PORTHLEVEN, Cornwall – St Bartholomew. 

Restoration 1891

The Royal Gazette and News of 19 November 1891 gave an account of the re-opening following the restoration.

At first it was contemplated to spend about £500 in building a new vestry and organ chamber, and in effecting sundry repairs and alterations to the main edifice, but one improvement suggested another, with the result that the building has at length been so improved that anyone familiar with it in the past would scarcely recognise it now as the same.

The total cost is nearer £2,000 than £1,000.  The rood and walls have been thoroughly overhauled and repaired, the interior walls being replastered.  A spacious vestry has superseded the old one, which was far too small, and over it is a new organ chamber, with the front gallery of oak abutting into the main building.  The vestry is screened off in carved oak of massive design.  At the front entrance of the church a new baptistery has been built with two side entrance doors.  The whole of the old flooring of the church has been taken up and replaced with encaustic tiles in the aisles and wood blocked flooring under the seats.  The old pews have been dispensed with, and wood chairs, stained and varnished, supplied with book pockets, have been substituted.  The chancel floor has been extended, laid with encaustic tiles, and the altar placed on several raised steps of marble, its appearance now being exceedingly impressive and dignified.  The arch and ceiling of the sanctuary are decorated with gilt and various tints, with figures of seraphims [sic] thereon.  The pulpit, which has been removed to another part of the church, is of granite and wood.  The organ case has been coloured to match.

A new brass lectern has been fixed… New choir stalls of oak have also been supplied.  The building is provided with hot water pipes throughout.  The work has been executed from plans drawn by Mr. G. Fellowes Prynne, the well-known architect of Plymouth and London, under the supervision of Mr. Thomas Webb, agent to Captain J. P. Rogers, R.A., of Penrose, who has been most indefatigable in his duties, and whose services have been much appreciated by all concerned.  The decorative work has been done by Messrs. Fouracre and Son, of Stonehouse.