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Parish Church of:
Madron
The church of St. Madron (commonly called "Madderne") is an ancient building of granite, chiefly in the Perpendicular style, and consists of chancel, nave of six bays, aisles, north and south porches and an embattled western tower with pinnacles containing 5 bells: the chancel is of earlier date and retains a piscina and sedile: the former incorporates a fragment of alabaster, carved with angelic figures armed: nearly all the windows are stained: on the north wall is a fine late brass to John Clies, merchant and twice major of Penzance, ob. November 27, 1623, and Blanch (Trevanion) his wife; there are effigies of both, and others of six children and 12 English verses, the whole being surrounded by a marginal inscription : there are also several mural monuments, including one in the chancel to the Rev. Duke Pearce, a former vicar, ob. 1716; the font of granite, is Norman: the original church was built by Henry de Pomeroy in 1131, and is mentioned in the taxation
of Pope Nicholas in 1291 as dedicated to St. Madderne; Bishop Grandison consecrated the high altar in 1336; the church was thoroughly restored in 1887 at a cost of £2,800, when it was re-floored and re-seated with carved oak benches: during the restoration portions of an ancient oak screen were discovered and are incorporated in the screen erected in 1889, after the old design; six handsomely carved oak bench ends, found under the floor, have been set up in the south aisle; there are 600 sittings. The register dates from the year 1577.
St Thomas's mission church, Hea erected in 1892 is a plain building of stone, consisting of nave and chancel, and affords 300 sittings.
St Madron's well in a moor about a mile north-west of the church, was once noted for its healing properties; about 200 yards from it, in a secluded spot, are the ruins of an ancient chapel, or baptistry, with the sanctuary step, well basin and granite altar still remaining; portions of the wall inclosing a chapel yard are still standing.
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