St Ives in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

St Nicholas Chapel

Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 7, 2025

1. St Nicholas Chapel Marker

Inscription. This ancient chapel of St Nicholas, which has stood upon this site from time immemorial, partially destroyed by order of the war office in 1904, was rebuilt and restored to its former condition by Sir Edward Hain, in 1911. Being the coronation year of his majesty King George V.

The chapel was further restored in 1971, by James Holman C.B.E. of St Ives.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.

Location. 50° 13.092′ N, 5° 28.703′ W. Marker is in St Ives, England, in Cornwall. It is on South West Coast Path. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: S W Coast Path, St Ives, England TR26 1SZ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South West England.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

on the Atlantic Arc,

in Europe,

on the Celtic Fringe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within 11 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Island or St. Ives Head (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); The Coastal Community (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Shared Viewpoints (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Pier & Now (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); St Ives War Memorial (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); King Edward Landing (approx. 10.6 kilometers away); Victoria & Albert Visit (approx. 11 kilometers away); Footprints of HM the Queen (approx. 11.1 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St Ives.

Also see . . . History of St Nicholas Chapel (St Ives Town Council). Excerpt:

ST. NICHOLAS is not only the patron saint of children, but also of sailors and it is natural to assume that the latter is the reason for the dedication of this little chapel, standing as it does on the top of the Island, surrounded on three sides by the sea in this town where our ancestors have for centuries derived their livelihood from the sea. Unfortunately, we do not know when it was built, but we do know that it has withstood patching and alterations since the latter half
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 7, 2025

2. St Nicholas Chapel and Marker
of the 15th Century – or even earlier. Indeed, one would assume that our Cornish ancestors duly worshiped in St. Nicholas’ Chapel before the Church of St. Ives was erected in 1434.

The town authorities have always been responsible for its upkeep. In the Borough Records for 1592 we find “paid to John Kalamey for mending Saint Nicholas Chappell, Is. 4d.” and in 1538 a traveller to Cornwall is recorded as saying, “There is now at the point of Pendinas a chapel of St. Nicholas and a pharos for lighte for shippes sailing by night in these quarters.” Not only has this chapel served as a place of worship but it became transformed into a look-out for revenue officers in the 18th Century and eventually passed into the hands of the War Office who used it as a store until 1904 when the Department began to pull it down, amid local outcry. Fortunately, the desecration was arrested and in 1911 Sir Edward Hain (the St. Ives ship owner) restored the building to commemorate the Coronation of King George V.

(Submitted on June 2, 2025.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 2, 2025, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 2, 2025, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.