St Mary the Virgin, Par
St Mary the Virgin, Par
St Mary the Virgin at Biscovey, St Austell Road, Par, Cornwall, is a Grade II* Early Gothic parish church of 1848, G. E. Street’s first church, in the Diocese of Truro.
- Location
- Par, Cornwall
- Country
- England
- County
- Cornwall
- City / town
- Par
- Address
- St Austell Road, Par, Cornwall, PL24 2EE
- Postcode
- PL24 2EE
- Built
- 1848; consecrated 1849
- Consecrated
- 1 November 1849
- Architect
- G. E. Street
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Mary
- Diocese
- Truro
- Parish
- Par
- Grade
- II*
- Style
- Early Gothic
- Materials
- Pinkish-brown stone rubble and freestone dressings; steep slate roofs
- Grid reference
- SX 058 535
- Opening hours
- Open 10am to 4pm.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby
- Website
- https://www.parparish.co.uk/
Overview
The ecclesiastical parish of Par was formed in 1846 from St Blazey and Tywardreath. George Rundle Prynne, the first vicar, commissioned the young Street; Edward Carlyon of Tregrehan gave the land in 1847. Historic England dates the church to 1848 by Street: nave, chancel, south aisle, a squat west-of-aisle tower with broach spire, and a lean-to vestry, in pinkish-brown rubble with freestone dressings. The listing calls it a very early and significant Street design, epitomising the simplicity of the early Ecclesiological movement. The parish records consecration on 1 November 1849.
Pevsner praised a remarkable work for a beginner. Sir John Betjeman wrote that Street never produced a better church than this honest, simple parish church. Original limestone altar, font and pulpit remain in use; stained glass with medallion motifs is by Wailes. In the churchyard south of the chancel stands the Biscovey Stone, an early Christian cross shaft moved here in 1896, and a late medieval wayside cross.