Cornish church with open-door policy forced to lock up after 'appalling' vandalism

An 'open-door' church in Cornwall was forced to shut after it was vandalised in a vile attack.

St Peter's Church, in Mevagissey, near St Austell has an open policy, meaning any member of the public can enter and enjoy the interior of the building.

However, the church was vandalised sometime between Wednesday, July 8, in the afternoon, and mid-morning on Thursday, July 9.

One local councillor has called it an "appalling" act, saying he hopes whoever did it is "brought to justice".

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A spokesman for St Peter's said: "Our church which we leave open for the community and visitors to enjoy has, between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday mid morning, been vandalised.

"The church is now locked until we can assess the situation."

Conservative Councillor for the corresponding Mevagissey & St Austell Bay ward on Cornwall Council James Mustoe said: "We were married at St Peter's and both our children christened there - it is a place of quiet reflection with a tremendous sense of heritage and history.

"Importantly, it has always been open and welcoming to all - a safe space of sanctuary for Mevagissey. I hope whoever is responsible is caught and brought to justice."

The church's website states: "We are a welcoming place for people of all ages and backgrounds.

"We are dedicated to providing a space where everyone is welcome as we come together to worship God and to discover more about how faith can relate to our everyday lives.

"We welcome you if you are curious about church, if you are exploring faith for the first time, or if you have been a Christian for years.

"Whether you have lived in the village all your life, have moved into the village more recently or are visiting on holiday, we invite you to come and join us on a Sunday morning at 9.30am."

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In an update posted to social media, the church's rector Reverend Stephen Williams thanked members of the community who came forward with messages of support.

He said: "I would like to thank the community of Mevagissey for their concern and comments regarding the recent vandalism at St Peter’s Church.

"We are now aware who the alleged suspect is, and we can confirm that the incident did not involve any young people or anyone else from our community. Many thanks."

GB News has contacted Devon and Cornwall Police for a comment.

Nearly 4,000 offences were committed in churches and places of worship last year, leaving rural communities reeling.

The data was obtained by the Countryside Alliance as part of its campaign to focus attention on rural churches and increase funding for security at places of worship.

Freedom of Information requests were made to all of the UK’s 45 territorial police forces, with 37 of them providing figures.

There were 3,649 records of theft, burglary, criminal damage, vandalism and assault from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

An additional 175 crimes of different categories brings the total recorded crimes to 3,824. On average, more than 10 crimes took place at churches and places of worship every single day last year.

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