St Columb Minor Church
Encyclopedia
St Columb Minor Church is a late 15th century Church of England
parish church
in St Columb Minor
in Cornwall
, UK
.
where pagan rites were celebrated, and was originally circular. The position is in full view of the twin tumuli, the symbol of the fruitfulness of Mother Nature. It is sheltered from the strong winds of the Atlantic and looks down the Rialton valley and across at Castle-an-Dinas. Here the Celtic missionaries, centuries before the Columba
legend arose, drove away the evil spirits and replaced pagan magic by Christian worship
, and erected the first wooden sanctuary. The Churchtown lay to the West and South while the shelving ground to the North and East prevented building for all time. Hence, as in the case of so many villages, the houses extended more and more from the parish church.
was built. Its outline has been traced from the present chancel step to about a yard from the belfry door, with North and South walls, exactly where the nave arches stand today. Part of the Norman foundations are to be seen around the pillars. It is possible to picture this old church with small windows, perhaps with transepts, and having a low arch leading to an apse.
About the middle of the twelfth century another church was erected in the place of the Norman one. This had aisles which terminated at the chancel. Nothing is known about the building of this church, except that in 1283 it was called a chapelry to the College of Crantock
.
In 1417 the Bishop of Exeter
stated that the chancel was in a ruinous state and that the church must rebuild at once. The stones used, tell their own story, as does also the style of architecture.
About 1430 nave arcades reconstructed: two of the original pillars of Beer stone were left but the other pillars are of Cornish granite. One baffling question concerns the blocked window near the tower which is Early English but does not accord with the rest of the building.
About 1470 the east walls of both transepts were taken down and the aisles extended to the length of the chancel, the side walls of the chancel being pierced with arcades.
In 1884 the building was in a deplorable state and another restoration
was effected. Unfortunately the restorers did not understand this type of church which having been under a monastic body was all on one level. To make a series of steps to the altar the whole floor of the nave was lowered and the floor of the chancel so raised as to bury the bases of the pillars. The church was seated in pitch pine and a new roof put in. The carved rafters of the aisles were taken from the nave roof, and to make the church perfectly straight the chancel walls which inclined to the South were forced out of shape. The organ was formerly in a private house.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in St Columb Minor
St Columb Minor
St Columb Minor is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, UK. St. Columb alone by default refers to the nearby St. Columb Major.At one time St Columb Minor used to be the main settlement in the area, but it has now been encroached upon by its larger neighbour Newquay. The National School in the...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Site
The site is probably that of an ancient barrowTumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
where pagan rites were celebrated, and was originally circular. The position is in full view of the twin tumuli, the symbol of the fruitfulness of Mother Nature. It is sheltered from the strong winds of the Atlantic and looks down the Rialton valley and across at Castle-an-Dinas. Here the Celtic missionaries, centuries before the Columba
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
legend arose, drove away the evil spirits and replaced pagan magic by Christian worship
Christian worship
In Christianity, worship is adoration and contemplation of God.-Overview:Throughout most of Christianity's history, corporate Christian worship has been primarily liturgical, characterized by prayers and hymns, with texts rooted in, or closely related to, the Scripture, particularly the Psalter;...
, and erected the first wooden sanctuary. The Churchtown lay to the West and South while the shelving ground to the North and East prevented building for all time. Hence, as in the case of so many villages, the houses extended more and more from the parish church.
Building
The first church was probably replaced more than once, until about 1100 A.D. a Norman churchNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
was built. Its outline has been traced from the present chancel step to about a yard from the belfry door, with North and South walls, exactly where the nave arches stand today. Part of the Norman foundations are to be seen around the pillars. It is possible to picture this old church with small windows, perhaps with transepts, and having a low arch leading to an apse.
About the middle of the twelfth century another church was erected in the place of the Norman one. This had aisles which terminated at the chancel. Nothing is known about the building of this church, except that in 1283 it was called a chapelry to the College of Crantock
Crantock
Crantock is a coastal civil parish and a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is approximately two miles southwest of Newquay....
.
In 1417 the Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
stated that the chancel was in a ruinous state and that the church must rebuild at once. The stones used, tell their own story, as does also the style of architecture.
