Very good see the organ at Crowan now listed on the National Pipe Organ Register. Many thanks indeed to Jeffrey Williams for his help with this, and to Lance Foy and son who have maintained the organ over many years.The organ was given to the church in 1891 by Caroline Molesworth St Aubyn, wife of St Aubyn Hender Molesworth St Aubyn of the family who were Lords of the manor at Crowan for six centuries. Caroline herself came from a wealthy family in Yorkshire, and the organ was donated in memory of her parents. She sadly only lived eight years after its installation. She suffered from asthma and died in Italy in 1899. For more of her story, click here.
It's Crowan Feast this Sunday. Traditionally Feast Sunday is the closest Sunday to Candlemas (2 February) when Christ was presented to the elders in the Temple.Here in Crowan we celebrate the fearless St Crewenna, the church's founding Saint, who crossed the choppy seas between Ireland and Cornwall with other intrepid missionaries in around 600AD. Click here to listen to a snatch of a Feast Day hymn from our mini Male Voice Choir.St Crewenna and her companions eventually became Saints, converting the heathen and giving their names to the churches around Cornwall - Breaca, Petroc, Euny, Piran, Samson....to name a few. Not an easy task in the 'Dark Ages'. A highly idealised St Crewenna is pictured in one of the stained glass windows, holding the church she founded. She looks very serene and well-groomed. It quite definitely wasn't possible to cut such a dash in the wild countryside of 7th century west Cornwall.She remains a bit of a mystery. There are virtually no historical mentions of her. But over the past 1,500 years since her arrival, she has certainly been thought worth celebrating locally.Not just the congregation at Crowan Church but the whole of the parish used to join in the festivities.‘Until a late hour in certain parts of St Crewenna’s land, the vicinity resounded with singing and merriment,” reported the Cornishman in February 1913.On Feast Day morning in flower-bedecked Crowan Church, the lord of the Manor, the Rev. St Aubyn Hender Molesworth St Aubyn, read the lessons. There was a children’s service in the afternoon and at Evensong the then Bishop of Truro paid his first visit to the church.There were special services at Praze and Leedstown Methodist Chapels and at other chapels long since sadly closed – Releath, Black Rock and Horsedowns, where Four Lanes Male Voice Choir (still going strong 108 years on) gave a concert.On Feast Monday there was a clay shooting match at Leedstown, a ‘a sale of work’ (church bazaar) and general disappointment that the Fourburrow Hunt was not able to meet as usual (no reason given).Fast forward 35 years, through two World Wars, similar celebrations were taking place in 1948. Miss Marion Goldsworthy (remembered by many of us as Mrs Marion James) played the organ at Crowan. Services were held at Leedstown, Releath and Black Rock chapels and that year the Fourburrow Hunt did meet on Feast Monday, attracting a large following.This year the pandemic meant that there could be no service at Crowan. But the wonders of the internet and Zoom brought members of the congregation together. And those who could visited the church to light candles – burning brightly in this photo despite the torrential rain falling outside.
26/04/2021We are following the government's step-by-step programme to slowly return to worship in church, as restrictions are eased. We are now worshipping in church on Sunday mornings, with numbers only limited by the buildings capacity, allowing for social distancing. Other events are limited depending on whether they are life events or other activities. Please contact us or go to gov.uk for more information.12/01/2021Since the country went into Lockdown church services in the building have remained suspended. Small funeral of less than 30 people can take place, and weddings of no more than 6 people. Baptisms are permitted but not recommended except in emergency.02/01/2021Cornwall is now in Tier 3 so we have taken the difficult decision to suspend gathered worship in church buildings. This is to keep people safe as the virus is now more contagious and continues to spread. Church life continues through ministry offered by clergy and lay people across the cluster of churches and we continue to meet for worship and prayer over the phone or through the use of internet technology.Please stay safe, follow government guidelines and get in touch if you would like prayer or more information about anything we do.
12/01/2021Since the country went into Lockdown church services in the building have remained suspended. Small funeral of less than 30 people can take place, and weddings of no more than 6 people. Baptisms are permitted b ut not recommended except in emergency.02/01/2021Cornwall is now in Tier 3 so we have taken the difficult decision to suspend gathered worship in church buildings. This is to keep people safe as the virus is now more contagious and continues to spread. Church life continues through ministry offered by clergy and lay people across the cluster of churches and we continue to meet for worship and prayer over the phone or through the use of internet technology.Please stay safe, follow government guidelines and get in touch if you would like prayer or more information about anything we do.
