St Hilary's Church, St Hilary, Cornwall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Hilary Church, St Hilary
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	High Church
History
Dedication	St Hilary of Poitiers
Administration
Parish	St Hilary, Cornwall
Deanery	Penwith
Archdeaconry	Cornwall
Diocese	Truro
Province	Canterbury

The Church of St Hilary is an old church in the village of St Hilary, Cornwall, England. It has a tall tower built way back in the 1200s. After a fire in 1853, most of the church was rebuilt. An architect named William White helped rebuild it in 1855. The church is named after Saint Hilary of Poitiers. It's also a special 'Grade I listed building'. This means it's a very important historic place.

Ancient Discoveries at St Hilary Church

Have you ever wondered what secrets old buildings might hide? In 1854, workers found a Roman milestone in the church's foundations. This stone is now set into the south wall of the church. It has an old message carved on it. The message talks about the Roman emperor Constantine the Great.

The churchyard is also home to some very old crosses. You can find both British and Roman crosses there. One Cornish cross in the churchyard has a Latin cross carved on both sides. There is another old cross nearby on Trewhela Lane.

St Hilary in the 1900s

Artworks by Newlyn School Artists

In 1912, Bernard "Ber" Walke became the Vicar of St Hilary. He was the priest there from 1913 to 1936. The church was rebuilt in 1853, but it didn't have much art inside. Bernard's wife, Annie Walke, was an artist. She and her artist friends from the "Lamorna Group" helped decorate the church. These artists were part of the famous Newlyn School. They created beautiful altarpieces, panels, and other artworks. Some of their paintings showed the lives of saints from Cornwall.

Annie Walke painted a picture of Joan of Arc for the church. It was placed near the south door. Ernest Procter created a special artwork for the pulpit. It showed St Mawes, St Kevin, and St Neot. He also made a reredos for the Altar of the Dead. Many artists painted for the church. These included Annie, Dod and Ernest Procter, Gladys Hynes, Alethea and Norman Garstin, and Harold Knight. They all painted pictures for the sides of the church stalls. Phyllis ("Pog") Yglesias made the crucifix on the north wall. Next to it is a reredos by Roger Fry. Even 12-year-old Joan Manning Saunders helped. She painted pictures for a screen in the chancel area.

Damage and Restoration of the Church

In the 1930s, the church faced some trouble. In 1932, some people who disagreed with the church's style broke in. They removed or damaged many of the artworks and items Father Bernard Walke had put in. This damage was caused by a group from Plymouth and other places. Luckily, many of these items have been fixed and put back. The church now looks much like it did before.

The church is still working hard to keep the building in good shape. They are also raising money to fix the church bells. The bells are currently waiting to be repaired.

St Hilary Heritage Centre

The St Hilary Heritage Centre is located under the school room at the church. It has many interesting displays about local history. You can learn about the area from Roman times to today. The exhibits cover topics like mining and emigration. You can also see Newlyn School paintings and learn about the Cornish language. The centre tells the amazing story of St Hilary. It also shares its historic connections to St Michael's Mount.

The church has special links to West Cornwall's art and literature. The Newlyn Artists played a big part in decorating the church. Families like the Procters, Harveys, Knights, Garstins, and Walkes were all involved. This unique decoration scheme helped the church become a Grade I listed building. The Heritage Centre is open from May to September. You can visit on Wednesdays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. There's even a pop-up cafe in the church for refreshments!