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Brief
History of Old Town Church
At the heart of Old Town today is Old Town Church,
dedicated to St Mary, which nestles quaintly on the coastal path
towards Penninis Headland. It is the oldest surviving church in
the islands having been built in the mid twelfth century when it
was under the control of Tavistock Abbey. It later became the
responsibility of the Prior of Scilly. The date of 1662 appears
above the porch when it is believed the North Aisle was added. The
South Aisle was added around 1677. Much of the church was rebuilt
around eighteen thirty- three and further restoration was carried
our in eighteen ninety.
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Carols
and Music at the Old Town Church
Christmas is a time of carol singing both in and
out of Church. Before the churches had organs a small band
used to play in the west gallery and always turned out for such
events as Christmas services, Easter, Harvest Festival and events
like that. Now the Isles of Scilly Museum has two clarinets
and a serpent. These were originally played in the Old
Church Band which functioned from the gallery of the Old Town
Church. When this was superseded by the new Parish Church in
St. Mary's in 1840, the band moved there too. Eventually the
band was replaced by the organ and the clarinets and the serpent
were on display in the Church, but more recently, for purposes of
safety, they were removed into the care of the Museum.
Steve Ottery - Museum News
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