Church of Saint Winnear

St Gwinear’s Church stands in the village of Gwinear, a quiet place in west Cornwall. The building is mainly from the 13th and 14th centuries, with a granite tower added in the mid-15th century. It is a Grade I listed church, meaning it is recognised as a building of exceptional historic interest. The church is dedicated to St Winierus, an Irish missionary said to have arrived in the 6th century. Three aisles run alongside the nave, each with its own character. The Arundell Aisle lies furthest north, while the south aisle is shorter than the nave itself. The tower rises in three stages, each built from the same local granite. The church has been shaped by many hands over the centuries. In 1311 the advowson was sold by the Bevilles to Sir Richard de Stapeldon, who held it in trust for a new foundation at Oxford. The chancel was restored in 1870 by John Dando Sedding, who raised the roof back to its old pitch and added new stone coping. A five-light window was rebuilt from the original design, and new oak seating was installed. Later, between 1878 and 1879, the whole church was restored at a cost of £689. New roofs, windows, floors of Delabole slate, and Hesperus lamps were added. The bells were first rung in January 1880 after the reopening. Inside, visitors find a spacious nave with aisles on both sides. The restored chancel contains oak seating and a rebuilt window copied from the original. The Arundell Aisle is separated by a low screen provided by the Rural Dean, Revd F Hockin. An organ installed in 1993 by Lance Foy plays in the church, its opening recital given by Hubert Stanley Middleton in 1925. The church belongs to a joint parish that includes four other churches across Hayle, St Erth, Phillack and Gwithian.