About 1430 nave arcades reconstructed: two of the original pillars of Beer stone were left but the other pillars are of Cornish granite. One baffling question concerns the blocked window near the tower which is Early English but does not accord with the rest of the building.
About 1470 the east walls of both transepts were taken down and the aisles extended to the length of the chancel, the side walls of the chancel being pierced with arcades.
- The Tower was built in the Fifteenth century. There were three altars, of which something can be learnt from the researches of Dr. W. J. Stephens. The high altar was dedicated to St. Columba and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The North altar was to the Holy Trinity. The South altar was to St. Michael, and stood in front of the screen. The piscenas of these altars were disclosed at the 1886 restoration and are of Beer stone.
- Woodwork. The screen was destroyed in 1795. A few fragments may be seen in the North aisle. The stair case and passages through the arcades remain. William HalsWilliam HalsWilliam Hals , was a British historian who compiled a History of Cornwall, the first work of any magnitude that was ever printed in Cornwall. He was born at Tresawen, in the parish of Merther in Cornwall. Much of his work was never published but was used by other Cornish historians, including...
(1658) gives this description:- “The Rood loft (yet standing though without a rood on it) a most curious and costly piece of workmanship, carved and painted with gold, silver, vermilion and bice, is a masterpiece of art in these parts of that kind.” The church was seated with benches “built by the poor stock in 1595” and had carved ends. They were destroyed in 1795 but one is to be seen in the North aisle.
- The Font of Penventon stone was made about 1450 and is a copy of a Norman original.
- The Porch with stone benches dates about 1450. The date 1669 was carved over the door-way but was removed at the 1886 restoration.
- The Tower, recorded as the second highest in CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, is 115 feet in height. Until recent building on the NewquayNewquayNewquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
Road it could be seen from nearly every point of the very extensive parishParishA parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, and far out to sea.
- The Royal Arms are of Charles IICharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
and are unusually large and finely coloured.
- Monuments. The most interesting of the slate slabs placed on the walls are to Elizabeth Pollamounter, the daughter of Richard Pollamounter, Gent: and to Roger Ellery who was registrar during the Commonwealth.
Restorations
There have been two “restorations.” In 1795 the screen was cut up for floor boards and the nave and aisles filled with deal box pews for the farmers and a gallery put up at the West end for the labourers. The names of subscribers are painted on a board in the belfry. In 1840 the Lay Rector destroyed the ancient East window and inserted the present “churchy” window. Samples of the Victorian glass from this window hang in the North aisle. The Holy Water Stoup was removed about this time and built into the boundary wall to the East of the chancel.In 1884 the building was in a deplorable state and another restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
was effected. Unfortunately the restorers did not understand this type of church which having been under a monastic body was all on one level. To make a series of steps to the altar the whole floor of the nave was lowered and the floor of the chancel so raised as to bury the bases of the pillars. The church was seated in pitch pine and a new roof put in. The carved rafters of the aisles were taken from the nave roof, and to make the church perfectly straight the chancel walls which inclined to the South were forced out of shape. The organ was formerly in a private house.
Features of the Church
- The PulpitPulpitPulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, a splendid piece of work, was given in 1935 by J. Knight, Esq., of Beachcroft in memory of his daughter. The original stone pulpit was given to Trencreek chapel. The chapel was demolished some time ago and the original pulpit has now been lost.
- An oak Altar Table has been given by Mrs. Stephens and Dr. Stephens in memory of Mr. Alexander Stephens who was Churchwarden for many years. Let into the mensa is the Portable AltarAltarAn altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
which dates from 1415 and is in perfect condition: there are very few other examples of such an altar.
- The Clock was given in 1910 in memory of the Rev. A. Langford. It is interesting to note from the record of the installation of the Church Clock, that it was dedicated by the Vicar on 4 November 1910, and started at exactly three o’clock, when we are told “The sweetness of the chimes was noted by all with delight”. On the face of the clock appear the Arms of the Langford family. The appearance of the clock is described as being in accordance with the oldest known examples of such clocks, as seen at Hoxham Castle, and Kirk Bampton and Castle RushenCastle RushenCastle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown in the south of the island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east...
in the Isle of ManIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.