St SYMPHORIAN’S CHURCH, VERYAN
Christianity came to Cornwall in the 5th and 6th centuries when Celtic missionaries came from Wales and Ireland to found centres of worship.
Veryan church, however, appears to be dedicated to a French martyr, St Symphorian, though the remains of at least one Celtic cross can be seen.
The church contains some Norman features, the carved faces on the west porch, for example. Some doorway arches and windows are probably 13th century, the arcade of pillars fourteenth, while the font is a mediaeval copy of a Norman design. Three of the present ring of six bells were installed in the 18th century, the remaining three being added in the 1890s. They are rung regularly for services. The organ dates from 1913 and the attractive embroidered kneelers were worked by members of the congregation during the 1980s.
“Welcome to Veryan parish church at the centre of the parish; its door is open to everyone, young and old, who is seeking God. Its font has washed generation after generation of Veryan people as members of Christ and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. Its altar has witnessed for centuries the thanksgivings of the good souls of the parish and fed them on their pilgrimage. Christenings, confirmations, weddings and burials have all taken place here, in Cornish, in Latin and now in English.”
The Eucharist of the Anglican Church is celebrated on Sundays: sung at 11.00am with Hymns Old and New; the Revised Common Lectionary (mostly NRSV) is followed at all services.
Holy Communion is offered to all the baptised People of God who are communicants or who are (in Cranmer’s phrase) ready and desirous to be confirmed.
Churchwardens: Mrs Margery Truscott; Mr Ron Smith.
Organist: Mrs Joyce Goldie
Coffee and Chat
After every Sunday 11.00am service coffee and biscuits are served in the church; this is becoming a popular meeting point, so do come and join in and meet people.
Church Redecoration
If you have a moment, drop in at the church and see the 'new look'. The church has been in dire need of a facelift for many years and now, the necessary refurbishment and repairs have been completed, costing over £12,000.
Damp had caused large areas of the internal plasterwork to 'blow', creating cavities behind the plaster. During previous repairs hard cement plaster had been used on the walls, preventing the walls from breathing and trapping moisture. The walls had also been painted with modern emulsion paint which has the effect of sealing moisture in. Now much of this has been remedied, with lime plaster and a breathable paint - the modern equivalent of whitewash! The effect is remarkable and has brightened up the interior noticeably.
New modern lighting has also recently been installed which will show to good effect the best aspects of the interior. All this work costs a great deal of money and has only been achievable because of regular fund-raising to build up a suitable sum of money in the church 'fabric' fund. This has now been depleted and so it is hoped that parishioners and visitors will continue to give towards the preservation of our ancient church. Many of us do not use it often but when we do it is usually for highlights in our lives - let us all keep it available for our use use, for that is its sole purpose. Remember the old saw, 'use it or lose it'......
The recent Quinquennial report on church fabric shows this ancient building to be in a generally good state of repair, other than the windows.
However, the windows are in need of major maintenance as the lead and glass are deteriorating rapidly, the lead in particular is reaching the end of its effective life. A programme of restoration is being planned which will be expensive, probably in the region of £21,000 and more, so this will almost certainly have to be completed over a period of time, depending on our ability to raise the necessary funds.