St Pol de Léon's Church, Paul facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Pol de Léon's Church, Paul
The church from the south
50°05′23″N 05°32′46″W / 50.08972°N 5.54611°W / 50.08972; -5.54611
OS grid reference	SW 465 271
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church
Website	www.paulchurch.co.uk
History
Dedication	St. Pol-de-Léon
Administration
Parish	Paul, Cornwall
Deanery	Penwith
Archdeaconry	Cornwall
Diocese	Truro
Province	Canterbury

St Pol de Léon's Church, also called Paul Parish Church, is a special church in Paul, Cornwall, England. It belongs to the Church of England. In the Cornish language, its name is Eglos Pluw Bowl.

History of the Church

The church is very old. People say it was started in the year 490. A Welsh saint named Paul Aurelian founded it. The church building you see today is from the Middle Ages.

Spanish Raid of 1595

In 1595, the church was mostly destroyed. This happened during a raid by the Spanish. But the community quickly rebuilt it. By the year 1600, the church was standing again.

The Church Tower

The church tower is made of strong granite stone. It has double supports called buttresses. The tower is about 27 meters (89 feet) tall. On top, there is a smaller turret. This turret is about 6 meters (20 feet) tall. It helps ships in Mount's Bay find their way. This is why it is called a daymark.

The tower holds six bells. Two of these bells were made in 1727 by Abraham Rudhall. The other four bells were made much later, in 1950, by John Taylor & Co.

The East Window

The church has a beautiful stained-glass window. It is in the chancel, which is the area near the altar. This window was designed by Robert Anning Bell. He was an artist known for the Arts and Crafts movement.

The window is a memorial to Lieutenant William Torquil Macleod Bolitho. He was a soldier who died on May 24, 1915. This happened during a battle called the Second Battle of Ypres. The window was put in place in 1918. Experts say it is one of the most important glass windows in Cornwall.

The stone around the window is called Polyphant stone. This stone is soft and was crumbling away. It has been replaced with new stone. The new stone came from the Forest of Dean. It matches the original stone very closely.

Memorials and Burials

The churchyard is a resting place for many people. Some famous Cornish language writers are buried here. These include Nicholas Boson, Thomas Boson, and John Boson.

John Boson's Monument

Inside the church, there is a special monument. It was made by John Boson for Arthur Hutchens, who died in 1709. This monument is unique. It is the only old stone carving that still has writing in traditional Cornish.

Dolly Pentreath's Memorial

In the churchyard, you can also find a memorial to Dolly Pentreath. She is famous for being the last person to speak Cornish as her first language. However, some people disagree about this.

The memorial was placed there in 1882. It was put up by Louis Lucien Bonaparte. He was a relative of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Vicar of Paul also helped with the memorial. There is also a monument for Captain Stephen Hutchens, who died in 1709.

Gallery

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  Exterior south side

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  Nave

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  East window of the chancel, honouring Lt. William Bolitho

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  Sundial on the south side

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  Monument to Dolly Pentreath

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  Monument to Dolly Pentreath (rear view)