St Mary's Church, Penzance
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| St Mary’s Church, Penzance | |
|---|---|
 St Mary’s Church, Penzance | |
 | |
| 50°06′59.82″N 5°32′0.33″W / 50.1166167°N 5.5334250°W | |
| Location | Penzance |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Consecrated | 6 September 1836 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Charles Hutchens |
| Groundbreaking | 1832 |
| Completed | 15 November 1835 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
| Diocese | Diocese of Truro |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Deanery | Penwith |
| Parish | Penzance |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Parish Church of St Mary |
| Designated | 29 July 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1220507 |
St Mary's Church, Penzance is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England in Penzance, Cornwall.[1]
The site as a place of worship dates from at least the fourteenth century, but was a chapel to the parish of Madron and first licensed in 1321. The chapel was spared during the Spanish raid in August 1595 because Mass had been celebrated, previously.[2] Despite enlargements in 1662 to 1672, and 1782 it was severely overcrowded by 1824. At that time it served a population of circa 7000 and was still a chapel of ease to Madron, two miles inland.[2]
The Reverend Thomas Vyvyan made arrangements to replace it with a new church designed by Charles Hutchens.[3] The Clerk of Works was John Pope Vibert. £16,000 was raised, mainly from the church's own communion for the new building. A further £800 was raised for the organ, £800 for the bells and £300 for the carillon.[4] The rebuilt church was consecrated by the Bishop of Exeter, Henry Phillpotts, on 6 September 1836.[5] A separate parish of Penzance was created in 1871.[1][3] The churchyard was extended on the southern side in 1883.[6]
A gift of seventeen aloes by Mr Dorrien-Smith of Tresco, Isles of Scilly were planted in the churchyard in 1886.[7]
Arson destroyed the interior of the church in April 1985 and two further arson attempts occurred in November 2018.[1][3][8]
