Holy Trinity Church, St Austell is a Grade I listed

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

in St Austell,

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

History

The church was originally dedicated to St Austol, a Breton saint associated with St Meven, but is now dedicated to the Holy Trinity. By 1150 it had been appropriated to the Priory of

Tywardreath Tywardreath (; kw, Ti War Dreth, meaning "House on the Beach" (or Strand)) is a small hilltop village on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, about north west of Fowey. It is located in a sheltered spot overlooking a silted up ...

by the

Cardinham Cardinham ( kw, Kardhinan) (the spelling 'Cardynham' is almost obsolete) is a civil parish and a village in mid Cornwall, England. The village is approximately three-and-a-half miles (6 km), east-northeast of Bodmin. The hamlets of Fletche ...

s, a situation which continued until 1535. There was originally a Norman church here, of which some remains may be seen. The present church is of the 15th century and is large because the mediaeval parish was also a large one: the tower is impressive. All four outside walls bear sculptural groups in carved niches: the Twelve Apostles in three groups on the north, east and south; the Holy Trinity above the Annunciation and below that the Risen Christ between two saints on the west. The tower can be dated to between 1478 and 1487 by the arms of Bishop

Peter Courtenay Peter Courtenay ( – 23 September 1492) was Bishop of Exeter (1478–87) and Bishop of Winchester (1487-92), and also had a successful political career during the tumultuous years of the Wars of the Roses. Origins Courtenay was the third so ...

, and the walls are faced in Pentewan stone. The tower and other parts of the church have an interior lining of granite. On the south side of the church, a formerly separate

chantry A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings: # a chantry service, a Christian liturgy of prayers for the dead, which historically was an obiit, or # a chantry chapel, a building on private land, or an area i ...

was incorporated into the church when it was extended. The church was restored in 1872 by

George Edmund Street George Edmund Street (20 June 1824 – 18 December 1881), also known as G. E. Street, was an English architect, born at Woodford in Essex. Stylistically, Street was a leading practitioner of the Victorian Gothic Revival. Though mainly an eccl ...

. Additional work was undertaken by the architect

George Fellowes Prynne George Halford Fellowes Prynne (1853–1927) was a Victorian and Edwardian English church architect. Part of the High Church school of Gothic Revival Architecture, Prynne's work can be found across Southern England. Biography Early life George Ha ...

between 1896 and 1924. The tower was restored in 1896 at a cost of £300, as well as the restoration of a Chapel, and work to the baptistry between 1892 and 1894. In 1891, murals by the late Pre-Raphaelite artist

Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne (1854–1921) was a leading British late Pre-Raphaelite painter of portraits and subject pictures, who in later life became one of the country's best known creators of decorative art for churches. Family and Early ...

, were painted on east side of the main chancel window. Prynne was the brother of the

, and the work was carried out in 1891 as a memorial to John Coode, of Polcarne, and his daughter, Evelyn Carey — a plaque behind the pier adjacent to the organ recorded this donation. The work was carried out by Messrs. Fouracre and Watson, of Stonehouse, Plymouth, from Prynne's designs. The two panels represent the Nativity and the Lord's Supper. "The painting of the side walls and the decoration of the roof, including the illuminated oaken arch, were executed at the same time by the same firm, and under the same direction".

Parish status

The church is in a joint parish with * St Levan’s Church, Porthpean * All Saints’ Church, Pentewan

Organ

The organ was built by

Henry Bryceson Henry Bryceson (1775–1870) was an organ builder and pioneer of electric action in England during the 1860s. Henry was born in Perth, Scotland, whose St Leonard's-in-the-Fields Church still operates one of his organs. Henry Bryceson founded a ...

and Brothers in 1880 at a cost of £600. It was later modified by

Hele & Co Hele & Co (also known as Hele & Sons) were the main organ builders in the south west of England from 1865 to 2007.''The Freeman-Edmonds Directory of British Organ Builders''; by Andrew Freeman & Bernard Edmonds. 2002 History The company was fo ...

in 1914 and Maurice Eglinton in 1973. A specification of the organ can be found on the

National Pipe Organ Register The British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) is a British organisation and registered charity which aims to promote study and appreciation of all aspects of the pipe organ. Further, it acts as a lobbying body to raise awareness of organ issue ...

References

{{reflist Saint Austell Saint Austell St Austell