Reopening of St Mary’s Aisle at Truro Cathedral

Truro Cathedral recently unveiled the beautifully revitalised St Mary’s Aisle, with a rededication service and a celebratory event. The extensive renovation project commenced in May 2023 and spanned a year, during which the Aisle, which also serves as a parish church, had to be closed to the public.

The Rt Revd Graham James (honorary Assistant Bishop of Truro and former Bishop of Norwich) and the Very Revd. Simon Robinson (Dean of Truro and Rector of St Mary’s Parish, Truro) led the rededication service, bringing the Aisle back into use for prayer and worship.

A week later, there was a celebratory event in which a ribbon was cut by cathedral volunteer Roselle Baker, with music from Jeremiah Mead and Luisa Torres and family activities provided by the cathedral branch of the Mothers’ Union. Attendees included the Mayor and Mayoress of Truro (Cllr. Carol Swain and Ms Sarah Douglas-Martin).

St Mary’s Aisle is a cherished reminder of old Truro. One aisle of the 16th-century parish church of St Mary was incorporated into the much more recent Truro Cathedral and is a testament to Victorian engineering prowess and the architectural ingenuity of John Loughborough Pearson.

Recently, however, time had taken its toll on St Mary’s Aisle. The weather-beaten roof and deteriorating stonework demanded urgent attention. Thanks to the meticulous efforts of all the specialists involved in the project, who re-slated the roof, repaired the parquet floor and restored the stained-glass windows, St Mary’s Aisle now stands rejuvenated for worship, family events and other activities.

The project was made possible by a funding package that included donations from local people, gifts in Wills and grants awarded by charitable trusts and foundations. The project also received £112,410 from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, which is managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Dean Simon said: “Both events were really great fun and again affirmed the significance and importance of St Mary’s Aisle in the lives of so many Cornish families. It was very special to have a service of rededication and to learn of Bishop Graham James’ deep connection with Cornwall and St Mary’s Aisle, and it was very good to welcome funders and so many families to our second event. I look forward to the continued use of St Mary’s Aisle as a place of prayer, worship, activities and events for the very many people who love and visit Truro Cathedral.”

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “It is a great delight to support the restoration of St Mary’s Aisle. This project preserves the important heritage of the building and enhances the experience for worshippers and visitors. We are particularly pleased again to be funding a major project in Cornwall."

Councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said: “It’s great to see more of our Good Growth regeneration projects reaching completion. Preserving our historic and culturally significant buildings is important, and the £112,410 from the Culture and Heritage-led Regeneration and Skills programme for this project means that St Mary’s Aisle can continue to be enjoyed by our communities and residents.”

Cecilia Bisson, Chair, Cornwall Historic Churches Trust, said: “The Trust was delighted to be in a position to award our current maximum grant of £10,000 towards the repairs to the roof of St Mary’s Aisle to preserve this very special remnant of the ancient parish church for future generations to enjoy and cherish.”

Paul Playford, Senior Grants and Operations Officer for Benefact Trust, said: “It’s wonderful to hear that St Mary’s Aisle has reopened, and we’re delighted to have played our part in supporting the renovation of this beautiful piece of Truro cathedral’s history.”

Judith Field, Fundraising Lead for Truro Cathedral, said: “I have always felt that St Mary’s Aisle is a wonderful place. It has been much missed during the repair and refurbishment works, and my heartfelt thanks go to every individual and organisation whose generosity has made this restoration project possible.”

The cathedral is extremely grateful to everyone who contributed to the St Mary’s Aisle Appeal and warmly thanks them for their generosity. Hundreds of local people supported this work, including Mrs Grace Holmes and Mrs Penny Evans, who left gifts in their Wills. Grants were awarded by the following funders:

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Shared Prosperity Fund.
(This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Cornwall Council has been chosen by Government as a Lead Authority for the fund and is responsible for monitoring the progress of projects funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly)
Duke of Cornwall’s Benevolent Fund
HB Allen Charitable Trust
Benefact Trust
Cornwall Historic Churches Trust
Dulverton Trust
Bernard Sunley Foundation
Wolfson Foundation
Garfield Weston Foundation
Friends of Truro Cathedral