The Church of England, in the Diocese of TRURO:
WELCOME to
ST.IVES PARISH CHURCH
To the right of the High Altar, in the South Aisle, the STATUE of the boy JESUS in the children’s corner and the oak panelling there were installed in 1928. Here is kept a simple book into which visitors to the church are invited to write their prayer requests for inclusion in the daily services in the Lady Chapel.
The PARCLOSE SCREEN by local artist Shallat Dale was erected in 1931. It leads to the LADY CHAPEL Carvings of thrush and blackbird eating the fruit are subtly included.
The Lady Chapel, also known as the TRENWITH AISLE, was added to the Church between 1450 and 1500. By the door, FRAGMENTS OF A BRASS to Oto Treunwyth, who died in 1463, show his wife Dame Agnes invoking St. Michael. The WHITE LIGHT in the sanctuary reminds us that the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the silver Tabernacle for those who cannot get to church. The altar window tells the story of Christmas and the window near the door tells of the Resurrection, (including Jonah’s resurrection from the inside of a whale!).
The Lady of the chapel is, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus’s mother. Dame Barbara Hepworth carved the MADONNA AND CHILD for the church in memory of her son Paul, killed on active service with the RAF over Thailand in 1953. In 1972 Dame Barbara designed the stainless steel ‘Christmas Rose’ candlesticks. Photograph of Madonna and Child copyright John Fill.
THE LADY CHAPEL is used daily. The Eucharist is celebrated, morning and evening prayer said and silence shared. Everyone is invited to enjoy the peace and to join with the many who look for - and discover - the presence of God here.
In the West Wall of the Lady Chapel is the "Organ Tower" stone staircase (now closed) which led to the Rood Screen. On top of the screen stood one of the earliest organs in Cornwall. There is a record of an organ being destroyed in 1647 - the pipes were used as guttering and drain pipes around St. Ives.
