This church proved to be a bit of a pain to find out any information on. However, I managed to find a listing for a book that was in the library.
The book is “A History of the Church of St Francis, Indian Queens” by S.C. May.
From it I have this little bit of history:
In 1869, Henry Lawrence Ventris, rector of St Columb Major, noticed that in the southern section of his Parish, there were 5 Methodist Chapels but no established church. With his wife Ann, he sought assistance from a local land owner in Carworgie.
There was no St Columb Road at the time, just a small scattering of cottages called Halloon. Indian Queens was a hamlet further down the road, containing the local inn, which I am assuming is the Blue Anchor. (Not mentioned in the book)
In the 1870’s a meeting took place about a church, and in 1874, when the railway was built, they found more support for a church. In 1881, Ann died, and this spurred the Rector on.
On 22nd May 1884, the land owner, a Henry Jenkin Rowse, granted permission for a lease of £2-00, on a bit of land at Indian Queens. The lease recites that the land, 78 feet by 48 feet, was to be held in trust by the rector of St Columb Major for the use of a school but also as a chapel with the lithurgey and rites of the established church.
It was then that the building of the Mission School started and at a cost of £400-00 and to seat 150 people. It opened on 14th September 1884.
The church was served by a lay preacher for years, with the rector keeping his carriage at the nearby Carworgie Farm. The Sunday service was held at 6pm.
In 1897, Ventris died, and Rev. Edmund Walker took over until 1914, and then Rev Crosbie took over until 1920.
From 1920, Rev Childes-Clarke was in charge, and during this time, a large membership decided that the church needed extending. So after some fund raising events, work started on extending the church. This coincided with the 700th anniversary of the birth of St Francis of Assisi.
So on Monday 4th October 1926 at 3pm, the foundation stone was laid, by the Honourable Hillaria St Aubyn.
This extension made the church twice the size and cost £2000. The extension was finish on 26th June 1929.
Inside the church is a font, which was gifted by the Duke of Cornwall. Outside, there is a stone, known as the “Longstone”. It was on the main road until 1939, when the council considered it a road hazard. The “Longstone”, was an old boundary stone between the 2 parishes of St Columb Major and St Enoder. The area of Indian Queens was originally known as Longstone because of it.
For the purpose of the cache, the front of the church is taken from the Standing Stone as you face the church.
To find the cache, simply solve the following puzzle:
N: 50 AB.CDE W: 004 (A+B)(A+B).FG(C-A)
Number of keyholes in main door = A
Number of fancy topped windows covered by mesh (roadside only) = B
Total number of windows covered by mesh (roadside only) = C
Number of empty alcoves above the main door PLUS 1 = D
Number of windows on the front of the church PLUS C = E
The second digit of the year Colin Riley died= F
Last digit of the year Colin Riley died MINUS 1= G
Congratulations to KernowYardies and Joesmile on their joint FTF
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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