St Agnes, Cornwall

Stippy Stappy, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

St Agnes is quite probably my favourite place in Cornwall. It holds such memories for me - from hearing about Lottie and John's lives there in the early 20th century to the countless afternoons I've spent there with my own grandparents. It is a special village on a breathtaking stretch of coast, jam-packed full of heritage.

Many people are aware of the nearby Wheal Coates tin mine, particularly Towanroath Engine House - which towers over the cliffs at Chapel Porth beach. However, the village itself holds many lesser known heritage treasures which are well worth a look. This post is a round-up of a few of my favourites!

I usually catch the bus to St Agnes, which can be reached on Kernow services A4 (St Ives - Newquay) and 87 (Truro - Newquay). For those driving, the main road into the village is the B3277 - generally accessed from Chiverton Cross roundabout at Threeburrows. As to cycling, I am monitoring discussions about the establishment of a route from Truro and will keep things updated accordingly.

There are plenty of amenities at St Agnes, including independent shops and places to eat. My favourite haunts for a mid-walk bite are The Sorting Office and St Agnes Bakery. However, I should mention that St Agnes (like most of Cornwall!) is extremely hilly, so may be more difficult to explore for some. I have included maps and links to further reading at the end of this post.

So without further ado, here's what to look out for!

1. Church of St Agnes

Church of St Agnes, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

The Church of St Agnes is reached through a lychgate of 1935, featuring a dry Delabole slate roof, original timber gates and a coffin-rest. As you pass through, you might notice the churchyard walls, which are late 19th century - constructed of killas rubble with granite saddle-back coping.

It is thought that the Church of St Agnes started life as a medieval chapel to Perranzabuloe. Excavations in 1931 showed the foundations of a pre-15th century aisleless church, which was replaced by a second church in the 1480s. This itself was completely rebuilt (save for the tower) by J P St Aubyn in 1848.

The two-stage embattled tower is granite ashlar, while the 19th century portions are killas rubble with granite dressings and dry Delabole slate roofs. St Aubyn's work is in the Cornish Perpendicular style, incorporating tracaried granite windows and four-centred arched doorways.

Inside, you can see St Aubyn's Perpendicular five- and six-bay arcades to the north and south aisles, and arched collar rafter roof structures. The fittings are also mainly 19th century or later, including: a 1906 lectern, featuring an Art Nouveau angel; and a 1936 stained glass window of St Agnes in the Arts and Crafts style, by Theodora Salisbury.

Keep an eye open for the 15th century, octagonal, font of Catacleuse stone with quatrefoil motifs; and the Elizabethan poor box, held up by the figure of a man, with traces of paint!

2. Wayside Cross

Wayside Cross, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

By the south porch of the Church of St Agnes is a pre-Conquest wheel-head cross. It is believed that the cross originally acted as a waymarker on a route to the church, while it is known to have stood at an entrance to the churchyard in the 1860s.

The local antiquarian Blight also recorded it as having been reused as a lych stone to rest a coffin on before a funeral cortege entered the church. The reshaping of the cross was probably carried out in order to fit it for this purpose.

3. Stippy Stappy

Stippy Stappy, early 1900s, photographer unknown - courtesy of the Royal Institution of Cornwall

If you leave the churchyard and cross Town Hill, you'll see Stippy Stappy - a terrace of nine virtually identical 19th century cottages which step down the steep hill of the village. They were built by the Trevaunance Cove harbour company and named in the Cornish dialect, probably in reference to the steep step type construction.

My great-great-grandmother Lottie, whose handwritten recipe book from 1912 inspired this blog, lived at No.2 - where her daughter Thelma was born. Lottie’s father, John Parnell (1848-1917), was the St Agnes coastguard, while her husband, John Fern (1887-1952), was eventually mining captain at Wheal Kitty and Polberro.

4. St Agnes Museum

St Agnes Museum, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

This has to be one of my favourite museums in Cornwall! I especially love visiting with my Nan, who remembers many of the objects from her childhood in St Agnes in the 1940s and 50s. The museum building itself was originally by E R Jones of Plymouth in 1877. It was built as a pair of mortuary chapels, presumably one for Church of England and the other for Non-Conformists. It is described in Pevsner’s ‘Buildings of England’ as “a small-scale pretty Gothic composition”. I just love it!

I have a couple of quirky favourite objects that are on display, including a circa 1900 oak coffin bier (a stand on which coffins were carried to the grave) and a decorated door from Jubilee House. The door was probably painted in the 1870s when the Arts and Crafts movement epitomised by William Morris became popular. Between 1871 and 1891, John and Hannah Reynolds lived at Jubilee House. Their three sons were all painters and decorators, so one of them may have been the artist.

5. Miners and Mechanics Institute

Miners and Mechanics Institute, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

Dated 1893, the Miners & Mechanics Institute was built by J. Passmore Edwards (patron) to a design by W. J. Wills as a reading, billiard and committee rooms. It features an elaborate symmetrical front and an interior planned around a central lightwell. Another good spot for a cuppa and a slice of cake!

6. Methodist Church

Methodist Church, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

The Methodist Church at St Agnes has a datestone of 1860. The exterior is largely unaltered, with original doors and windows in round-headed openings. If you're lucky enough to see inside, there are original box pews over galleries which are carried on wooden Tuscan columns.

7. St Agnes Hotel

St Agnes Hotel, St Agnes, Cornwall © Cemetery Eyes

A local favourite! There might have been an inn on the site since the 17th century, but the St Agnes Hotel is probably 18th century and remodelled circa 1830. There are four circa early 19th century 16-pane sashes, otherwise they’re horned copies except for 20th century French windows giving access to an iron balcony over the doorway.


Where have you been exploring recently? I'd love to see your recommendations in the comments or on social media!

Katie

Maps

References and Further Reading

Beacham, P. Pevsner, N. 2014. Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of England, Cornwall. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

Heritage Gateway. 2018. Cornwall and Scilly Historic Environment Record. [Online]. Available at: <https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/chr/herdetail.aspx?crit=&ctid=98&id=4787> [Accessed: 11th September 2019]

Historic England. 2019. Search the List. [Online]. Available at: <https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/> [Accessed: 11th September 2019].

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