Ten treasures hiding in plain sight inside Truro Cathedral

Most people who step inside Truro Cathedral look up first. The vaulted ceilings and the sheer scale of the place tend to pull the eye skywards. But some of the building’s best details sit lower down, tucked into side chapels and quiet corners, and they are easy to walk straight past. The cathedral is asking visitors this summer whether they have found them yet.

Victorian glass and a dragon underfoot

The Rose Windows are the obvious place to start. Three circular windows form part of the cathedral’s collection of stained glass by the Victorian workshop Clayton and Bell, whose work colours much of the building. Stand beneath them on a bright day and the effect is hard to miss.

Closer to eye level is the Brass Eagle Lectern. It is held up by figures of the four evangelists, and if you look at the base you will find the eagle in the act of slaying a dragon. It is the kind of detail that rewards a second glance.

A contemporary chapel and the heart of worship

For a quieter moment, St Margaret’s Chapel offers a contemporary prayer space set within the cathedral. On its walls hang four paintings by the Scottish artist Craigie Aitchison, whose spare, glowing canvases give the room its atmosphere.

The High Altar sits at the centre of cathedral worship. Behind it, the reredos carries a striking sculpture of Christ sacrificed, the focal point for services and a piece worth pausing in front of.

Granite carved six centuries ago

Two smaller works are among the most affecting in the building. The Pieta was carved by Breton monks in the 14th century from Caen granite, a piece that has outlived most of what surrounds it. Nearby, an ebony statue of the Madonna and Child draws the eye for very different reasons.

Whether the draw is history, architecture, art or simply somewhere still to sit for ten minutes, the cathedral reckons there is always something a visitor has not spotted before. It is inviting people to work through the full list, from the glass to the granite, before their next trip in. You can see the complete Top 10 Things to See on its website.