St Erth's Church, St Erth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Erth’s Church, St Erth
St Erth’s Church, St Erth
50°09′52.35″N 5°25′56.93″W / 50.1645417°N 5.4324806°W / 50.1645417; -5.4324806
Location	St Erth
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Dedication	Erc of Slane
Administration
Parish	St Erth
Deanery	Penwith
Archdeaconry	Cornwall
Diocese	Diocese of Truro
Province	Province of Canterbury

St Erth’s Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of St Erth in Cornwall, England. It is part of the Church of England and is very special because it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural importance.

The Church's Story

The church is named after a saint called Erc of Slane, also known as Ercus. Experts believe the church was first built around the 1300s. It is not a huge church, but it has a tall tower on its west side with three main sections. Inside, you'll find areas called north and south aisles. The columns in the north aisle are quite interesting because they are all different!

Restorations and Changes

Over the years, the church has been repaired and updated many times.

• In 1747, Vicar Collins helped restore the church.
• A much bigger restoration happened between 1872 and 1874. Most of the church was rebuilt, but the old tower stayed.
• During this time, the walls were made with special Polyphant stone.
• The old wooden benches were replaced with new ones made of pitch pine.
• The roof above the chancel (the area near the altar) was decorated.
• The floor of the chancel was covered with colorful tiles.
• A new window was put in at the east end of the church.
• Two new windows were added to the roof to let in more light.
• The wooden roof of the south porch is very old and still remains.
• The font, which is a basin used for baptisms, is from the Norman period (around 1066-1154) and has an unusual square shape.
• The beautiful wooden roofs in the main part of the church and the side aisles, along with a lovely oak screen decorated with the Four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), were all added during the 1874 restoration.
• Mrs. Mills, the vicar's wife, gave the church a new font made of carved Caen stone.
• The church was officially reopened by the Bishop on February 20, 1874.

Special Windows

The church has some lovely stained-glass windows that tell stories or remember people.

• In 1882, a new stained-glass window was put in the chancel. It was made to honor God and remember Lawrence Henry Orde Woodd. Mr. Woodd was an Inspector of Schools who sadly passed away in the churchyard while going to a service.
• In November 1886, another special window was revealed. This one remembered Reverend A. W. Mills. The bottom part of this window shows scenes from the story of the Good Shepherd.

Trewinnard Chapel

The Trewinnard chapel is a special part of the church. It was restored in 1912 to remember the Hawkins family. Mrs. Hawkins, whose husband Christopher Hawkins owned the Trewinnard Estate, paid for the work. The detailed carvings around the altar were done by skilled craftspeople from London and Plymouth. One of the carved seats even shows a figure of the late Bishop of Truro, Charles Stubbs, blessing the people.

Church Organ

The church has a wonderful organ that was put in back in 1881. It was built by William Sweetland from Bath and cost £300 at the time. The organ was first played on Thursday, September 1, 1881. If you are interested in organs, you can find more details about this one on the National Pipe Organ Register.

People Buried Here

The churchyard is a resting place for many people. One notable person buried here is Annie Walke, who was a painter and a poet. Her exact burial spot in the churchyard is not known.

Joining Other Churches

St Erth’s Church is part of a group of churches called the Godrevy team ministry. This means they work together with other churches in the area, including:

• St Gwinear’s Church, Gwinear
• St Gothian's Church, Gwithian
• St Elwyn's Church, Hayle
• St Felicitas and St Piala's Church, Phillack