in Wadebridge, I am a little disappointed in myself that in sixteen years I have only been inside St. Petroc's church when there have been exhibitions on, such as wreaths and photos of old Wadebridge and Egloshayle. At last, in December 2018, I have rectified that. At the very beginning of the month, Jane, Meg the collie and i crossed Anneka's bridge and walked across the cricket field to Egloshayle Road and on to the church. Jane and Meg stayed in the porch while I went inside to take photos, though first I photographed the two Cornish Crosses, one on each side of the porch. The porch has a timber roof, with carved bosses: not an exceptional collection. The tower dates from 1477 and was built at the orders of the Rev. John Lovibond, vicar of the time and the man responsible for getting the impressive 17 arch (now only 13 are visible) bridge built over the river to link the then major settlement, Egloshayle, with the infant Wadebridge, now the main settlement. Before entering, do look at the elaborate west door: the door surrounds are made of blue Catacleuse stone, bearing serpents and angel labels and, on the left, three hearts banded by a ribbon bearing the word "Loveybond." Of the 12th to 14th century church some stonework remains. Inside there are nave and south aisle, the latter with a carved wagon roof and a fine collection of stained glass. A full north aisle was never completed, just the present transept. A major restoration was carried out by J P St. Aubyn in 1867. By the south door is a Norman holy water stoup. The Norman font is of the Purbeck type. The impressive octagonal pulpit is of Caen stone. Two-light windows in the nave are by William Morris's company. Impressive monuments are mostly to the local Molesworth family, still at nearby Pencarrow. Note the eaborate holy water stoup just inide the church, to the left of the door.
Warbstow, St. Werburgh's Church
Towards the end of October 2019 I had an outing to the north of the county to visit two churches, St. Mary the Virgin at Week St. Mary and this church, St. Werburgh's in Warbstow. Here I was fortunate: the church is normally closed but I hit it at a time when churchwardens were busy preparing the church for the following day's Sunday service. The first thing to note about St. Werburgh's is that it is set within a fairly steeply sloping lann, a probably pre-Christian enclosure; main entrance to the churchyard is to the south but a further entrance crosses a coffen stile from a farm track to the north. The next thing to note is that the church differs a little from the usual pattern; in this case the porch in use is not in its usual southern position but here is on the north side of the church. It is a little difficult to date the church precisely; it is unsure how much, if any, of the present structure may date back to a 12th century chapelry to Treneglos thet stood here, both belonging to Tywardreath Priory, far away near Cornwall's south coast. The plain, unbuttressed, tower is only of two full stages, topped by very simple pinnacles. Pevsner describes the porch in use, unusually on the north side, as "ambitious" and, indeed, its interior door and its Polyphant stone surround are quite impressive. The present church consists of Nave and 15th century north aisle only, a south transept having been removed in a restoration in 1861. There is some good 3-light Perpendicular tracery, especially in the east Chancel window. The chancel also has a trefoil-headed lancet in the south wall. The south wall of the nave has glass by Arthur Bradley of Minster Glass. The aisle arcade has Cornish standard piers and 4-centre arches. The font is an Altarnun type with faces at the four top corners. It stands on a truncated pillar of probably polyphant stone. Its base appears to be an early upturned font. The organ case has a rather amateur look to it. Two litany desks are quite attractive. The pulpit is simple and rather amateurish looking. Pews, too, are simple with, disappointingly, no carved bench ends.