S. Ives

THE parish and borough of S. Ives are situated in the deanery and hundred of Penwith; the parish is bounded on the north by the Bristol Channel; on the east by S. Ives Bay and Lelant; on the south by Lelant and Towednack; and on the west by Towednack and the sea.

The tithable lands are estimated at 1206A. 1R. 29P., of which 465A. 3R. 26P. are arable; 485A. 2R. 24P. pasture; 38A. 1R. 9P. garden; 141A. 2R. 10P. enclosed crofts; and 75 acres commons.

The tithes are commuted at £360; of which the sum of £185 is paid to the vicar of Lelant, who is also the patron of the advowson; and £175 to Lord Cowley, the impropriator, who also receives an average annual income of about £350 as tithe on fish.

The living is a perpetual curacy, and the incumbent’s stipend, amounting to £300 per annum, is paid by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. A good residence was built in 1840.

The parish, which is wholly included in the municipal borough, comprises by actual measurement 1876A. 1R. 12P.; of which 161A. 2R. 1P. are roads and wastes.

Incumbents:—Jacob or James Gentle, in 1536; he was also provost of Glasney College; John Bullock, minister, 1669; Jonathan Toup, lecturer, died 1721; he was father of the editor of Longinus, etc.; William Polkinghorne, with Lelant and Towednack, 1722; John Keigwin, ditto, 1726; Cornelius Cardew, D.D., ditto, in 1782; Charles Aldrich, incumbent, 1825; W. Malkin, 1833; W. J. Havart, 1836; Uriah Tonkin, 1840; Samuel A. Ellis, admitted May 6, 1843; D. E. Domoille, 1850; F. Tonkin, 1854; and the present incumbent, the Rev. Richard-Frederick Tyacke, in 1861.

[Alternatives were obtained from Index of Clergy, a card index by Mrs. J. S. Rolfe, extracted from LDS film 1472028/4 by Michelle Kahler and posted to CORNISH-L August 1999. The discrepancy is so great, that they are listed here without further comment.]

Names are given by J.H.MATTHEWS in “History of St.Ives.”
istuph (?) are omitted by Henderson and Davies-Fraeme. 

1549     MORETON, Gabriel.
1584     WISHEKER, Mr.
1592     NICKLES, Mr.
1596     STAFFORD, ____.
1608     JEFFERYS, Mr.  Preacher.
1617     WHITTINGE, Mr.  Curate.
1618     HARRY, Alexander.
1618     INGLETON, ____.
1618     PHIPPEN, ____.
1618     MORCUMBE, ____.
1629     UPCOTT, ____.
____     SHERWOOD, Joseph.
____     MORETON, Charles.
1631     WELLSTEAD, Leonard and Mr.MITTEN.
1638     JACKSON, Thomas.
1646     HUGGETT, Benjamin.
1646     WHITWORTH, John.
1652     LAND, Simon.
1653     WELLSTEED, Leonard.
1655     TUCKER, Mr.
1657     TREGOSSE, Thomas.
1660     FOWLER, Richard.
1677     ROBINSON, William.
1712     TOUP, Jonathan.
1726     KEIGWIN, John.
1743     HOBLYN, Mr.
1745     SYMONDS, William.
1769     LANE, Thomas.
1775     MORGAN, Lewis.
1813     PETERS, Robert.
1814     SPRY, William.
Perpetual Curates of ST.IVES.
1822     ALDRICH, Charles.
1833     MALKIN, William.
1833     MILLETT, John.   >  All Curates during time of MALKIN. 1833–36
1833     JENKYN, Charles. >
1833     BAMFIELD, John.  >
1833     BAZELEY, F.      >
1836     HAVART, William James.
____     BATTELL, Henry. Curate.
1843     ELLIS, Samuel.
1850     DOMVILLE, David.E.
1855     TONKIN, Franklyn.
1869     JONES, John Baronue. [First Vicar of St.Ives.]

The church is dedicated to S. Hya, Hia, Ia, or Ya, an Irish virgin, who is said to have died at Hayle about the middle of the fifth century. It comprises a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, extreme south aisle or chapel, commonly called the Trenwith aisle, and vestry.

In the chancel is an altar piece, presented by Robert Hichens, Esq., composed of two large marble tables, containing the Commandments. The chancel window is of stained glass; on a brass attached to it is inscribed,—“To the, glory of God, and in memory of Betty Wallis, died Novr. 16, 1804. Samuel Stephens, died February 25, 1834. Betty Stephens, died July 24, 1846. Samuel Wallis Stephens, Died Dec. 25, 1835. Sarah Maria Davey.” The last name is presumed to be that of the donor. The communion plate is of the most magnificent and costly description; a patin is inscribed Pendarves de Pendarves Ecclesiae dedit anno 1713; and a chalice,—The Guift of Alles Sise To the Church of Saint Ives Anno Domini 1641. On the panels of a seat in the chancel various smith’s tools are carved; those panels are said to have belonged to a screen presented to the church by one Ralph Clies, the master smith at the time of its erection. The first panel represents shoeing tools, with a horse-shoe and nails; the second, a hammer and anvil; the third and fourth, two heads, said to represent Clies and his wife; the fifth, two pairs of bellows; sixth, ladle and clefts. On the top of a bench end representing S. Peter with the bible and key, are carved two kneeling figures supporting a shield, on which are the words

john pe yn

and on the top of another is a shield similarly supported bearing 3 pine apples impaling an arrow-head.

