The present Church, standing on the hillside opposite the site of the old Priory, was built on the ruins of a Norman Church, the only visible remains of which are a few small stones showing just above the gound level under the East window of the Chancel, and a smilar lot at the North end of the Transept.
An almot complete list of the Vicars of Tywardreath, hanging in the church gives "Ralph" as the first Vicar (1261 - 1280).
"It was decided in 1261 that the Vicar of Tywardreath should reside in the Priory, (although the monks had a church of their own) and have his stipend mainly in food and lodgings as the other monks". (Chas.Henderson)
In the Inquistion of the Bishop's of Lincoln and Winchester into the Value of Cornish Benefice in 1294, "Ecclesia de Tywardreath in decannatu de Powdre" was vlauded at CVIs VIIId (106s 8d). In Wolsey's Inquistion in 1521 at £9 6s 8d with the patronage formerly in the Abbot of Tywardreath.
The Church was appropriated to the Prior or Abbot of Tywardreath before the Statute of Richard II and the Vicar paid only £11 stipend out of the Duchy Exchequer of Lostwithiel.
In the 19th Century the patronage was vested in the Rashleigh family of Menabilly (from Davies Gilbert's History of Cornwall 1838)
The Church was originally of cruciform shape, with a shorter nave and two transepts, th existing North one and a similar one on the South side: ther eas at that time no Tower.
It was re-dedicated in 1347: the South aisle built about 1480 and the Tower at the same time. To these it is recorded, the people of Golant contributed £4 and £10 anded erected a window with the figure of St Sampson in it. In 1508, thinkg they had paid enough, they refused to contribute to a rood-loft and consequently the Tywardreath churchwardens sued them in the Consistory Court. Bishop Oldham however, in 1509, sided with them by consecrating their own rebuilt chapel and cemetary.
It was also decided that Golant people "being merchants and artificers, cannot leave their craft boats and nets . . . to go all the way to Tywardreath". So instead they had to pay a fish tithe, the eighteenth fish, the eighteenth bushel of grain brough in ships to the shore and the eighteenth barrel of all herrings landed. So they were freed up of their dependance on Tywardreath Church and Priory.
Toward the end of the 15th Century the cruciform shape of the Church disappeared owing the the necessity of enlarging the building by the addition of the South Nave aisle. The original altar slab incised with the five consecration crosses was discovered and replaced.
The Church as it is now, is typical of many Churches in Cornwall which have gone through the same evolutionary changes, and in common with them the interior has suffered at the hands of restorers and reformers inasmuch as nearly all the glories of oak roof, .pew ends and beautiful carved oak screen have disa.ppeared; the only remains of the latter is the rood loft doorway and the stairs built into its own little turret on the South wall. The old screens and lofts of Cornish Churches were very beautiful, and we have reason to believe that the decorative values of our own Parish Church would have born comparision with most churches in the county. It is regretable that so much of what was so beautiful has been lost, but we have much to be thankful for in so far that in the past nothing has been allowed to destoy the fine proportions of he old building which are apparent to the most casual observer. (from a booklet issued by the Parochial Church Council)
There are memorials to Thomas Collins (1543), to the Rashleigh family, to Robert Harris sometime Major General of His Majesty's forces before Plymouth (1655) and also to his sister Honor Harris.
The very fine peal of bells were put into the Tower in 1774. Four of the bells contained in the Tower are mentioned in an inventory of the days of Edward VI (1553), but probably they were re-case and two fresh ones added by John Pennington of Stokeclimsland in 1774.
In 1892 they over overhauled and tuned to organ pitch. One bell bears the inscription:- "I ring the quick to Church, the dead to grave." The date of this bell is 1774. The tenor bell has the name of the then Vicar and his Churchwardens. The Jubilee (1887) memorial clock, which clost £160, stikes the hour on the last mentioned bell. (from Reminiscences of Tywardreath by S J Vincent)
St Andrew's Church