Churches of the British Isles

Penryn Chantry Chapel once stood on Penryn Bridge, which connects the very eastern end of Quay Hill to the Falmouth road. This ancient crossing was formalised through the medieval St Thomas Bridge, shown as a hump-backed bridge on the 'Great Map of the West' of 1539-1540. First noted in 1275 was the associated Cantaria de Ponte chantry chapel close by the bridge. It was abolished in the Reformation, with its last incumbent being recorded in 1545.

Ponsharden Jewish Cemetery was laid out in 1780 on leased Basset estate land, now on the west side of the Falmouth road, immediately south of the Ponsharden roundabout. Following local decline, from the mid-1800s many Jewish families moved away. The synagogue (see 'related links') closed around 1880. The last burial took place in 1913. Just inside the entrance is the site of a former structure, either an ohel (prayer hall) or a bet taharah, a mortuary room.

Ponsharden Congregational Cemetery is sited next to the Jewish burial ground (see above). It was also known as the 'Congregationalist' or 'Independent' cemetery, opened in 1808 for the exclusive use of the dissenting Christian congregations of Falmouth and Penryn. At the top of stairs here are the ruins of an early 1800s mortuary chapel which abuts the east wall. This mortuary chapel was almost entirely destroyed prior to the start of restoration in 2012.

Falmouth's St Michael and All Angels is located at the northern end of Stratton Terrace, on the road's western side and overlooking the river in the Penwerris district. This Anglo-Catholic church was built in 1827, opening in January 1828. It was originally Holy Trinity Church before being rededicated. It consists of a nave only and a western gallery. Penwerris gained its own parish in 1848. The church also has a two-manual pipe organ by Hele & Co which dates to 1889.

Our Immaculate Lady Catholic Church (now 10 Stratton Terrace) served as a replacement for a small Catholic chapel and priest lodgings on Arwennack Street (see links). Falmouth's Catholics spent a short time on Well Lane before acquiring this spot on Greenbank. The terms of sale required the church's exterior to resemble a pair of semi-detached villas. Accommodating 150, it opened in 1821 and remained in use until 1869 when it was replaced by St Mary's Church.

Four photos on this page by Jo Lewis and two kindly contributed by John D Durrant via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group.