St Wenappa

The present building dates from the 17th century and is one of only four in Cornwall with a detached tower. The church is thought to contain at least 10,000 bodies and has been closed and reopened several times over the centuries. It is particularly beautiful in the spring and early summer when the bluebells provide a carpet of colour and the cherry tree is in bloom. There are very interesting memorials inside the church and in the graveyard.

Set in the Cornish countryside, this large parish church once served a mining community of 10,000 in the 1860s, and now has family connections worldwide. Steeped in history, the church, with its detached 15th century bell tower, sits within a large graveyard which is sensitively maintained for wildlife.

A peaceful location for meditation or to join in with the community at our Sunday Worship. Gwennap is a hamlet of about 20 houses with the church at its centre.

There is a separate bell tower with six bells which are rung for services, weddings if required, and on Thursday evenings it is practice night. The aisle, nave and chancel have a high pitched pine roof, whilst the side aisles have plastered wagon roofs. The monolith granite pillars in the nave are remarkable for their height 10 feet 4 inches (3.5m) The south porch is Norman with granite benches. Above the porch is a sundial dated 1733.

Alongside the north porch can be found an ancient Celtic cross. The oldest memorial is carved slate, now in the choir vestry. It is dated 1691 and is in the memory of John Pearrowe. Restorations took place during the 18th and 19th centuries which included new stained glass windows.

The church organ was constructed by Hele & Co of Plymouth and installed around 1883. There is a list of vicars, from 1228 to the present day, on the north wall of the church. The belfry is detached, 20 yards to the south of the church and probably dates from the 15th century but is thought to rest on Norman foundations. In 1727 there were three bells; by 1787 the peal had been increased to six. Restoration work took place in 1992 and a section of the original wooden frame can be seen in the north porch.