Diocese Of Truro
Geography and history
The diocese's area is that of the county of Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly, as well as two parishes in neighbouring Devon (St Giles on the Heath and Virginstow). It was formed on 15 December 1876 from the Archdeaconry of Cornwall in the Diocese of Exeter. It is, therefore, one of the younger dioceses. The Christian faith, however, has been present in the region since at least the 4th century – more than 100 years before there was an Archbishop of Canterbury. Many of the communities in the diocese, as well as the parish churches, bear a Celtic saint's name, which is a reminder of the links with other Celtic lands, especially Ireland, Wales and Brittany.
The Diocese of Truro is involved directly and indirectly through its Board of Social Responsibility and in the life of its parishes in tackling some of the economic problems that Cornwall is wrestling with and works closely with statutory and voluntary agencies. There are 313 church buildings.
Bishops
The diocesan See is vacant following Philip Mounstephen's translation to Winchester on 10 October 2023. There is a suffragan Bishop of St Germans (which see was created in 1905) whose current bishop is Hugh Nelson); at some periods there have also been assistant bishops, including John Wellington (formerly Bishop of Shantung) and Bill Lash, both retired from sees abroad. The provincial episcopal visitor for parishes in the diocese, among twelve other dioceses in the western part of the Province of Canterbury, which do not accept the ministry of women priests, is the suffragan Bishop of Ebbsfleet. He is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his ministry.
The most recent suffragan Bishop of Plymouth in the neighbouring Diocese of Exeter, John Ford, was also licensed as an honorary assistant bishop in Truro diocese. A former Bishop of St Germans, Roy Screech, lives in St Austell.
Archdeaconries and deaneries
| Diocese | Archdeaconries | Rural Deaneries | Paid clergy | Churches | Population | People/clergy | People/church | Churches/clergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Truro | Archdeaconry of Bodmin
(est. 1878) |
Deanery of Stratton | 2 | 23 | 21,120 | 10,560 | 918 | 11.5 |
| Deanery of Trigg Major | 5 | 23 | 19,932 | 3,986 | 867 | 4.6 | ||
| Deanery of Trigg Minor & Bodmin | 9 | 34 | 43,004 | 4,778 | 1,265 | 3.78 | ||
| Deanery of East Wivelshire | 5 | 32 | 51,370 | 10,274 | 1,605 | 6.4 | ||
| Deanery of West Wivelshire | 5 | 23 | 32,799 | 6,560 | 1,426 | 4.6 | ||
| Archdeaconry of Cornwall | Deanery of Carnmarth North | 7.25 | 20 | 65,196 | 8,993 | 3,260 | 2.76 | |
| Deanery of Carnmarth South | 9 | 13 | 38,709 | 4,301 | 2,978 | 1.44 | ||
| Deanery of Kerrier | 5 | 23 | 32,104 | 6,421 | 1,396 | 4.6 | ||
| Deanery of Penwith | 12 | 29 | 64,555 | 5,380 | 2,226 | 2.42 | ||
| Deanery of Powder | 17.16 | 39 | 51,736 | 3,015 | 1,327 | 2.27 | ||
| Deanery of Pydar | 6.59 | 21 | 48,867 | 7,415 | 2,327 | 3.19 | ||
| Deanery of St Austell | 8 | 25 | 65,880 | 8,235 | 2,635 | 3.13 | ||
| Total/average | 91 | 305 | 535,272 | 5,882 | 1,755 | 3.35 | ||
Rural deaneries
The names of the older deaneries (before 1875) are based on those of the ancient Hundreds of Cornwall though the boundaries do not always correspond. East and West (Wivelshire) must have originally had a Cornish name but it is not recorded (Wivel may be from an Anglo-Saxon personal name 'Wifel').
The deaneries created in 1875 in the episcopate of Frederick Temple were Bodmin, Stratton, St Austell and Carnmarth. These remained unchanged until Carnmarth was divided; later still in the 1980s some alterations of boundaries occurred. The need for smaller deaneries was caused by the economic growth of Victorian Cornwall, mainly in tin and copper mining, which increased the population and by a greater effort by the church to encourage church membership.
Coat of arms
The arms of the diocese include a saltire gules on which are a crossed sword and key: below this is a fleur de lys sable, all surrounded by a border sable charged with 15 bezants. The saltire is the cross of St Patrick, taken to be the emblem of the Celtic church; the sword and key are emblems of Ss Peter and Paul, the patrons of Exeter Cathedral, and the fleur de lys represents St Mary, patron of the cathedral. The border is derived from the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall. They were designed by the College of Heralds in 1877 and are blazoned thus:
"Argent, on a saltire gules, a key, ward upward, in bend, surmounted by a sword, hilt upward, in bend sinister, both or. In base, a fleur de lys sable. The whole within a bordure sable, fifteen bezants. Ensigned with a mitre."
