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Inside St. Petroc's Church
Here are a selection of treasures that you will find in our church. Click on each box.
 St P & Stag windowProbably born in South Wales, St Petroc primarily ministered to the Britons of Devon (Dewnans) and Cornwall (Kernow), where he is associated with a monastery at Padstow, which is named after him. Bodmin became the major centre for his veneration when his relics were moved to the monastery there in the later ninth century. |  Rood screenIn 1491 Matthy More undertook the reseating of the church and the building of the rood screen and pulpit. His work took four years and he was paid "about £400 in our money" (estimated in 1937). Parts of his work survive in the bench-ends and panels of the screen which have been re-used in the Corporation seats, wall panelling, reredos, pulpit and modern screen. |  FontThe font of a type common in Cornwall is of the 12th century: large and finely carved. The type may also be found at Altarnun and elsewhere but Bodmin's font is the largest and most highly ornamented of any of this type. |
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 ReliquaryThis C12th Sicilian ivory casket housed the bones of St Petroc |  ColoursThe colour from Waterloo was left in the air to disintegrate rather then being buried |  DCLINumerous memories of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI), which was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1959, can be found. 22 individual DCLI memorials are sited at various locations around the Church, and descriptive ‘handouts’ are available for visitor’s information. There are also intricate stained-glass windows, in memory of families but also the Fallen of the DCLI. Looking up in the roof space of the Soldiers Chapel, you will see the colours |
 Bodmin GospelsDisplayed within a somewhat tarnished glazed case on the West wall of the South Aisle are copies of some pages of the Bodmin Gospels which dates from the end of the 9th century to the early part of the 11th. It is mainly written in Latin and Old English but also has the earliest written examples of the Cornish language. In addition, records were added to the Book recording the freeing of slaves. The original Book is held at the British Library - Click on the picture for a link to information. |  CopeRecycling is not new A 300-year-old hand embroidered cloth, once a bedspread or curtain, was transformed into a stunning cloak. During an exhibition of vestments held at St. Petroc’s about 20 years ago, Brenda Dunster (an expert in all crafts but primarily dressmaking and embroidery), noticed a cope (cloak) on display that was hand embroidered. She was amazed at this remarkable find. The vestment was shown to Julia Brokenshire (a member of the Bodmin branch of the NADSFA click to continue |  Christmas TreesA beautiful feature at Christmas is our festival of Christmas trees |
Key Features of St. Petroc's Church
Bodmin Gospels Explained by Professor Brown
Learn more about the origins of the 9th/10th century Bodmin Gospels, also known as St. Petroc Gospels and the fascinating connection between the book and slaves from the 10th century receiving their freedom.
The booklet is available at St. Petroc's Church.
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