Church of St Michael

Details

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

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

385389

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Colvin, H M, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, (1978), 285 890

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