We are a Christian Church
We believe in one God who has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This revelation is supremely through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are an Evangelical Church
We believe that the Bible is God’s word and is therefore our authority in all mates of faith and conduct.
We are humble in our commitment to the truth of the Bible, and not afraid to discuss this openly with others. We say that “No question is too simple and no question is too hostile.” So ask what you want, say what you like. We will respect your opinion ad seek to persuade you of our convictions.
We are an Anglican Church
We stand in the tradition of the Anglican reformers of the 16th century, affirming with them the great truths which were rediscovered at the time of the reformation such as salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. These truths are expressed in the 39 Articles of the Church of England and the Book of Common Prayer.
We are part of the Diocese of Truro and serve the Parish of Fowey. However all Christians from any denomination and any place are warmly welcome. We unite in Christ and not under any one denominational banner.
Our priorities
Loving God – Our priority is the Bible, God’s living and dynamic Spirit-given word. It is always true and always relevant and the means by which the Holy Spirit leads and shapes his church. It is as the Bible is prayerfully taught that God’s voice is heard.
Loving one another – Our priority is people, not buildings or programmes. We believe the local church is God’s advert or ’show home’ to a watching world of his eternal plane to unite all things under the rule of Christ (Ephesians 3:10).
Loving the lost – Our priority is evangelism. We long to share the Christian faith as engagingly and imaginatively as we are able with our town and beyond in ways that are attractive and accessible (2 Corinthians 4:5).
How to Find Us
Fowey Parish Church lies in the churchyard just next to the Daphne Du Maurier Literary Centre, near the Town Quay.
Church History
Fowey Parish Church is dedicated to St. Finn Barr, who was the first Bishop of Cork (A.D. 613 – 630). On a pilgrimage to Rome, possibly for his consecration, he crossed the sea following the old trade and pilgrim route to Padstow (on the north coast of Cornwall), overland to Fowey, and from here to Brittany and Rome. During his stay in Fowey, he built a little church in a sheltered place between the hills. Visitors from Cork may know that the Church of Ireland Cathedral there is dedicated to St. Fin Barre, its first Bishop. (As you can see there are variations in the spelling of the Bishop’s name). St. Fimbarrus is a Latinised form of the name.
St. Finn Barr’s Church replaced an earlier one, that of St. Goran (or Guron), who probably left his cell at Bodmin when St. Petroc arrived, established a church at Fowey and finally settled at Goran. (Celtic Christianity was an influence in Cornwall long before Roman missionaries arrived in Britain in A.D. 597).
About A.D. 1150, a Norman Church was built here but unfortunately only the font and its original base have survived. (The base is now a step in the porch and depicts Jonah in the mouth of the big fish.) At this stage the Church at Fowey was served by Benedictine monks from Tywardreath Priory (a few miles away) but a resident vicar was appointed in 1260.
Possibly the Church was destroyed by pirates and the Church had to be rebuilt in 1328, and it was dedicated in 1336 by the Bishop of Exeter to St. Nicholas of Bari, patron saint of sailors, but the new name failed to replace that of St. Finn Barr.
In a reprisal for raids on the French coast by Fowey sailors, the town was attached by the French in 1456, set on fire and the Church was partially destroyed; they were repulsed at “Place”, the neighbouring Great House, by Elizabeth Treffry (a member of the family which still lives there) who is reputed to have had molten lead poured over the attackers.
The work of restoration began about 1460 with the help of the Earl of Warwick, Lord High Admiral of England, and lasted until the next century; the tower & the roof carvings date from this period. Warwick’s badge (the ragged staff) can be seen on the second string course of the Church Tower. About 1500, the Treffry brothers undertook to widen the narrow south aisle and extend it to make a family chapel and the clerestory windows, unusual for Cornwall, were constructed.
In 1876, an important restoration took place removing the Western gallery, providing a new roof for the North aisle, a clergy vestry, choir stalls as well as pews for the congregation; a choir vestry was added in 1894.
The Friends of St Fimbarrus Church, Fowey was set up in 1995 as a registered charity to promote and assist in the maintenance and preservation of Fowey Parish Church.
Since then, the Friends have worked tirelessly for work on the fabric and furnishings of the Church building. This includes assisting with the following projects: Replacing the deteriorating Victorian floor tiles with Delabole slate in the aisles and creating a visitors’ area; largely unseen work to remedy damp on the north wall; refurbishment of the choir vestry; repointing of the south wall with lime mortar; restoration of some of the stain glass windows and stone tracery on the south and east walls; a major restoration of the organ; and the restoration and conservation of the St Fimbarrus banner and the Ringers’ Board in the tower. In 2009 the Friends assisted with a major restoration of the nave roof and ceiling along with an improvement to the lighting and sound systems.