St Uda
Altar Rails – Guide (Wood, 2001); 1912
The existence of Pinwill altar rails was revealed in the church guide (Wood, 2001). It states that the ‘altar rails were made by Miss Pinwill of Plymouth’ (Ibid. p. 14), thus providing a new find. Subsequently, further information became available that provided the date of 1912 (Warner, 2022).
Figure of a Cherub – Photograph (PWDRO 116/106, 244/4 & 244/5); after 1914
The photographs of this figure of a cherub are not annotated, except for the one in 244/4, which states that it is a ‘memorial in white marble’. However, the inscription on the base of the figure reads that it was erected to the memory of Richard Westmacott Magor who died in 1914 aged 15 months. A search of the freebmd.org website established that he was born and had died in Bodmin RD and that his parents were Edward John P. and Gilian Sarah (née Westmacott) Magor. In 1911 they were living at Lamellen, St Tudy (The National Archives, St Tudy 1911), which lies within Bodmin RD. A visit in to the church in August 2014 revealed that generations of Magors are commemorated in the church and/or buried in the churchyard and that the cherub had been placed on a large family plot. Unfortunately, the figure itself is now missing, although the base with its inscription remains.
Refurbishment of Chancel – Faculty (cited in Warner, 2022); 1932
The chancel at St Tudy was reordered and (possibly) refurnished in 1932 (Beacham & Pevsner, 2014). A faculty cited by Warner (2022) lists new oak panelling, altar rails, choir stalls and parclose screens, some or all of which to be made by ‘Miss Pinwill’ to designs by R.H. Wheatly. However, the church guide says of the chancel ‘The Victorian parclose screens and choir pews of pitch pine were varnished, but the varnish was removed in 1934’ (Wood, 2001 p. 14). This implies that the complete refurnishing of the chancel did not take place in 1932. Further investigation is required!
Sources
Beacham, P. & Pevsner, N. (2014) The Buildings of England. Cornwall. Yale University Press, London.
PWDRO 116/106 Photograph. St Tudy. Memorial Cherub.
PWDRO 244/4 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/5 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
The National Archives, St Tudy 1911 RG14 – PN13685 RD293 SD2 ED10 SN11 accessed at www.thegenealogist.co.uk
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.
Wood, R. (2001) A Guide to the Ancient Parish Church of St Tudy North Cornwall.