St. Mary's, Penzance — Attraction in Penzance

Unfortunately the church was not open when I visited but, as a family historian, I was just as interested in the graveyard. The graveyard is dominated by several very large trees with a low canopy so can seem darker than it is. You can tell the old age of the graveyard by the dates of the inscriptions. It looks like the graves have been 'tidied' in that old headstones laid flat or several lined upright together, away from their original location. If you are trying to locate someone in particular, this might make your search trickier. This church is just by the Maria Branwell House (mother of the Brontë sisters) and I spotted a couple of headstones with the surname Branwell, which might be of interest to Brontë enthusiasts,...

The 'High Church' of Penzance. On the site of a previous chapel of ease and an earlier chapel before that. Previously devastated by fire but risen from the ashes and the new main window looks lovely. You can come in for a cup of tea and a chat or even heat your sausage roll using the microwave in the communal area. A wonderful church at the centre of the community, many famous choirs have lifted their voices here. Concerts and recitals also take place. The graveyard is also an...

The church itself is nice and the garden and old cemetery around it are beautiful, with some wonderful spots to sot down and enjoy the view of the sea. The garden is a meadow preservation area for birds and pollinators so extra conservation...