St Mary’s Aisle is the last remaining remnant of the Parish Church of St Mary, Truro, much of which was demolished to make way for the new cathedral in 1880. There has been prayer and worship on this site since at least 1259, the date it was consecrated by Bishop Bronescombe of Exeter. The first Rector was installed in 1265, John de Belsal.
The Aisle is petite compared with the much larger Gothic Revival structure of the rest of Truro Cathedral, with luminous stained glass, ceiling bosses, an 18^th century organ and a beautiful triptych of the life of the Virgin Mary. All this was at risk of serious damage due to a worn out roof that could no longer repel the rain running off the larger part of the building.
A £10,000 grant from Cornwall Historic Churches Trust helped to renew the roof and refurbish the interior of the Aisle. After a year of closure, it re-opened in June for worship (11.00 most Fridays) and other activities. Dean Simon Robinson thanked the Trust and its supporters, and said “I am delighted that as a result of the work carried out, the Aisle has been able to re-open to the public as a beautiful and welcoming space. We are looking forward to using it for prayer, worship and events and activities for all ages for many years to come.”
Photographs courtesy LLE Photography