St Columba's Church, St Columb Minor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Columb Minor Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 50°25′18″N 05°02′35″W / 50.42167°N 5.04306°W | |
| OS grid reference | SW839624 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Protestant |
| Churchmanship | Anglican |
| History | |
| Dedication | Columba of Cornwall |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Designated | 24 Oct 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1144140 |
| Architectural type | English Gothic |
| Style | Gothic, Norman |
| Years built | The Church Tower (15th Century) |
| Specifications | |
| Tower height | 115 Feet (35m) |
| Materials | Slatestone rubble with granite dressings. |
| Bells | 8 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Civil: Newquay Ecclesiastical: St Columb Minor |
| Benefice | St Columb Minor with St Colan |
| Deanery | Pydar |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Columb Minor Church is an old Church of England parish church located in St Columb Minor, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It was mostly built in the late 1400s. The church is part of the Diocese of Truro.
Contents
A Special Place for Worship
The place where the church stands has been important for a very long time. It might have been an ancient burial mound where people held special ceremonies even before Christianity. The area was originally round.
This spot offers great views of two nearby mounds, which were symbols of nature's richness. It is also protected from strong winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean. From here, you can look down the Rialton valley and across at Castle-an-Dinas. Long ago, Celtic missionaries came here. They replaced older beliefs with Christian worship and built the first wooden church.
Who Was Saint Columba?
Both St Columb Minor and St Columb Major churches are named after Columba of Cornwall. However, there are no old records that explain exactly who she was. Some historians believe she might have been a French saint. Another idea is that a saint named Crantoc called his friends "Columba," meaning "doves." These churches might have been named after his missionaries.
The Church Building's History
The first church here was probably made of wood. It was replaced several times over the years. Around 1100 A.D., a Norman church was built. We can still see parts of its old foundations today. This church likely had small windows and a low arch.
About 100 years later, in the mid-1100s, a new church was built. It had aisles that reached the chancel (the area around the altar). In 1283, this church was mentioned as a small chapel connected to the main church in Crantock.
By 1417, the chancel was in bad shape. It had to be rebuilt using special stones. Around 1430, the main arches inside the church were rebuilt. Some pillars were made from Beer stone, and others from Cornish granite.
Around 1470, the church was made even bigger. The east walls of the side sections were taken down. This made the aisles longer, matching the length of the chancel.
The tall Tower was built in the 1400s. At that time, the church had three altars. These were dedicated to St. Columba, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Trinity, and St. Michael. During a restoration in 1886, special basins for these altars were found.
The church once had a beautiful screen in 1595, but it was destroyed in 1795. Some small pieces can still be seen today. The old church seats, also from 1595, had carved ends. Most of these were also destroyed in 1795, but one is still kept in the North aisle.
The Font, where baptisms happen, was made around 1450 from Penventon stone. It looks like older Norman fonts. The Porch, with stone benches, also dates to around 1450. A carved date of 1669 was removed during the 1886 restoration.
The Tower is very tall, standing at 115 feet (35 meters). It is the second highest church tower in Cornwall. It used to be seen from far across the parish and out at sea.
The Royal Arms, which are large and colorful, date back to the time of King Charles II. Inside the church, there are also special slate slabs. These are memorials to people like Elizabeth Pollamounter and Roger Ellery.
In 1878, someone visited the church and said it was damp. There was green mold on the pillars and walls. The churchyard was also not well cared for.
Restoration Work
The church has been restored two times. In 1795, the old screen was cut up and used for floorboards. New wooden box pews were put in for farmers. A gallery was added at the west end for other workers.
In 1840, the old East window was replaced with a new one. Some pieces of the Victorian glass from this window are now in the North aisle. The Holy Water Stoup (a basin for holy water) was also moved outside.
By 1884, the church was in very poor condition. Another big restoration project began. Unfortunately, the people doing the work did not fully understand the church's original design. They lowered the floor of the nave (the main part of the church). They also raised the chancel floor so much that it covered the bottom parts of the pillars.
New seats made of pitch pine were installed. A new roof was also put on the church. The carved wooden parts from the old nave roof were moved to the aisles. The church was reopened on September 23, 1886. The Bishop of Truro, George Wilkinson, gave a sermon that morning.
Special Features of the Church
The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is very beautiful. It was given in 1935 by J. Knight to remember his daughter. The original stone pulpit from the church was given to a nearby chapel, but it has since been lost.
An oak altar table was given by Mrs Stephens and Dr Stephens. This was to remember Mr Alexander Stephens, who was a churchwarden for many years. Inside this table is a special Portable Altar from 1415. It is in perfect condition, and there are very few like it.
The church clock was given in 1910 to remember Reverend A Langford. It was started exactly at three o’clock on November 4, 1910. People said the chimes sounded lovely. The clock face shows the Langford family's coat of arms. This clock looks like very old clocks found in places like Hexham Abbey and Castle Rushen on the Isle of Man.
The church also has a set of eight bells that can be rung.
See also