Future
In 2003 a campaign group was formed called Fry an Spyrys ("Free the Spirit" in Cornish) which is dedicated to disestablishing the Church of England in Cornwall and to reconstituting the Diocese of Truro as an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. Its most vociferous member is the founder, the Revd Andy Phillips, who also writes under the pen-name "An Bucca". Its chairman is Garry Tregidga of the Institute of Cornish Studies. Phillips states there has been constant speculation that the diocese might be merged back into the Diocese of Exeter for budgetary reasons.
The possibility of a merger was aired unofficially in March 2003, during debate surrounding the formulation of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure, which would allow diocesan commissions to make proposals for the reorganisation of dioceses, including their dissolution. However, such a merger has yet to be proposed by any official body within the Church of England. When the possibility was raised by Fry an Spyrys in 2004 it was denied by a Church of England spokesman and also by representatives of the Truro and Exeter dioceses Since then the Diocese of Truro has shown some financial and administrative resilience. Diocesan reorganisation and the People of God campaign rallied human resources and led (by 2007) to a tight but stable financial situation. More recently Lord Lloyd of Berwick, who chairs Parliament's Ecclesiastical Committee, reported to the House of Lords that there are no plans to abolish the Diocese of Truro and to merge it with the Diocese of Exeter.
Jeremy Dowling review
A 2018 case review commissioned by the diocese reported that four bishops, Maurice Key, Peter Mumford, Michael Ball and Richard Llewellin, had failed to respond to disclosures of abuse by a leading diocesan figure. The diocese had failed to investigate the accusations against Jeremy Dowling, a lay preacher and synod member, who rose to influential positions including communications officer to the bishop. Dowling was jailed in 2015 for seven years, and again in 2016 for a further eight years, for a series of indecent assaults on boys while teaching at a Cornish school during the 1960s and 70s. Kim Stevenson, a criminal justice expert, said the report made "sadly familiar reading" and she contrasted the situation in Britain with that in Australia where those who concealed or did not act on evidence of a sexual offence faced prosecution.
List of churches in the diocese
Grade I: buildings of exceptional interest. Grade II*: particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Grade II: buildings that are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.
Last fully updated 26 September 2018.
Deanery of Stratton
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boscastle and Tintagel Group, The, Comprising Forrabury, Lesnewth Otterham, St Juliot, Tintagel, and Trevalga |
|
|
3,426 | ||
| Kilkhampton (St James the Great) with Morwenstow |
|
|
10,713 | ||
| [1] | |||||
| North Kernow Benefice, The, Comprising Bude Haven, Launcells, Marhamchurch, and Stratton |
|
||||
| Poughill (St Olaf King and Martyr) |
|
2,775 | |||
| Week St Mary Circle of Parishes (St Mary the Virgin) |
|
[2] |
|
4,206 |
Deanery of Trigg Major
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyton (Holy Name), North Tamerton, Werrington, St Giles-In-The-Heath and Virginstow |
|
|
1,956 | ||
| Egloskerry (St Petrock and St Keri), North Petherwin, Tremaine, Tresmere and Trewen |
|
|
1,629 | ||
| Launceston (St Mary Magdalene) (St Thomas the Apostle) (St Stephen) |
|
[3] |
|
9,152 | |
| Moorland Group, The, Comprising Altarnon, Davidstow, Laneast, and St Clether |
|
[4] |
|
1,938 | |
| Three Rivers, The, Comprising Lawhitton, Lewannick, Lezant, North Hill, and South Petherwin |
|
[5] |
|
5,257 |