In the floor of the nave are the arms of Henry V. namely, France and England quarterly, formed in tile work.

The arcades of the nave have each seven four-centred arches; and the Trenwith aisle is separated from the south aisle by an arcade of two similar arches.

The east window of the south aisle is of tastefully ornamented glass; a brass attached to it is inscribed,—“This window was erected A.D. 1850, by Robert Hichens, in memory of his daughters, Jane, who died January 24, 1835; and Margaret Jope, who died August 12, 1849.”

In this aisle also hangs the funeral hatchment of Samuel Stephens, Esq., of Tregenna Castle, who died in 1834. The arms, granted temp. Henry VIII. to Henry Stephens, Esq., the immediate ancestor of the family, are Per pale gules and vert, a fess indented argent, guttee de sang, between three eagles displayed or. Crest,—A lion rampart argent, guttée de sang. On an escutcheon of pretence are the arms of Betty Wallis, his wife, namely, Gules, a fess and a canton ermine, quartering Hearle and Paynter. There are two mottoes, In Caelo quies, under the arms, and over the crest, Virtutes amore.

In the Trenwith aisle are two or three good memorial windows. The east window is inscribed, “Humbly offered by Robert Hichens, A.D. Mdcccxlix[”]. The first south window has a brass attached to it inscribed, “This window was erected A.D. 1852, by his father Robert Hichens, and his aunt Elizabeth Scott, formerly Hichens, in memory of the Revd. William Hichens, B.A., fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, who died August 17th, 1850.” Another south window of stained glass, representing scripture subjects, has a brass attached to it inscribed, “This window is erected to the memory of William Hichens, who died on the 15th of April, 1864, aged 69 years, by his affectionate widow and children.” One series of the bosses of the roof of this aisle displays a two-headed eagle, as do some of the ancient bench ends in other parts of the church. The rood stairs, which are at the north-west corner of this aisle, are perfect. An organ, said to have cost £300, and supposed to have been one of the first erected in the county, formerly stood in this aisle; it was removed by the Puritans in 1647.

In the east wall of the north aisle is an arched recess, which probably leads to a vault; but the peculiarity of this aisle is its west door. At the eastern end is a fine organ; and adjoining is the vestry.

The font is of porcelain stone. On the bowl, which stands on a clustered shaft, are four angles connected by bands, on one of which is an abbreviated inscription which may be read Omnes baptizate gentes. The basement is ornamented with grotesque animals.

The tower arch is plain; the west window is filled with stained glass, and is one of the best in the church. A slate tablet in the tower bears the following memorandum:—

The parsonage house of this parish was erected A.D. 1840. The purchase of the ground on which it stands, with the buildings, and all expenses connected therewith was defrayed by the following subscriptions,—

The Governors of Queen Anne’s bounty		£400	0	0	Edwin Ley, Esqr		£15	15	0
James Halse, Esq., M.P		52	10	0	Revd. Henry Batten		15	0	0
Robert Hichens	} Esqrs.	50	0	0	Messrs. Bolitho Sons & Co		10	10	0
Henry Lewis Stephens	}	50	0	0	William Bazely Senr.	}	10	10	0
Mrs.Elizabeth Scott, formerly E.Hichens		50	0	0	William Bazely Junr.	}	10	10	0
Revd. Uriah Tonkin, Vicar		50	0	0	Hugh Edwards	} Esqrs	10	10	0
William Tyringham Praed, Esqr.		30	0	0	William Hichens	}	10	10	0
Revd. James Nelson Palmer		30	0	0	Frederick Harrison	}	10	10	0
Daniel Bamfield, Esqr. Mayor		25	0	0	Countess of Sandwich		10	0	0
Richard Hichens	}	25	0	0	Davies Giddy Gilbert Esqr.		10	0	0
Walter Yonge	} Esqrs.	25	0	0	Messrs. J. C. & W. Harter		10	0	0
William Hichens	}	21	0	0	Odlarne Coates Lane	} Esqrs,	10	0	0
Earl of Darlington		20	0	0	John Clark Powell	}	10	0	0
Earl of Lauderdale		20	0	0	Subscriptions under £10		51	14	0
							£1043	19	0

This capacious church is in good condition; it is substantially seated with oak, and the floors are tiled throughout. The roofs, which are of the wagon form, are perfect, and elaborately carved.

The tower, which is 119 feet in height, is of four stages, buttressed on the square, and finished with battlements, and battlemented pinnacles. The belfry windows, are unusually large, and are transomed. The tower contains two bells and a clock.

Under the eaves of the Trenwith aisle are several well-sculptured corbel heads in freestone, which appear to be much more ancient than the wall into which they are built.

Beside the west door to the north aisle, there is a south porch, a priest’s door blocked, and a vestry door.