Church of King Charles the Martyr, Falmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Falmouth Parish Church of King Charles the Martyr |
|
|---|---|
King Charles Church, Falmouth
|
|
| 50°09′11.02″N 05°04′03.94″W / 50.1530611°N 5.0677611°W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | kcm.aspier.co.uk/wordpress |
| History | |
| Dedication | King Charles the Martyr |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 22 July 1949 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Falmouth, Cornwall |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of King Charles the Martyr (which means "King Charles the Martyr's Church" in Cornish) is a special church in the Church of England. You can find it right in the middle of Falmouth, Cornwall.
Contents
The Church's Story
How the Church Began
The building of this church started on August 29, 1662. Sir Peter Killigrew laid the first stones. About a year and a half later, on February 21, 1664, the first sermon was preached. The church was officially made a holy place on August 22, 1665.
The church was named after King Charles the Martyr. This is a special title for King Charles I, who was executed on January 30, 1649, after the English Civil War. His son, King Charles II, had to leave England during the war. He left from Pendennis Castle, which is near where the church stands today. King Charles II had promised to build a church if he ever returned to power.
After the king returned, Sir Peter Killigrew helped make this promise come true. Sir Peter wanted to build a town and a church in Falmouth. He offered land for the church and a home for the priest. King Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York, helped fund the project. The new area of Falmouth used to be part of another parish. Sir Peter also made sure the church had money by setting up a small tax on every house.
Changes Over Time
The church has been changed many times since it was first built. It was originally about 66 feet square. In 1684, the church got its first additions, including a new part at the east end and the bottom of the tower.
Later, in 1686, a balcony was added at the west end. More balconies were built in 1699 and 1702. In 1702, the first organ was put in. In 1738, the tower was made taller and a large bell was added.
By 1813, Falmouth had grown a lot. So, the church was made longer towards the east. Over time, the church building started to wear down. In 1896, a big rebuilding project began. The old roofs and balconies were removed. New, decorated ceilings were put in. This work took about a year.
Other improvements followed. A new room for the organ was built in 1915. Electric lights were added in 1907. In 1936, a special area for baptisms was created. One historian once said that this church has probably been changed more than almost any other church in the United Kingdom!
A Special Rector: William Coope
The Reverend William John Coope was the church's leader, called a rector, from 1838 to 1869. He brought new ideas to the church in Cornwall. When he arrived, the church building was not in good shape.
Mr. Coope made changes to the church services. Some people in the town didn't like these changes at first. But by 1847, things were calmer. He wrote many books about the Church of England. During his time, the church got many improvements. These included new rooms for the clergy, a new entrance, and beautiful stained glass windows.
Past Leaders of the Church
- Francis Bedford 1664–76
- John Quarme 1676–79
- Walter Quarme 1679–1728
- John Millington 1728–35
- Edward Walmsley 1735–95
- John Watkin Wilbraham 1795–1824
- Lewis Mathias 1824–28
- Hon. William Wodehouse 1828–38
- William John Coope 1838–70
- Joseph Baley 1870–72
- John Wright 1872–82
- Brian Christopherson 1882–1912
- Henry Hugh King 1912–18
- Montague Blamire Williamson 1918–1924
- Bertram Liddell Hope 1924–36
- Osmund Ralph Maude Roxby 1936–46
- Joseph Percy Hodges 1946–55
- Thomas Barfett 1955–77
- William John Peter Boyd 1977–85
- Roger Geoffrey Gilbert 1986–2002
- Stephen John Tudgey 2003–Present
Music at the Church
For many years, the church had a choir made up only of men. This choir stopped in the late 1960s because it was hard to find new singers. Today, the choir has both adult men and women. They sing at two services every Sunday. The church also hosts lunchtime concerts on Saturdays from May to October.
The Amazing Organ
The church has a very large organ built by Lance Foy of Truro. It is the second largest organ in Cornwall, after the one at Truro Cathedral.
The first organ was put in the church in 1703. It cost £200, which was a lot of money back then! Not everyone loved its sound. One person even wrote a funny poem saying it sounded like "old pigs grunting and little pigs squeaking."
After 95 years, that first organ was sold. A new one was installed in 1798. This new organ had 15 different sounds and a special part that could make the sound louder or softer.
In 1881, the second organ was in bad shape. It was replaced by a new, three-manual organ. This organ was moved to its current spot in 1914. It had 30 different sounds and nearly 2,000 pipes! In the 1970s, this organ also started to have problems.
So, in 1978, Lance Foy began building the current organ. He used some parts from the old organ and some from another church. In 1993, the organ was rebuilt again with even more improvements. It now has many amazing sounds and features.
Who Played the Organ?
- William West 1703–29
- Charles West 1729–60
- Edward Kendall 1760–1808
- Anthony Williams 1808–10
- Mathias Cisteraansz 1810–12
- Miss Jane Petherick 1812–15
- Mr. Parnell 1815–24
- Mr. Sharp 1824–30
- George James Webb 1830–42
- Professor Joseph Hale Coggins 1842–62
- Charles William Reed 1864–78
- William Treweeke 1878–80
- Professor C. W. Robinson 1880–95
- Robert E. Clark 1895–1911
- Ewart West 1911–24
- E. Arthur West 1924–27
- Richard Glendinning 1927
- Gordan Hall 1927–72
- Ernest Green Frics 1972–74
- Edward Goldsmith 1974–91
- Peter Young 1991–2001
- John Charles Winter 2001–07
- Christopher Uren 2007–10
- Lance Foy 2010–14
- Richard Bailey 2015–Present
Famous People Buried Here