Deanery of Trigg Minor & Bodmin
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blisland (St Protus and St Hyacinth) with Temple, St Breward and Helland |
|
|
3,152 | ||
| St Tudy (St Tudy) with St Mabyn and Michaelstow |
|
[6] | |||
| [7] | |||||
| Bodmin (St Petroc) Team Benefice, The, Including Cardynham, Lanhydrock, and Lanivet |
|
[8] |
|
17,608 | |
| Lanteglos By Camelford (St Julitta) with Advent | [9] |
|
5,764 | ||
| St Teath (St Teatha) |
|
||||
| Lostwithiel (St Bartholomew) Parishes | [10] |
|
4,201 | ||
| [11] | |||||
| [12] | |||||
| [13] | |||||
|
|||||
| North Cornwall Cluster of Churches, Comprising Port Isaac, St Endellion, St Kew, and St Minver with St Enodoc and St Michael Rock |
|
|
4,410 | ||
| St Breoke (St Breoke) and Egloshayle in Wadebridge |
|
[15] |
|
7,869 |
Deanery of East Wivelshire
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antony (St James the Great) with Sheviock and Torpoint |
|
[16] Archived 26 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine |
|
8,857 | |
| Callington Cluster, The, Including Linkinhorne, South Hill, and Stoke Climsland |
|
[17] |
|
9,505 | |
| Landrake (St Michael) with St Erney and Botus Fleming |
|
[18] |
|
18,308 | |
| Saltash (St Nicholas and St Faith) |
|
||||
| Rame Peninsula Benefice, The, Comprising Maker with Rame, Millbrook, and St John |
|
|
3,629 | ||
| St Germans (St Germans of Auxerre) |
|
[19] |
|
2,673 | |
| Tamar Valley Benefice, The, Comprising Calstock, Landulph, St Dominick, and St Mellion with Pillaton |
|
[20] |
|
8,398 |
Deanery of West Wivelshire
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duloe (St Cuby) and Herodsfoot |
|
[21] |
|
823 | |
| Trelawny, Comprising Lanreath, Lansallos, Lanteglos By Fowey, and Pelynt |
|
|
4,192 | ||
|
[22] | ||||
| Looe (St Nicholas) and Morval | [23] |
|
6,391 | ||
|
|||||
| Liskeard (St Martin) and St Keyne |
|
|
12,571 | ||
| Menheniot (St Lalluwy and St Antoninus) |
|
|
4,372 | ||
| St Ive (St Ive) and Pensilva with Quethiock |
|
||||
| St Cleer (St Clarus) |
|
|
4,450 | ||
| St Neot (St Neot) and Warleggan |
|
[24] |
Deanery of Carnmarth North
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camborne (St Martin and St Meriadoc), Tuckingmill and Penponds | [25] |
|
20,004 | ||
| [26] Archived 27 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine | |||||
| Chacewater (St Paul) with St Day and Carharrack |
|
[27] |
|
10,230 | |
| St Stythians (St Stythian) with Perranarworthal and Gwennap |
|
||||
| Crowan (St Crewenna) and Treslothan |
|
[28] |
|
4,999 | |
|
|||||
| Redruth (St Andrew) (St Euny) with Lanner and Treleigh |
|
[29] |
|
18,672 | |
| St Illogan (St Illogan) |
|
[30] |
|
11,291 |
Deanery of Carnmarth South
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budock (St Budock) |
|
[31] |
|
7,092 | |
| Falmouth (All Saints) |
|
[32] |
|
6,916 | |
| Falmouth (King Charles the Martyr) | [33] |
|
4,631 | ||
| Mabe (St Laudus) |
|
|
4,293 | ||
| Mawnan (St Mawnan) (St Michael) |
|
|
1,238 | ||
| Mylor (St Mylor) with Flushing |
|
[34] |
|
2,705 | |
|
|||||
| Penwerris (St Michael and All Angels) (Holy Spirit) |
|
|
4,507 | ||
| St Gluvias (St Gluvias) |
|
[35] |
|
7,327 |
Deanery of Kerrier
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constantine (St Constantine) |
|
|
2,233 | ||
| Helston (St Michael) and Wendron |
|
[36] |
|
13,351 | |
| Kerrier, West, Comprising Breage with Godolphin and Ashton, Porthleven, Sithney, and St Germoe |
|
[37] |
|
7,530 | |
| Meneage (St Anthony) (St Martin) (St Mawgan) |
|
|
2,415 | ||
| Mullion (St Mellanus) and Cury with Gunwalloe |
|
|
2,715 | ||
| St Keverne (St Keverne), St Ruan with St Grade and Landewednack |
|
|
3,860 |
Deanery of Penwith
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbis Bay (St Anta and All Saints) with Lelant (St Uny) |
