Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Newquay

Introduction

The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Newquay was built in 1903 from designs by Canon A. J. C. Scoles, a priest-architect. The church was opened on Trinity Sunday 1903. This modest stone-built early twentieth century church stands on land given by the Molesworth family.

History

Before 1903 Mass was said in the private chapel of The Tower, a neo-Gothic house of 1835. The site of the present church was given by Lady Molesworth, and Miss Ellis of Hayle donated £500. The builder was Cornelius Carrivick of Helman Tor, Newquay. In 1906 a choir and organ gallery was built at the west end of the nave, and it has since been removed.

In 1911 a west porch was added, which was rebuilt as a narthex in 1981. In 1918 Newquay became a parish. In 1935 the north aisle was added, containing a Lady altar, and three years later the parish hall was added. In 1985 the parish was transferred to the diocese by the Canons Regular.

In 2003 Restormel Borough Council granted planning permission for the demolition of the church and presbytery, and for the residential development of the site. The parish serves the wider Christian community and is served by a parish priest and a retired priest.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is orientated north-south, but this description follows conventional liturgical orientation. The church consists of a nave, chancel, north aisle with baptistery, and west porch. The original nave and chancel are of coarsed buff sandstone with granite dressings, while the porch and north aisle are pale grey sandstone. The east wall of the chancel and the north elevations of the porch and aisle are pebbledashed, as is the adjoining presbytery.

Inside, there is a canted plaster ceiling over the nave with three central plaster roses. The north aisle arcade consists of two chamfered arches sitting on a central granite pier, with a lower arch to the west on account of the gallery, which has been removed. The sanctuary area also has a plaster ceiling, with a hanging canopy, possibly original. The north aisle has a flat panelled ceiling, with a timber Lady altar at its east end.

At its west end, separated from the aisle by three arches, is a baptistery area, a northern extension of the narthex, with a 1935(?) stone font with an oak cover. There is a good set of Stations of the Cross, copies of the Stations made during the First World War for the church of St Bernulphus, Oosterbeek by the Dutch Symbolist painter and Catholic convert Jan Toorop. Modern abstract coloured glass fills the windows on the south side of the nave and chancel, with similar windows in the north aisle. The nave and chancel are covered by steep slate roofs, while the north aisle and porch have flat roofs behind parapets.

Except for the western lancets, the windows have been replaced with hardwood. The projecting porch has a flat roof, paired lancet windows, and an off-centre entrance door. A chamfered pointed arch with a hood mould marks the entrance to the chancel. The nave is carpeted and furnished with plain pine pews. The choir was relocated in front of the Lady altar.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish produces and distributes a weekly newsletter at all weekend Masses. The sick and family members can be included in the parish Prayer List by contacting the Parish Office.