Description

HELSTON

SW6427 CHURCH STREET
631-1/4/39 (West side)
24/03/50 Church of St Michael

GV II*

Parish church on site of C12 church destroyed by fire in 1729.
1756-61. By Thomas Edwards. Restored 1837-38 by George
Wightwick of Greenwich, for Francis, Earl of Godolphin. Elvan
ashlar with granite dressings including plinth, quoins, window
dressings, parapets and copings; granite ashlar tower; dry
Delabole slate roofs.
Rectangular aisleless plan plus chancel; organ extension in NE
angle; west tower; central south porch and small central north
chapel. 3-stage tower; 2-storey elevations to church. The
design is characteristic of mid-Georgian classical church
architecture, the Gothic-style tower also with classical-style
features.
North and south elevations are 2:1:1 bays with round-arched
windows over windows with flat arches, all with leaded glass.
South porch has rusticated buttresses and quadrant front
corners; round-arched windows with wooden glazing bars and
fanlight heads; pair of C19 bolection-moulded panelled doors.
North chapel has recessed quadrant rear corners and
round-arched N window. Round head of church window above. 2
blocked windows at west end.
Tower has Y-traceried 2-light windows to upper stage over
lunettes to 2nd stage, the south lunette fitted with clockface
inscribed "John Hawkins Esq. Mayor 1793"; rustications to
round-arched west doorway with early C20 doors and small north
doorway at higher level approached by flight of granite steps
from north and with ramped wrought-iron handrail. Chancel has
elliptically-arched E window.
INTERIOR: plastered walls; high ceiling with deep cove over
moulded cornices interrupted by arcade of round arches, the
flat surface divided by moulded bands into panels, the central
panel an oval with richly carved arabesques; chancel has
barrel ceiling with moulded band and arabesque; porch has
moulded cornice; gallery at west end with lozenge-panelled
front over panelled pilasters and doorway into tower with
panelled doors with concentric panels to round arch.
Fittings: original leaded window depicting the Resurrection in
panel over south door; oak-grained box pews to gallery,
otherwise late C19 pitch-pine pews with shaped ends; octagonal
freestone and marble arcaded font on stepped base inset with
patterned tiles; brass communion rail; tripartite mosaic
reredos with central panel depicting The Last Supper; organ
and oak choir stalk with Gothic tracery.
Monuments include: in chapel, brasses mounted on wood in frame
to Thomas Bovgins of Helston, merchant, d.1602; S wall of
chancel, wall marble to Humphry Millet Grylls of Bosahan,
d.1834 aged 45; marble cartouche with cherubs to Cock, d.1764
and marble panel flanked by tall consoles to George Simon
Borlase Esq. FRS, Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Cornwall,
1792-1837; S wall, marble urn on casket to John Rogers Esq. of
Antron Lodge in the Parish of Sithney, d.1821 aged 65; marble
plaque by James of Helston to Henry Penberthy, d.1783 aged 64
and who left bequest to help the poor of the Parish of
Helston; 2 others to the Borlase family: John, d.1845 aged 80
and Henry, d.1846 aged 82; marble casket to Peter Hill of
Carwythenack in the Parish of Constantine, Commander RN,
d.1818 aged 65 and cartouche to Robert Hooker, d.1775 aged 57.
(Colvin H: A Bibliographical Dictionary of British
Architecture 1600-1840: London: 1978-: 285, 890).

Listing NGR: SW6580127734

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532912

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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