St Mawgan in-Pydar
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St Mawgan in-Pydar |
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St Mawgan
It seems all to apparent that St Mawgan was one of the Celtic Saints that came from Wales he was probably a companion or Disciple of St Cadoc.
As many of the Celtic sites the Roman Church re dedicated the church to St Nicholas.
The Arundell influence In the Domesday Survey of 1085 the parish appears as Lanherne, a name derived from the manor which was then the property of the Bishop of Exeter (however the name is older than that as Lan signifies a Celtic settlement or monastery) . In the following century it was granted to Richard Pincerna (formerly a cup-bearer to Henry II) whose family eventually assumed the name of Lanherne. The line ended in an heiress who married Sir Remfry Arundell. St Mawgan and Lanherne were to be dominated by the Arundell family right up to 1794 when it was given by Lord Arundell to some Carmelite nuns who fled from Belgium during the French revolution; it remained a convent until very recently.
The Arundells of Lanherne were not the only family to have an influence over the church and the area. As you will see by the memorials the Willyams family and Noye of Carnanton also had some effect. The West Window in the Lady Chapel is a memorial to the Willyams family.
The Holy Well The ancient well can be found inside the Lych-gate thought to be the site where St Mawgan first preached.
13th century the Hagioscope or squint from the North Transept through the chancel wall to give view of the altar. May have been used by lepers who were allowed in the North transept.
1257 The list of rectors commences from this year.
14th Century Note the arches between the Chancel and the Lady Chapel of stone quarried near Padstow.
The lower stages of the tower date from this century.
15th Century The font probably a copy of Norman design, a Pentewan stone bowl and figureheads with the central shaft in Bath stone.
The Slate Altar dates from this time it was found as part of the Lych-gate in 1971 and reinstated to its rightful place.
The Nave arcade of St Stevens porcelain stone.
1400- The most southerly window in the west wall originates from this period.
1420 A Priest Brass can be found in the Lady Chapel possibly of William Hendre.
1433 - The tower was raised to its present height due to a bequest by Sir John Arundell.
1450 1500 42 bench ends are original. About half the carvings are ecclesiastical; of the rest some are heraldic and others purely fanciful.
Ecclesiastical
The Passion lantern and pincers; scourge: three nails; spear and sponge; the cross and the crown of thorns. St peter and the cock: the fish; the sword with the ear of Malchus. The Sacred Monogram; the crowned M of the Virgin.
Devices of families
The Goat- Carnsew, eagle preening feathers Rous; T A Thomas Arundell; the horse- Vyvyan; three sufflues (organ or lance rests) Grenville.
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16th Century- Brasses laid behind the altar in the Lady Chapel to two generations of the Arundells. These were originally in the chancel floor , they were removed and broken up in 1860. Some parts diappeared , others were taken to Wardour Castle, the rest were displayed as a collection of fragments on the south and west walls of the church. Over a century later all the surviving pieces were retrieved and restored by the Revd R S Hawkins Rector 1967-75.
1500- Screen over the central chancel arch with two gilded angels supporting a shield: Arundell- six swallows (hirondelles) quartering Carminow- a bend. Attached to the screen on the chancel side , a fragment of a much older carving of men and animals in a thicket of vine leaves.
1553 The pulpit
1608 Dorothy Vyell of Trevorder married George Arundell on the west wall there is a Coat of Arms in slate of the Vyell family.
1611 & 1650 Also on the west wall can be found a Large Slate memorial slab (originally in the belfry floor) to Henry & Dorothy Stevens depicted in Jacobean costumes.
1642 One the North Wall the letter from Charles the 1st for the loyal support of the Cornish people (Every church in Cornwall has the right to display this letter, and many still do).
1679 On the South Wall of the Lady Chapel there is a Slate Slab in memory of Humphry Noye, heir to William Noye of Carnanton.
18th century- A musicians gallery was built across the west wall to accommodate singers and a band. There were two flutes, two clarinets and one or two bass viols.
Above the Pulpit is a crucifix from the wall of a farm near Cubert.
1701 The North door dates from this year, you can see a inscription outside with the initials of the churchwardens of this year.
1731 Can be found on the west wall Slate Memorial in memory of Thomas Coad and his sister Grace (originally in the belfry floor)
19th Century- The font was re-furbished with new pillars of Devon marble on bases of Portland stone.
The screen between the chancel and the Lady Chapel was inset with ancient carved moulding.
1801 On the North Wall slate Memorial to Henry Beeston who died in his 35th year.
1806 1846- Revd. P Carlyon rector for this period the northern window in the West Wall with glass by Clayton and Bell is his memorial.
1861 Communion rails by Butterfield installed this year.
1862 The Lych-gate was built, when the churchyard was extended to accommodate the Carnanton vault . This vault no longer exists. In April 1961 an ageing sycamore on the roadside of the churchyard was felled. Gravestones were removed along the intended line of the drop, unfortunately the tree crashed across the vault. The roof of the Lych-gate was damaged and the vault smashed beyond repair. The Willyams family coffins are now interred on the site.
1846 - Near to the south window dedicated to the Rev Chesterton can be found the inquest report to the victims of The Hope the stern of a boat can be found in the churchyard a memorial to ten men who drifted ashore at Beacon Cove frozen to death. (In 1808 John Hearle Tremayne, a Cornish M.P. introduced the Dead Bodies Interment Bill compelling Christian burial for the shipwrecked, with expenses met by the county and rewards to those that discovered the bodies. These men were the first to be buried at St Mawgan churchyard in accordance with the new law).
1860 The musicians gallery was demolished. The band replaced by a harmonium.
1874 1901 Revd G Perrin rector the modern stain glass window behind the Altar was erected in his memory.
1908 In the South West corner can be found the memorial and photograph of the Hodbarrow Miner , wreaked at Mawgan Porth.
Over the Vestry Door is a 16th century figure of St Nicholas brought from Rouen in this year.
1946 56 - J A Chesterton was rector the south window west of the porch was restored in his memory.
1957 The Altar frontals given by Mrs Beatrice Willyams of Carnanton (worked by the sisters of the Convent of the Epiphany Truro)
1961 67 Revd .E S Barnett was vicar the 1400 window in the west wall was restored in his memory.
1964 July 30th New Organ dedicated by the Bishop of Truro.
1966 Funeral Hatchment painted on the death of James Willyams in 1828 (Humphrys Father) Probably hung in the church until the 1860 restoration. Discovered in an outhouse during a farm sale at Lanherne Barton, and rescued by Mr & Mrs P A Wailes in this year.
1977 The Choir stalls were raised and recushioned with original designs based on the bench ends.
1981 The Corona that can be seen in the Lady Chapel was found decaying amongst rubbish in a garage it was restored by Revd J F Whitlock. It was originally a memorial to Humphry Willyams of Carnanton (1871)
Note
The granite hurling trough near to the Holy Well is a relic of the days when the traditional Cornish game of hurling was played in the parish.
Standing in the North West Corner of the churchyard is an ancient thorn tree. It was planted about the turn of the century, and is a cutting from the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury which blossoms at Christmas. Legend has it that this tree sprouted from the staff of St Joseph of Arimathea which itself was grown from the crown of thorns and that it will take root only in consecrated ground.
There are three ancient crosses on the site - Wheel Cross discovered in 1905 in a pigsty at Bodrean Truro; Mawgan Cross the simple roadside cross that was brought to the churchyard during the construction of the aerodrome in 1942.
Medieval Lantern Cross (1420) only two others survive in Cornwall one at St Neot the other St Michaels Mount.
