Page:Cornwall (Salmon).djvu/295

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TRURO persons thought an ordinary enlargement of the church would be sufficient ; Dr. Benson begged and laboured for a cathedral that should corre- spond with his ideals. On 20th May, 1880, the foundation-stone was laid by our present King, in his rank of Duke of Cornwall. The duchy acted upon its motto of "one and all" in zealously contributing to the work, while Dr. Benson was unwearied in the same cause. In 1883 he was promoted to Canterbury ; and his labours here have been commemorated in the Benson Transept. He was succeeded by Dr. Wilkinson. The architect of the building was J. L. Pearson, R.A. In everything but style the cathedral is thoroughly Cornish ; it consists of Cornish granite, china-stone, polyphant and ser- pentine, with Cornish copper in the clock-tower. With regard to style, it would have been better if the prevalent Perp. had been adhered to, in- stead of this rather French-looking E.E. The objection, if any, applies to the exterior ; the interior gives little cause for complaint. When completed according to the architect's design, the building will be 303 ft. in length, and its central tower 217 ft. from floor of nave. The completed choir and portion of nave were con- secrated in 1887, the Prince of Wales again attending. Furnishings and plate were the gift of the Cornish people under Bishop Wil- kinson ; the font was given by Sunday School children of the diocese, the reredos by church- folk of the deanery of Powdar. The rose window of the Benson Transept was the gift of