Haughton St Giles - History

Contacts

Top

An ancient tower and Victorian restructuring at the heart of the village

Much of the church was rebuilt in 1887 by JL Pearson, the architect of Truro Cathedral.  The Church has a 13th century north wall and a doorway and windows that are more than 450 years old.  Pearson replaced the Georgian walls which were then considered out of fashion.  The tower was built by Nicholas Graviner, (sometimes called Gravinor or Gravinar), Rector at the church from 1489 and who died in 1520.  His memorial can be found in the north-east corner, engraved in alabaster.  It shows his full-length portrait in vestments with two angels supporting cushions beneath his head.  The church has a reredos made in 1896 and an altar made from a Cedar of Lebanon which grew in the Rectory garden until it blew down in a gale.

Four members of the Royds family were rectors for a span of more than a century.  Edward Royds (1790-1836) became Rector in 1822, Charles Smith Royds (1799-1879) in 1831, Gilbert Twemlow Royds (1845-1933) in 1879 and Thomas Fletcher Royds (1880-1964) in 1922.  There is a memorial window to Clement Fletcher Royds, son of Thomas Fletcher Royds who died in action in the Second World War on February 14th 1945 at the age of 21.

These graves and memorials of the Royds are at the east end of the church.

The North door

The early 19th century clock was reconstructed in 1883.

This memorial is to members of the Vernon Yonge family, including Vernon Yonge, rector from 1780-1822.