About Us

Welcome to the parish church of Helston: St Michael in the Anglican Diocese of Truro and county of Cornwall England.

St.Michael's has an interesting history as a place of Christian worship; dating from the time it had its beginnings as a chapel in the early 13th century within the parish of Wendron.   In 1727 the church was struck by lightning, and the ensuing fire reduced it to a ruin.  After some years it was decided to rebuild, and £600k was bequeathed to the church  by Francis 2nd Earl of Godolphin, a local mine owner.  The elegant Georgian style is redolent of some London City churches of that era.  Various adaptations of style include a wooden gallery, a North apse and porch and in the 1970's;  a new chancel arch.  

Today the building gives a fine open and flexible space for worship with a wonderful acoustic for music and singing. This quality is used to the full by our resident four-part choir in weekly Sung Eucharist and is a popular venue for musical concerts for the community. Our aim is to develop this unique space for future worship events and for the enjoyment and participation  of our wider community.  The fine granite tower is home to eight bells, regularly sounding over the town.

St.Michael's churchyard has been a closed churchyard since the late 18th century.  The townspeople pass through the churchyard constantly; many stopping to admire its beautiful variety of mature trees and unique gravestones and all enjoying its spaciousness and natural 'wilding'. The church is part of the 'Living Churchyard Project' (run by local council)   and we actively encourage a habitat for wild flowers, insects and animals.