St Martin and St Meriadoc's Church, Camborne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin and St Meriadoc's Church, Camborne |
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St Meriadoc's Church, Camborne
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 St Martin and St Meriadoc's Church, Camborne
Location in Cornwall
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| 50°12′48.4″N 05°18′07″W / 50.213444°N 5.30194°W | |
| Location | Camborne, Cornwall |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Martin and St Meriadoc |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Camborne and Tuckingmill |
| Deanery | Carnmarth, North |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Martin and St Meriadoc's Church in Camborne, Cornwall, is a very old and important church. It's part of the Church of England and is considered a special historical building. It is a Grade I listed site, which means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England.
Contents
The Church's Story
This church is from the Middle Ages, mostly built in the 1400s. It has been changed and improved many times over the years.
First Big Changes (1861-1862)
The church had a major makeover between 1861 and 1862.
- An old gallery across the back of the church was taken out.
- New roofs were put on the main parts of the church.
- The old, tall pews (church benches) were replaced with lower, open seats.
- The floor in the chancel (the area near the altar) got new patterned tiles. The rest of the church floor also got new tiles in red, buff, and black.
- A new pulpit (where sermons are given) was added.
- A new font (for baptisms) made of granite was placed at the front.
- These changes were overseen by an architect named James Piers St Aubyn.
- After this work, the church could seat 488 people.
- A beautiful new stained glass window was put in the west tower.
Second Big Changes (1878-1879)
The church needed more space because more people were coming. So, another big project happened from 1878 to 1879.
- Again, James Piers St Aubyn was the architect in charge.
- The biggest addition was a new south aisle (a side section of the church). It was 80 feet long, 65 feet wide, and 30 feet high.
- This new aisle had many large granite windows, letting in lots of light.
- The old south aisle became the new middle aisle.
- These changes added space for 180 more people.
- A new heating system was installed under the church. It used coal to warm the air, which was then sent into the church through pipes.
- The church officially reopened on August 7, 1879, with a special ceremony led by Edward Benson, who was the Bishop of Truro.
Church Community
St Martin and St Meriadoc's Church is part of a group of churches. It works together with:
Special Memorials
Inside the church, you can find monuments and memorials that remember important people from the past. These include:
- Sir William Pendarves (died 1683)
- Sir William Pendarves (died 1726)
- Any Acton (died 1780)
- Grace Percival (died 1763)
- Edward William Wynne Pendarves (died 1853)
The Church Organ
The church has a large and impressive organ.
- It was first installed in 1868 by John Nicholson. It had two keyboards and many different sounds (called "stops").
- In 1901, the organ was rebuilt, and its control panel was moved to a new spot.
- It was made even bigger in 1929, adding a third keyboard.
- Later, in 1954–55, the organ was completely rebuilt again to improve how it worked.
- You can find detailed information about this organ in the National Pipe Organ Register.
Church Bells
The church tower holds a set of eight bells.
- Five of these bells are very old, made in 1767 by Thomas Rudhall.
- The other three bells were made later, in 1882, by John Taylor and Company.
