From the West Briton, Friday 2nd January 1863.
This handsome little church, which has been erected through the instrumentality of the Rev. J. W. Murray, in the church-yard, close to the site occupied by the former Church of Old Kea, the mother-church of the parish, was formally opened on Thursday (New Year’s day). The style of the building is of the late decorated, which prevailed in the fourteenth century, and the church, which is calculated to accommodate about 120 persons, will prove a great boon to the neighbourhood, the present parish church being situated at a distance so great as to render it inconvenient for the inhabitants, especially females, resident in this locality to attend divine service there during wet and inclement weather. We understand that it is intended to perform divine service in the new church, on the first and third Sundays in each month, the Rev. J. W. Murray undertaking to provide for its celebration on one Sunday, and the Rev. R. Vautier, vicar of the united parishes of Kea and Kenwyn, on the other.
The church, as it now stands, consists of a chancel, 9 feet by 12 feet; nave, 24 feet long by 12 wide; and a south-side aisle, also 24 feet by 12. In the chancel are three windows of richly-stained glass, the eastern or principal one, of three lights, the gift of Miss Monk, of Reading, being to the memory of Mrs. Catherine Murray, the mother of the respected incumbent. The subjects of this and the two side windows, illustrate the most important events in our Saviour’s life, the former containing representations of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, and the latter, of his Birth and Baptism. The building being re-opened under the Bishop’s license for the performance of full divine service and the administration of the sacrament, his lordship directed that the chancel should be separated from the nave by a screen, and this has been neatly carved by Mr. William Hitchens, of Coomb, shipwright. In the eastern corner of the nave stands the pulpit, which is also the work of Mr. Hitchens, and the gift of the Rev. R. Vautier. Between the chancel and the nave is the chancel arch, springing from two shafts with foliated capitals; and on the north side of the nave are two two-light and one single-light windows, the whole of which have been liberally presented by Mr. and Mrs. Daubuz, of Killiow, in addition to their previous handsome contribution towards the erection of the church. On the east side of the nave there are two two-light, and at the west end one two-light windows. Over the latter is a circular trefoil window filled with stained glass in geometrical branches, which has been cleverly cut out of a single slab of granite. The nave is separated from the side aisle by an arcade of four bays and octagonal shafts, having a pitch of about eight feet, composed of the finest Bath stone. The eastern window of the side aisle is of three lights, richly painted, the subject being the Transfiguration. It has been presented by Mrs. Seton, of Perth, in Scotland, a member of Mr. Murray’s family, and is erected to the memory of Mr. Allan Stewart Laing, late barrister-at-law, of the Inner Temple. Near to where the stone font is to be placed, there is a single-light window, erected to the memory of the late Mr. F. A. Packer, formerly organist of St. Mary’s, Reading, and of St David’s Cathedral, Van Dieman’s Land, by Mr. Murray, who was curate of St. Mary’s, Reading, for about seven years. The wooden font, whch will stand in the church until the stone one is completed, is the gift of the Rev. P. E. Wrench, and was formerly used in St. Mary’s Church, and the late temporary church of St. George’s, Truro. Just under the window at the extreme west end of the aisle is placed a single slab of granite weighing about 28 cwt. It was found in a field in Higher Lanner Farm, and is remembered by some of the older inhabitants of the parish as having formed half of the base of Old Kea Wayside Cross. There is a local tradition respecting this cross to the effect that about 80 years ago “a crock of gold” was found under it by a labourer living at Goodern, in Kea, but the crock and its contents were appropriated rather unfairly by his confidant in the discovery, Mr. Hugh Bawden, then the possessor of the Goodern estate. The legend goes on to affirm that Mr. Bawden could never afterwards keep any oxen, sheep, or cattle of any kind on his land unless he previously marked them with a cross, and cross keys; and a man is still living in Kea who remembers to have seen a horse thus marked. We believe, however, that in these matter-of-fact times the necessity for the observance has ceased, and that cattle now thrive as well on the Goodern estate without the mystic symbols, as in any other part of the parish.
Externally all the dressings of the church, together with the gable crosses, &c., are of St. Stephen’s granite. Altogether the church has a very neat and pretty appearance, and is highly creditable to Mr. Murray, who in its design and erection has been his own architect and clerk of works, in this respect following the example of the clergy of former times. The whole of the work has been admirably executed under his direction by Mr. Wm. Clemens, builder, of Truro.
We shall next week give an account of the opening ceremony, and shall only now add, that it is intended (d.v.) to postpone the celebration of the Holy Communion until the morning service, proposed to be held on Sunday, January 4th, at 11 a.m.
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