256 



NOTES ON THE CHURCH OF St. IVES. 

 By THURSTAN C. peter. 



Seen from the north-east or soiith-east, the features of this 

 church that most strongly impress one are the courage of the 

 builders who dared to erect four continuous roofs, without 

 clerestory \ of equal pitch side by side in a town where every 

 other building is marked by its extraordinary irregularit}' ; and 

 the beautiful proportions of the tower which is 84 feet high to 

 the battlements, of four stages, with buttresses of seven. The 

 belfry windows are of three transomed lights, and much larger 

 than is usual in Cornwall. The church now stands on the very 

 edge of the water, on whose depths the majority of the 

 worshippers toil for their daily bread, but tradition alleges that 

 in the 1 7th century a field lay between the churchyard wall and 

 " Forth Cocking" rock. The massive granite ashlar with which 

 the rubble walls of the church are cased gives it a very heavy 

 look in the eyes of a stranger, but a Cornishman. accustomed to 

 see these great blocks even in cottages, sees in them when 

 properly disposed only an added dignity.- The church has 

 been partially restored more than once in recent times, first by 

 Mr. William White (the man who removed the Norman work 

 from Phillaek), and lastly, in a more conservative manner, by 

 that skilled ecclesiologist and architect, Preb. Hingeston- 

 Randolph. It is now (1905) about to have its vestry enlarged, 

 its recent chancel window made to match the beautiful east 

 window of the Trenwith Chapel, and its seating rearranged ^ and 

 floor relaid. The work is in the hands of Mr. E Sedding, and 

 no anxiety need be felt as to the nature of the work to be done. 



In the parish records of the l7th and 18th centuries we 

 read of many repairs and additions, of injuiy by storms, and so 

 on. Indeed much work was done in those centuries and a most 

 careful record kept of it. In 1640, a gallery was erected in the 

 tower-arch at a cost £41 2s. Od., as appears fi^om the borough 



1 The only clerestories in Cornwall (except in recent buildings' are at 

 Callington, Fowey. Lostwithiel, and North Petherwin. 



2 According to tradition, the granite was brought from Zeunor by water. 



