From the Royal Cornwall Gazette, Friday 9th January 1863.
On Thursday, January 1st, being the Festival of the Circumcision, the following Clergymen met at Mr. Crago’s, Church-town Farm, a little before 2 p.m., and shortly afterwards proceeded in their surplices to the new building; viz., Revds. H. S. Slight, Rector of St. Ruan Lanyhorne; O. Manley and Dimond Churchward, St. John, Truro; R. Vautier, Vicar of the united parishes of Kenwyn and Kea; G. L. Woollcombe, Curate of Kenwyn; G. L. Church, Incumbent of Chacewater; and Jeffreys W. Murray, Curate of Kea. The usual Evening Prayer was commenced by the Rev. J. W. Murray; the Revs. G. L. Woollcombe and O. Manley reading the 1st and 2nd Lessons. Baptism was then administered to three children by the Rev. J. W. Murray; and the Prayers were concluded by the Rev. H.S. Slight. Notice of Divine Service for the following Sunday, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with that also for celebration of Holy Communion, was given by the Rev. R. Vautier; after which the 100th Psalm was given out by the Rev. J. W. Murray, and heartily sung by the whole congregation. The Rev. G. L. Church then entered the pulpit, and delivered an excellent and suitable address from Psalm ⅹⅹⅵ., v. 8; setting forth the duty and true principles of acceptable public worship in places set apart by solemn dedication to the service of Almighty God; and acknowledging the goodness of God in thus permitting him, during the 16 years of his ministry in that neighbourhood, to witness the restoration of Kenwyn Church, with that of St. John’s Chapel, Truro, as well as the erection of the parish churches of St. George, Baldhu and Mithian, in the same united parishes of Kenwyn and Kea; and now, the enlargement and re-opening of the beautiful little Chapel in which they were then assembled.—Notwithstanding the stormy nature of the day, and the unusually bad condition of the roads after so much rain, the Church was crowded to excess. After Service, Mrs. Crago hospitably provided tea and coffee for the Clergy, and any others who could remain to partake of the same.
The nave and chancel of this Mission School-Church were erected in 1858, and now, with the present and most necessary addition of a south aisle, it consists of a chancel, 9 ft. by 12, containing three richly painted windows, viz., a 3-light East memorial window, to Mrs. Catherine Murray, the gift of Miss Monck, of Caversham, Reading—the subjects being the ‘Crucifixion’ in the centre, and ‘Resurrection’ and ‘Ascension’ on either hand; the two side single-light windows being also, severally, that of the Birth and Baptism of our Lord. The chancel is laid down with black and red tiles, with massive granite step at entrance. It is divided from the nave by an arch, with shafts and floriated capitals of ivy and oak leaves; and separated from the same by the direction of the Bishop, by an open screen of stained pine wood, as shutting off that portion of the building from the other still used for a school. The nave is 24 ft. by 12, with 2 two-light windows, and 1 single light in North wall, and another single light at that end. The three additional windows in the North wall are the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daubuz of Killiow, over and above their other benefactions to the edifice, amounting in all to £55. The nave is divided from the new South side aisle by an arcade of four bays, with pentagonal shafts and carved capitals, though only with a pitch of about eight feet. The new aisle is, within a few inches, of the same dimensions as the nave; its Eastern three light window is a representation of the Transfiguration in bold and striking colours—it is a memorial to the late Allan Stewart Laing Esq., Barrister of the Inner Temple, London, and the joint offering of Mrs. Peebles, of St. Kea, and Mrs. Seton, of Perth. In the South wall there are also 2 two-light and one single-light window, the latter being also a beautifully executed memorial in stained glass to F. A. Packer, late organist of St. Mary’s, Reading (the organ of which Church was re-built by Mr. Murray, when curate there for nearly 7 years), and who now erects this memorial to a most talented and respected friend. The subjects of this window being in the upper portions—St. Cecilia playing on an organ and (as being near the font) in the lower—the Ark on the waters of the flood. In the Western wall, there is a 2-light window, and also in the gable, a circular rose-window, formed of a single block of granite and filled with geometrically patterned stained glass, the work of Mr. John Blee, Truro; the other stained glass windows having been executed by Mr. A. Gibbs, of 38, Bedford Square, London, and on most reasonable terms. The nave and side aisles are boarded throughout. The roof is of open wood-work, stained and varnished, plain, but strong, durable, and appropriate. The temporary wooden font formerly belonged to St. Mary’s and St. George’s Churches, Truro, and was presented to this Church by Mr. Wrench, Incumbent of St. George’s. All the external gable crosses—bell turrent windows, &c., are of the best St. Stephen’s granite. The great slab of granite just inside the main entrance doorway, and which forms the pediment for the font, weighs about 28 cwt. It once formed half the basis of the ancient Wayside Cross of St. Kea, and tradition further says here that some 80 years ago a crock of gold was found underneath it, when lying in a field in Higher Lanner Farm, by a labouring man living near Goodern in Kea, but unjustly appropriated by his confidant Hugh Bawden, then of Goodern estate, who never afterwards could keep cattle, sheep, or horses in his premises without marking them with the figure of a crock and cross-keys. The rounded granite shaft set up just opposite the porch, was dug up from the foundations of the old poor-house when building the Nave in 1858; it appears to be the mutilated remain of a very ancient Churchyard Cross.
The Services on Sunday last were attended by full and most attentive congregations, and about 15 remained to partake of the Holy Communion, which was celebrated during the Morning Service.
Until further notice, Divine Service will be (D.V.) held at this Church on the first Sunday in each month, at 3 p.m.; and on the 3rd, at 2½ p.m.
All the plans, and other particulars of the building, are from the designs of Mr. Murray, and admirably carried out by Mr. Clemens, builder, of Truro.
The excellent examples of pulpit and chancel screen (as corresponding with the architecture of the edifice, viz., that of the Decorated, about the year 1360) are the work of William Hitchens, shipwright, of Coombe, in St. Kea.
A list of subscriptions will be published, when those that have been promised are paid.
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