St Marwenne
Restoration of the fabric of the church at Marhamchurch by Edmund H. Sedding, together with the installation of several new stained glass windows, was completed in 1907 (West Briton, 1907). The faculty for this work was raised in 1906 (Warner, 2022). A condition of the faculty was that only ‘pressing work’ was to be done immediately and anything else should not be addressed until funds became available. The choir stalls and lectern below were some of the items affected by these delays.
Choir Stalls – Photograph (PWDRO 244/4 & 244/5); 1910
There are several photographs of the Marhamchurch choir stalls in PWDRO. Some show only the bench ends with their finely carved diamond-shaped poppy heads, while others are of the completed stalls. One of the latter is taken within the workshop and provides a rare glimpse of the interior – with corrugated roof, internal drainpipe and an early Health and Safety notice.
As a consequence of the delays in fundraising for the restoration, the choir stalls were not in place until 1910, and cost £112 (Warner, 2022).
Lectern – Photograph (PWDRO 244/5); 1910
An unlabelled photograph in PWDRO (shown here) has been identified as the one at Marhamchurch after a visit there in 2011. As outlined above, difficulties in raising funds led to delays. The lectern was not installed until 1910, and cost £33 (Warner, 2022).
Altar Rails – Photograph (PWDRO 244/2) R.F. Wheatly architect; 1930
These altar rails are a memorial to Georgina Annie Griffiths, who died in August 1929. Faculty plans were submitted in December 1929 (CRO D/R 97/1-3) and a faculty petition in January 1930 (CRO D/R 8/25).
Sources
CRO D/R 8/25 Faculty Petition. Marhamchurch. Altar Rails.
CRO D/R 97/1-3 Faculty Plans. Marhamchurch. Altar Rails.
PWDRO 244/2 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/4 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/5 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
Warner, M. (2022) A Time to Build: Signposts to the Building, Restoration, Enhancement, and Maintenance of Cornwall’s Anglican Churches and Mission Rooms. Scyfa, Cornwall.
West Briton (1907) Church Restoration at Marhamchurch. 7 November p. 7.