Holy Trinity Church, St Austell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church, St Austell |
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Holy Trinity Church, St Austell
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| 50°20′16.42″N 4°47′42.14″W / 50.3378944°N 4.7950389°W | |
| Location | St Austell |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Austell |
| Deanery | St Austell |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Diocese | Diocese of Truro |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
Holy Trinity Church in St Austell, Cornwall, is a very old and important church in England. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it is considered a special historical site. It belongs to the Church of England.
Contents
History of the Church
This church wasn't always called Holy Trinity! It was first named after a Breton saint called St Austol. Later, its name was changed to Holy Trinity.
Early Beginnings and Monastery Links
Around the year 1150, the church became connected to a nearby monastery called Tywardreath Priory. This connection lasted for many years, until 1535. There was an even older church here before, from the Norman period (around 1066-1154). You can still see some parts of that original building today.
Building the Current Church
The church you see now was mostly built in the 15th century (the 1400s). It is quite large because the area it served, called a parish, was also very big in medieval times. The church's tower is especially impressive!
All four outside walls of the tower have cool sculptures in carved spaces. On the north, east, and south sides, you can see the Twelve Apostles in three groups. On the west side, there's a sculpture of the Holy Trinity, with the Annunciation (when an angel told Mary she would have Jesus) below it. Even lower, you can see the Risen Christ between two saints.
The tower was built between 1478 and 1487. We know this because it features the symbols of Bishop Peter Courtenay. The outside walls are made of a special stone called Pentewan stone. Inside, the tower and other parts of the church are lined with granite. On the south side, there was once a separate small chapel called a chantry. This chapel was later made part of the main church when it was expanded.
Restoration Work
Over the years, the church has been carefully repaired and updated. In 1872, architect George Edmund Street worked on restoring it. More work was done by another architect, George Fellowes Prynne, between 1896 and 1924. This included restoring the tower in 1896 for £300, fixing a chapel, and working on the baptistry (where baptisms happen) between 1892 and 1894.
Beautiful Murals
In 1891, beautiful paintings called murals were added to the east side of the main chancel window. These were created by artist Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne, who was the brother of the architect George Fellowes Prynne. The murals were a gift to remember John Coode and his daughter, Evelyn Carey.
The company Messrs. Fouracre and Watson created these murals based on Prynne's designs. The two main paintings show the Nativity (the birth of Jesus) and the Lord's Supper. At the same time, the side walls were painted, and the roof was decorated, including a special wooden arch.
Church Parish Status
Holy Trinity Church is part of a joint parish. This means it shares its church community and some activities with two other churches:
- St Levan’s Church, Porthpean
- All Saints’ Church, Pentewan
The Church Organ
The church has a wonderful organ that was built in 1880 by Henry Bryceson and Brothers. It cost £600 at the time! Later, it was updated by Hele & Co in 1914 and Maurice Eglinton in 1973. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
