Chapel of the Intercession, Lis Escop
After the establishment of the Diocese of Truro, the house that was originally the vicarage for Kenwyn church became the Bishop’s Palace in 1878 and was renamed Lis Escop. Alterations to Lis Escop, including the creation of the Chapel of the Intercession for the use of the Bishop, were designed by Edmund H. Sedding and the building work undertaken in 1908-09 (Beacham & Pevsner, 2014). After Lis Escop transferred to Feock in 1953, the house became part of Truro Cathedral School and then, in 1983, the home of the Community of the Epiphany, an Anglican religious order. They brought with them many of the furnishings from their previous chapel, also designed by Edmund H. Sedding. In 2003 the house was gifted to an ecumenical charitable trust, The Epiphany Trust (Truro) Ltd, and is used as a retreat and conference centre (epiphanyhouse.co.uk). The chapel still holds some of the furnishings brought by the Community of the Epiphany, including the altar, and the whereabouts of the original pieces described below are unknown.
Altar – Photograph (PWDRO 244/4 & 244/5); 1912
The photograph in PWDRO 244/4 is unlabelled but is identical to the one in 244/5. A report in March 1912 stated that a new altar in the Chapel of Intercession had been dedicated by the Bishop of Truro (Church Times, 1912). It was provided by subscriptions of those who had been ordained in the Diocese since its formation, and of the chaplains of the Bishop, and had cost about £80. It was designed by Edmund H. Sedding and the work carried out by Messrs (sic) Rashleigh Pinwill of Plymouth. The report describes the altar and says it is ‘excellent in every way’ and ‘entirely in keeping with the chapel’ (Ibid. p. 323).
Altar Rails – Photograph (PWDRO 244/2) R.F. Wheatly architect; after 1921
These rather bulky altar rails are in a Jacobean style similar to the altar but would have been made at a later time, after the death of Edmund H Sedding in 1921.
Sanctuary Lights (3) – Photograph (PWDRO 116/88 & 244/2) R.F. Wheatly architect; after 1921
The photograph of this item in PWDRO 116/88 is grouped with ones from Truro Cathedral but is identical to the one in 244/2 labelled ‘Lis Escop’. They are star-shaped light fittings that look very much like metal but are in fact gilded wood.
Credence Table – Photograph (PWDRO 116/55); date unknown
This item was photographed with a sanctuary table for Lansallos and is listed under that church but is marked ‘Lis Escop’.
Sources
Beacham, P. & Pevsner, N. (2014) The Buildings of England. Cornwall. Yale University Press, London.
Church Times (1912) Truro. The Chapel of the Intercession, Lis Escop. 8 March p. 323.
PWDRO 116/55 Photograph. Lansallos. Pulpit and Credence Table.
PWDRO 116/88 Photographs. Truro Cathedral. War Memorial, Rood Group, Reredos, Sanctuary Table, and Figures for Choir Stalls; Truro Lis Escop. Sanctuary lights.
PWDRO 244/2 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/4 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/5 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.