St Michael

Unusual in Cornwall, St Michael's church is a light and airy Georgian building, built to a design by the London architect Thomas Edwards, a pupil of Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Helston, Cornwall

Opening times

Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Address

Church Street
Helston
Cornwall
TR13 8NJ

The parish church of St Michael overlooking the town of Helston was built in 1756-1763 at the expense of the Earl of Godolphin to replace an earlier structure that burnt down after being struck by lightning. It was designed by Thomas Edwards of Greenwich, a pupil of Nicholas Hawksmoor, and the interior strongly resembles the church of St Alphege in Greenwich, London which Hawksmoor designed and where Edwards is buried.

A granite porch was added in 1830 to accommodate a staircase up to a gallery, since removed. Features of interest in the church include Elizabethan brasses, a vast chandelier of 1762 with 24 branches, given by the Earl of Golophin when the building was completed, and the restored original 18th century east window mounted on the wall over the entrance door. Its replacement at the east end of the church is in modern (1938) glass by G Krugar Gray and includes two angels dancing the Floral Dance, which takes place in Helston every year in early May.

On the north wall are three figures of Jesus, Mary and John, originally part of a rood screen by Martin Travers which was removed in a 1970s reordering. In the surrounding churchyard there are many granite memorials and tombs with huge lettering characteristic of a mining area, and a number of cast iron grave plates. Opposite the south entrance to the church is a stone memorial to Henry Trengrouse (1772-1854), a resident of Helston who invented the rocket propelled breeches buoy which saved many lives of sailors and passengers from coastal shipwrecks.

  • National heritage here

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Captivating architecture

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Steps to enter the church or churchyard

  • Ramp or level access available on request

  • On street parking at church

  • Non-accessible toilets in church

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Church of England

  • Repair Grant, £20,000, 2010

  • Our Repair Grants funded urgent repair work to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

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St Breaca

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The present church was probably built in the early 12th century and houses an important series of late medieval wall paintings executed shortly after the completion of the church in the mid 15th century.

St Mawgan in Meneage

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Dating back to the 13th century, St Mawgan in Meneage, was one of two churches established in Cornwall by St Mawgan, a 6th century abbot bishop who travelled from Pembroke to Brittany.