The Parish Church of St Hilary is dedicated to a Frenchman who was Bishop of Pointiers in the 4th Century. Though born a pagan, he was converted to Christianity through his own study of the prophets. He wrote extensively on the Arian controversy, being a staunch opponent of that heresy. His most important work was that on the Trinity. The Church keeps his day on January 14th.
It is possible that there was a Christian church standing where the present church now stands, before the withdrawal of the Roman Legions from Britain. Its source was probably Celtic rather than Roman.
The church stands 190 feet above sea level, between two saes , where its lovely thirteenth century broach spire, formerly whitewashed, made a landmark for ships in St Ives and Mounts Bays. It was amongst the oldest possessions of St Michael's Mount, the Bishop of Exeter having granted the church to the abbey of the Mount in 1205.
1853- Most of the original church was destroyed by a disastrous fire. All but the Tower and Spire remain.The original church seems to have contained much beautiful workmanship. It consisted , as does the present church , of a nave, chancel, two side aisles, tower & spire.
1855- It was not until this year that the present church was consecrated. Re-built on the old foundations by architect William White, it retains the lovely arch of the west tower, the ancient doorway on the north side, the mullions of the windows, crosses from the pinnacles, rare sculptures in the tower apertures and much of the stone from which the old church was built , chiefly granite. The crossing is lit by gables, two having stained glass. the columns of the nave are low and from them spring arcades of contrasting local stone.
1930's-the church was despoiled by protesters, who smashed the altars and other ornaments and left the church in a sad and barren state.
Note.
Entering by the south door and turning eastwards, one comes to a picture of St Joan of Arc, painted by Anne Walke, wife of Fr Bernard Walke during whose incumbency the church was despoiled. the picture formed the reredos to an Altar to St Joan.
Proceeding still eastwards, there is an early French Gothic statue of St Anne and a rear statue of St Joseph. This statue is Spanish Baroque, at least 300 years old.
In the chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The painting in the reredos is ascribed to a 15th century painter, Quentin Matsys. The reredos itself represents the City of God.
Moving to the chancel, the east window should be noted for its Victorian glass. the pictures on the stalls either side were painted by the Newlyn artists Harold Knight ARA, Gladys Hynes, Ernest Procter, Dod Procter, and Anne Walke and depict scenes from the lives of Cornish Saints. The pictures on the priest's stalls represent , on the south St Hilery, and on the north the dedication of the church by the Abbot and monks of St Michael's Mount.
The pictures on the pulpit, the work of Ernest Procter, represents legends connected with St Neot, St Kevin and St Mawes.
On the north side of the parclose screen of the chancel are pictures painted by Joan Manning Saunders at the age of 12.
Here we have arrived at the Lady Chapel. The reredos of which represents the house of the Visitation and the picture of the event was painted by Ernest Proctor.
Both this chapel and that of the sacred heart had stone altars in the 1930's but these were destroyed together with the High Altar of the church.
A large crucifix on the north wall is the work of Phyllis Yglesias, a memorial to Canon F Rogers of Truro Cathedral who died in the parish in 1928.
West of the crucifix there used to be an altar to St Francis. The reredos, still in position was painted by Roger Fry.
A little westward from this , there is, set in a niche, a lovely statue of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, placed as a memorial to those who took the services during the period following the despoiling of the church.
In the south west corner of the church there is the reredos, painted by Ernest Procter, of an Altar of the Dead, built in memory of Gerard Collier who during world was one sought to find a way of peace for the world.
Nearby is the Constantine Stone a relic of the Roman occupation dated 307AD.
On the left of the path outside the south door there stands the mysterious "Noti-Noti Stone"which still awaits a credible explanation.