St Mary's Parish Church is at 14 St Mary's
Street in the city of Truro, on the north-western side of High Cross
and Old Bridge Street. It was built as the city's mother church in
the mid-1200s, and was consecrated on 28 September 1259 by Bishop
Bronescombe. On 6 November 1328, Bishop Grandisson dedicated a major
rebuild, which was completed about 1518, with chancel, nave, north
and south aisles, organ loft, grammar school gallery, north gallery
and vestry.
St Mary's church was dismantled in 1880 when
construction of Truro's cathedral began. Architect John Loughborough
Pearson argued in favour of keeping at least part of the old parish
church. He cleverly incorporated the south aisle (now known as St
Mary's Aisle, highlighted here) into the new design, so that the
diocese's mother church has a 'protective arm' around one of her
daughter churches. The old spire has recently been returned to the
cathedral grounds.
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary
was the first cathedral to be built on a new site since Salisbury
was started in 1220. The diocese of Truro was created by parliament
on 11 August 1876. Foundation stones were laid on 20 May 1880 by the
duke of Cornwall (later Edward VII). One was at the base of a pillar
placed in St Mary's churchyard, eventually to form one of the pillars
in the nave of the new cathedral. The funds were not yet even confirmed
to complete the work.
The Victorians undertook a massive building project
in the same architectural style as medieval cathedral builders to
create the landmark building. They adapted the classic pointed arches
of the Gothic style using modern building techniques. Truro is one of only
three cathedrals to have three spires, with the the western ones reaching
sixty metres (200 feet). The first section of the cathedral was consecrated
in 1887, with the building finally completed in 1910.
St Mary's Methodist Chapel lies
immediately north of the cathedral, at 18 Union Place. Date
stones on the building indicate that the chapel was built in
1830 and the adjoining schoolroom in 1868. The design was by
Sambell, the deaf and dumb architect. An 1885 restoration by
Sylvanus Trevail appears to have included the installation of
gas lighting, raising the roof, and erecting a new ceiling.
The Grade 2 listed building now also hosts the Tresillian
congregation.
The St Clement Street chapel, virtually
opposite the Campfield Hill junction, was built as a Bible
Christian Chapel, possibly in 1838. It was renamed the
St Clement Street United Methodist Church at an unknown
date, with a minor change to St Clement Street Methodist
Church coming later. With post-war congregations declining,
the chapel was closed and was sold in 1976. It is now a thriving
specialist wine retailer, possibly not to the approval of John
Wesley.
Trafalgar Christian Congregation Chapel
lies on the northern side of St Austell Street, virtually opposite
Furniss Close and only about 120 metres to the east of St Clement
Street Chapel (see above). This part of Truro was known as Trafalgar
Square. In the 1960s it was transformed to create the modern access
with Trafalgar roundabout. This starkly modern building - still
in use today - carries a level of architectural grace and houses
a religious charity with offices elsewhere.
Our Lady of the Portal and St Piran Catholic
Church is on the north-eastern corner of St Austell Street and
St Pirans Close. With St Piran's Chapel on Chapel Hill now too
small, in 1964 the decision was made to buy land on St Austell
Street, and the present building opened on 17 May 1973. Somewhere
nearby, a long-lost medieval chapel with the same dedication existed
by the town's entrance. Fifteenth century wills mention leaving
money to support it.
St Mary's Quay old building lies at the
north-eastern corner of Old Bridge Street and St Mary's Street,
within a stone's throw of the cathedral. The building is sometimes
shown as being a former chapel, but today it serves as the
cathedral's offices. It is not a listed building, unlike many of
Truro's chapels, and no history can be found of any other church
or chapel which may previously have occupied this spot, either in
this building or in an earlier one.
Ebenezer Methodist Chapel sits on the
south-eastern corner of Castle Street and The Leats. This large
chapel was built in 1834 with enough seats for 900 people. It
became the New Connexion Chapel in 1841, with John Graham
serving as its first minister. Baptism records continue until
1906. It may then have been an auction house but is now a building
known as Elizabeth House containing local businesses. Its original
shape and size can still clearly be seen.
