St Martin's Church, St Martin-by-Looe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin’s Church, St Martin-by-Looe |
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St Martin’s Church, St Martin-by-Looe
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 St Martin’s Church, St Martin-by-Looe
Location in Cornwall
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| 50°22′9.9″N 04°26′53.4″W / 50.369417°N 4.448167°W | |
| Location | St Martin, Cornwall |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | anglicanchurcheslooe.weebly.com |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Keyne and St Martin of Tours |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Martin with East and West Looe |
| Deanery | West Wivelshire |
| Archdeaconry | Bodmin |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Martin's Church is a historic church located in St Martin, a small village near Looe in Cornwall, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is part of the Diocese of Truro. The church is dedicated to two saints: St Keyne and St Martin of Tours.
Contents
History of St Martin's Church
This church is very old, with parts built in the 1200s, 1300s, and 1400s. It has been carefully repaired and updated several times over the centuries. Major restoration work happened in 1882 and again in 1907. During these repairs, the church floor was lowered in the eastern part, walls were strengthened, and pillars were straightened. A heating system was also added, and a special window called a lancet window was opened up.
For a long time, until 1845, St Martin's Church was the main church for the town of East Looe. An early vicar, Sir William de Bodrygan, was part of the family who gave East Looe its first special rights. The south side of the church was once set aside for the people of the town. This included special seats for the mayor and other town officials.
Interesting Features and Woodwork
The church has a special doorway and a font (a basin for baptisms) that date back to the Norman period. This means they are from around the 11th or 12th century. The wooden roofs inside the church, called wagon roofs, were built in the 1400s.
You can also see beautiful modern wooden carvings inside. These include the choir stalls, where the choir sits, and the benches in the main part of the church. There is also a special wooden memorial for an officer who served in India.
Monuments and Memorials
St Martin's Church is home to several important tombs and memorial tablets.
- The tomb of Philip Maiowe is located in the chancel, which is the area around the altar.
- There is a monument for Walter Langdon, who passed away in 1676, and his wife in one of the church aisles.
- A memorial tablet honors Jonathan Toup, a famous Greek scholar. He was the rector (a type of priest) of this church and also the vicar of St Merryn. Toup was buried right under the communion table in the church. His niece, Phillis Blake, put up a small marble tablet on the south wall to remember him. The tablet says that Toup's excellent scholarship was "known to the learned throughout Europe." The money for this tablet came from the Oxford University Press.
Church Organ
A new organ was installed in the church in 1878. It was built by Henry Speechley and cost £260 at the time. The organ was first played on May 2, 1878, by J. Nicholson from St Bartholomew's Church in London. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Church Bells
The church tower has six bells. These bells were made in 1882 by a company called John Taylor & Co.
Parish Status
Until 1845, the church's parish (the area it served) included East Looe, which had its own small chapel dedicated to St Mary. St Martin's Church is dedicated to St Keyne and St Martin. In old records, it is sometimes called "Keyne the Greater." The right to choose the church's priest once belonged to the lords of Pendrim.
Today, St Martin's Church is part of a combined parish with two other churches:
- St Wenna's Church, Morval
- St Nicholas' Church, West Looe
