St Germanus' Church, Rame facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Germanus' Church |
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St Germanus' Church
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| 50°19′16″N 4°12′43″W / 50.3212°N 4.2120°W | |
| Location | Rame, Cornwall, England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 1259 |
St Germanus' Church is an old and beautiful Church of England church. You can find it in Rame, a village in Cornwall, England. Much of the church you see today was built in the 1200s and 1400s. It has been a special Grade I listed building since 1960. This means it is very important and protected.
The church is named after St. Germanus. He was a bishop of Auxerre from a region called Gaul (now France). People believe he came to Britain around 429 AD. He visited to help stop a religious idea called Pelagianism.
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History of St Germanus' Church
People think a church has stood on this spot since the time of the Normans. This is because a special carved stone, called a tympanum, was found. It is now part of the west wall of the south aisle.
The current church was officially opened on October 15, 1259. This ceremony was led by the Bishop of Exeter, Walter Branscombe. Parts of the church built at this time include its tall, pointed spire and the upper part of the tower. Also, the north wall of the chancel and the north transept date from this period.
Later, a south transept and a tower arch were added. The church was then officially opened again in 1321. In the 1400s, the church became even bigger. The south transept was replaced with a south aisle. This new part was built in the Perpendicular style, which was popular then.
The church was repaired and updated in 1848. Later, a smaller church, called a chapel of ease, was opened in 1878. This was St Andrew's in the nearby village of Cawsand. It helped serve the people there.
Major Repairs in the 1880s
Another big repair project happened between 1883 and 1885. A wealthy person named Kenelm William Edward Edgcumbe paid for all the work. He was the 6th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. The repairs were designed and managed by Messrs. Hine and Odgers from Plymouth.
During these repairs, the old Norman tympanum stone was found. Workers also fixed the outside walls of the church. The special curved wooden roof of the south aisle was saved. However, much of the other wooden roof parts were rotten and had to be replaced.
New wooden seats were added to the chancel area. More wooden pews were put in other parts of the church. Some old oak seating from the 1400s was found. These pieces were put together to make five new seats in the south aisle. Old stone slabs were relaid in the walkways. New tiles were added to the floors of the chancel and sacrarium.
A new wooden pulpit was made by Mr. Harley of Plymouth. All the church's windows, except for the east window, got new glass. This work was done by Messrs. Fouracre and Watson. The church also received a new wooden holy table. The churchyard gate, called a lychgate, was a gift from Rev. R. Ley.
The church reopened on April 22, 1885. Many people attended the service. The Bishop of Truro, George Wilkinson, gave a sermon.
Church Design and Features
St Germanus' Church is built from rough slate stones. It has special details made from granite. The slate roofs were added in the 1800s.
The church has several parts. These include a nave (main area) and chancel (altar area). It also has a west tower, a south aisle, and a south chapel. There is a north porch, a north transept, and a north vestry.
Inside, you can see many interesting features. There is an eight-sided font from the 1300s. Some pews (church benches) are from the late 1400s. An organ loft was added in the late 1800s. There is also a screen made around 1930 by Herbert Read.
The church has special stone memorials. These remember people like Mary Ashton (1664), John Batterby (1672), Roger Ashton (1677), and Stephen Edwards (1797).
Interestingly, the church has no electricity, gas, or water. Services are lit only by candlelight.
Churchyard
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In 1987, several old headstones in the churchyard became Grade II listed buildings. This means they are also protected because of their historical importance. Here are some of them:
- Thomas Wickell, 1749
- Richard Wight, 1750
- Rebecca Gray, 1758
- Susanna Davies, 1768
- John Williams, 1779
- Ann Pyke, 1781
- Jennyfer Verco, 1781
- James Gordon, 1782
- Elizabeth Verco (and other members of the family), 1787
- Jane Jago, 1793
- John Austen (and other members of the family), 1793
- John Ellis, 1795
- Catherine Bowden, 1801
- Francis Bond, 1832
