For many centuries Kenwyn and Kea formed what now seems one vast parish. Which church had the priority has been disputed. The Comish historian, Charles Henderson, noted that in the thirteenth century, Kenwyn was regarded as a chapeiry of Kea, but that after the Reformation, their roles were reversed. Henderson, thought, however, that Kenwyn was originally independent, and so could be claimed as the mother church of Truro. There are similar doubts about its dedication. St Cuby was for some centuries thought to be the patron saint, but St Keyne is now generally regarded as such. The festival of St Keyne occurs on the day before Kenwyn Feast.
What is not in dispute is that in the Autumn of 1259, Walter Bronescombe, Bishop of Exeter, visited the westernmost part of his Dincese, and dedicated nineteen parish churches - among them St Mary9s Truro and Kenwyn Such dedications did not imply that there had not already been a building for worship on the site. The church was enlarged in the fifteenth century, but in 1819 was declared unsafe for use. Richard Polwhele, an earlier Cornish historian, was curate at the time, and said to be instrumental in the re-building. In 1860, the tower was hit by lightening, and the nave roof badly damaged. A very severe restoration was the result, and Henderson declared that this had 'contrived to deprive it of all interest1.
As we have seen, Kenwyn was the parish church for much of Truro as well as an extensive rural area. After the formation of the Diocese, the Bishops and their households often worshipped here on Sundays, and before the construction of a chapel at Lis Escop, would also use it on weekdays Edward White Benson, the first Bishop, normally attended Morning Prayer on weekdays, often accompanied by his dog Watch' The dog was roused from customary slumber when the Bishop dramatically ended the second lesson at Mark 13: v3 7 (Authorised Version).
The list of incumbents in the church records the services of the Comish family to this parish, and there are several memorials to them. The cross in the churchyard is in memory of George Comish whose son and grandson served in Madagascar, the former as Bishop. John Rundle Cornish became Vicar of Kenwyn in 1883, and was also Archdeacon of Cornwall and Principal of the Training College. In addition to these offices, he was in ~ 905 consecrated as the first Sutfragan Bishop of St Germans. But with much greater clerical man-power, help was doubtless available for the parish of Kenwyn.
The most ancient part of the church is the Tower which, apart from repairs, stands much as it did in the fifteenth century. It contains a fine peal of eight bells which ring out over the city and countryside twice each Sunday, as well as on practice nights and other occasions. There is a long tradition of ringing at Kenwyn. Miles Brown, the most recent historian of the church in Cornwall, tells us that in the eighteenth century, the ringers constituted a sort of 'gentlemen's club', and this included 'Squire' Lemon, after whom Truro's finest street is named. The tower contains the letter of thanks which Charles I sent to his loyal subjects in Cornwall.
The church does not now deserve the strictures of Charles Henderson quoted earlier. The re-ordering in the early 'sixties gave a spacious feel to the church and provided an admirable setting for its liturgy. The pews date from the same period. The incumbent of that time recalls the Sunday on which a large and prominent member of the congregation found that not only did her seat collapse under her, but the same fate befell several pews around her. Consequently, the projected re-seating of the church had to be put in hand without delay, and the cost was met by various members of the congregation. The organ once stood in the south transept, was moved to the east end of the south aisle in 1894, but provided with its own chamber, the gift of Major Gill in 1934. It was rebuilt in 1988, and is much admired by some contemporary musicians. The altar hangings and vestments have been imaginatively renewed in recent years. A figure of an angel with shield can be seen on one capital of the north aisle, and the figure of a bishop with his staff on the other capital.
Of the windows, the most spectacular is at the east end, filled with Victorian glass in memory of various members of the Carlyon family, long associated with this church, but the most curious is at the west end - in the ringing chamber of the tower. This contains the personal coats of arms of six former vicars - between 1776 and 1857. Many of the remaining windows have been wholly or partially replaced with antique glass, which gives much needed light to the church. Inscriptions record that they were given by recent and present members of the congregation. The north transept was once known as the Tregavethan aisle. In the reign of Elizabeth I, John langhene., Lord of Tregavethan Manor, undertook to repair the transept on the understanding that it would be for the sole use of his family and their successors. This arrangement continued in law until 1965, but the aisle is now used as a Lady Chapel, and the altar comes from the former mission church at Idless. Hanging in the transept is a chandelier; there were formerly three such here, but one is now in the south transept and the other above the font. Apparently, the Lord of the manor refused to have gas installed in his aisle when it was brought to the church in the last century. But his successor approved of the introduction of electricity in 1920, and after this date, the chandeliers were for some years relegated to the tower. Again, they have been cleaned and restored in recent years.
The South transept has been re-furnished as St Luke’s Chapel, and makes an ideal setting for celebrations of Holy Communion in contemporary style with a small congregation on three sides of the altar. The stone fireplace seems to have been installed when the organ stood here - perhaps to protect it from damp, or to provide some comfort for the organ-blower.
The monuments in the church are probably of more interest to the local social historian than to most visitors, but above the south door is a needle-point picture apparently inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's ‘Last Supper'. It was worked by Lady Griffies Williams, and presented to the church by her great-grand-daughter, Miss A E Noon, a former churchwarden. It was shown in the Great Exhibition of 1851.