|
[38] |
|
5,055 | |
| Godrevy, Comprising Gwinear, Hayle, Phillack, and St Erth |
|
[39] |
|
13,573 | |
| Gulval (St Gulval) and Madron |
|
[40] |
|
7,637 | |
| Ludgvan (St Ludgvan and St Paul), Marazion, St Hilary and Perranuthnoe |
|
[41] |
|
7,298 | |
| Newlyn (St Peter) |
|
[42] |
|
3,543 | |
| Paul (St Pol De Lion) |
|
|
2,591 | ||
| Penzance (St Mary) (St Paul) (St John the Baptist) |
|
|
9,299 | ||
| Pendeen (St John the Baptist) with Morvah |
|
|
5,444 | ||
| Sancreed (St Creden) |
|
||||
| St Just in Penwith (St Just) | |||||
| St Buryan (St Buriana), St Levan and Sennen | [43] |
|
2,768 | ||
| [44] | |||||
|
[45] | ||||
| St Ives (St Ia the Virgin) | [46] |
|
6,688 | ||
|
|||||
| Towednack (St Tewinock) |
|
|
659 | ||
| Zennor (St Senera) |
also licensed as curates in each other's parishes
Deanery of Powder
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerrans (St Gerran) with St Anthony-In-Roseland and Philleigh |
|
[47] |
|
949 | |
| Highertown, Truro (All Saints) and Baldhu |
|
[48] |
|
7,618 | |
| Isles of Scilly: St Mary's, St Agnes, St Martin's, Bryher and Tresco |
|
2,203 | |||
| Kea (All Hallows) (Old Church) |
|
[49] |
|
1,134 | |
| Kenwyn (St Keyne) with St Allen |
|
|
3,227 | ||
| Probus (St Probus and St Grace), Ladock and Grampound with Creed and St Erme |
|
[50] |
|
5,929 | |
| [51] | |||||
|
|||||
| St Just-In-Roseland (St Just) and St Mawes |
|
[52] |
|
1,069 | |
| Tregony (Not Known) with St Cuby and Cornelly |
|
[53] Archived 26 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine |
|
960 | |
| St Michael Penkevil (St Michael) |
|
|
811 | ||
| Tresillian (Holy Trinity) and Lamorran with Merther |
|
[54] | |||
|
|||||
| Truro (St Mary's Cathedral and Parish Church) | [55] |
|
264 | ||
| Truro St Paul (St George the Martyr) (St John the Evangelist) |
|
[56] |
|
13,657 | |
| Veryan (St Symphorian) with Ruan Lanihorne |
|
[57] |
|
1,226 | |
|
[58] | ||||
|
[59] | ||||
| Devoran (St John the Evangelist and St Petroc) |
|
[61] |
|
3,785 | |
| Feock (St Feock) |
|
||||
| St Clement (St Clement) |
|
[63] |
|
539 | |
|
|||||
| St Agnes (St Agnes) and Mount Hawke with Mithian |
|
[65] |
|
8,365 | |
|
Deanery of Pydar
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lann Pydar Benefice, The, Comprising St Columb Major, St Ervan, St Eval, and St Mawgan-In-Pydar |
|
[66] |
|
7,335 | |
| Newlyn (St Newlyn) |
|
[67] Archived 1 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine |
|
6,196 | |
| St Enoder (St Enoder) |
|
[68] | |||
| Newquay (St Michael) | [69] |
|
12,339 | ||
| Padstow (St Petroc), St Merryn and St Issey with St Petroc Minor |
|
[70] Archived 27 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine |
|
5,288 | |
|
|||||
| St Wenn (St Wenna) and Withiel |
|
|
706 | ||
| St Columb Minor (St Columba) and St Colan |
|
|
9,611 | ||
| Perranzabuloe (St Piran) and Crantock with Cubert |
|
[71] |
|
7,392 |
Deanery of St Austell
| Benefice | Churches | Link | Clergy | Population served | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boscoppa (St Luke) |
|
|
12,111 | ||
| Luxulyan (St Cyrus and St Julietta) |
|
[72] Archived 28 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine | |||
| St Blazey (St Blaise) |
|
||||
| Charlestown (St Paul) |
|
[73] |
|
11,485 | |
| Par (St Mary the Virgin) (Good Shepherd) |
|
[74] | |||
| Tywardreath (St Andrew) with Tregaminion |
|
||||
| Fowey (St Fimbarrus) |
|
[75] |
|
2,482 | |
| St Sampson (St Sampson) | |||||
| Roche (St Gomonda of the Rock) |
|
|
12,648 | ||
| St Dennis (St Denys) |
|
||||
| Treverbyn (St Peter) |
|
||||
| St Austell (Holy Trinity) | [76] |
|
12,557 | ||
| St Goran (St Goranus) with Caerhays |
|
[77] |
|
1,448 | |
| St Mewan (St Mewan) with Mevagissey and St Ewe |
|
|
6,272 | ||
| St Stephen in Brannel (Not Known) |
|
[78] |
|
6,877 |
