Convent of the Epiphany
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Alverton House
| native_name =
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| type =
| locmapin = Cornwall
| coordinates = {{coord|50.266441|-5.043787}}
| location = Truro, Cornwall, England
| area =
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| designation1 = Grade II*
| designation1_offname = Alverton Manor Hotel
| designation1_date = 10 December 1984
| designation1_number = {{listed building England|1282635}}
}}
The Convent of the Epiphany, Truro, Cornwall, UK, was the home of the Community of the Epiphany (1883–2001). The founder of this community was George Wilkinson, Bishop of Truro.Article by Richard Savill "Last surviving nun of 127 year-old order", The Daily Telegraph, 4 November 2008, p. 7. The sisters were involved in pastoral and educational work, the care of Truro Cathedral and St Paul's Church, and church needlework. The order was lead for several decades by Mother Julian (Warrender) (1827-1911) who was an inspiration to, and close correspondent of, Ottoline Morrell {{cite book |last= Seymour |first= Miranda | author-link=Miranda Seymour|title= Ottoline Morrell: Life on the Grand Scale |location= New York |publisher= Farrar Straus Giroux |date= 1993 |isbn= 0-374-22818-3 }}.
Branch houses and foundations
The convent opened daughter houses in the Penzance,Cornish Church Guide. Truro: Blackford; pp. 325–26 (The Sisterhood of the Epiphany) Newquay, and in addition to the mother house, Truro. The sisters also ran a convalescent home in St Agnes, and a small school (Rosewin School) and a retreat house (St Michael's House) in Truro.
In 1936, the sisters founded the Community of Nazareth, in Tokyo, Japan, which achieved full independence around 1960 under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Church in Japan, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai. This community, in turn, founded a daughter house on the island of Okinawa.
Alverton House
The Convent of the Epiphany was originally in the parish of St Paul at Alverton House, Tregolls Road, Truro, an early 19th-century house and a grade II* listed building since 1984.{{NHLE|desc=Alverton Manor Hotel|num=1282635|accessdate=25 October 2017}} Alverton House and grounds was put up for auction on 26 April 1881 by Jane Tweedy, the widow of William Mansell Tweedy. It was described as a residential property, enclosed within a ring fence. There were thirteen bedrooms and dressing rooms, a spacious drawing room, dining and morning rooms, library, hall and conservatory, kitchen and offices. There was also {{convert|12|acre}} of lawns, shrubberies, pleasure, kitchen and allotment gardens, and five cottages.{{cite news|title=Valuable & Important Freehold Residential Property|work=The Cornishman|issue=144|date=14 April 1881|page=1}} Bidding for the property ended at £5,700, which failed to meet the reserve price of £6,500 and it was later sold to Mr Pascoe of Essex (formerly of Helston) for £6,200.{{cite news|last1=Memoriter|title=The New And Lucky Owner Of Alverton|issue=148|date=12 May 1881|page=7}}{{cite news|title=Sale of "Alverton"|work=The Cornishman|issue=146|date=28 April 1881|page=5}}
The house was extended for the convent with the addition of a bell tower, a main entrance, and a north wing to provide additional accommodation for the nuns. The chapel was built in 1908-1910 by Edmund H. Sedding. The west wing is coeval with the chapel and may also be by Sedding.Pevsner, N. (1970) Cornwall; 2nd ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin; pp. 234-35{{NHLE|num=1282635|desc=|accessdate=7 March 2018}}
Copeland Court
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Copeland Court
| native_name =
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| image =
| caption =
| type =
| locmapin = Cornwall
| coordinates = {{coord|50.27257|-5.05904}}
| location = Truro, Cornwall, England
| area =
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| architect =
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| designation1 = Grade II
| designation1_offname = Epiphany House
| designation1_date = 29 December 1950
| designation1_number = {{listed building England|1205448}}
}}
In 1983, because of a decline in vocations, Alverton House was sold and the twelve remaining nuns moved to Copeland Court in Kenwyn.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/nun-celebrates-birthday-Order/article-445450-detail/article.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505120538/http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/nun-celebrates-birthday-Order/article-445450-detail/article.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-05-05|title=Last nun celebrates birthday of Order|accessdate=2011-02-23}}{{NHLE|num=1205448|desc=|accessdate=7 March 2018}} Alverton House is now a hotel.{{cite web| url = https://thealverton.co.uk| title = Hotels in Truro {{!}} The Alverton Hotel in Truro {{!}} Truro's Four Star Hotel}}
In 2001, the last two remaining nuns moved out of Copeland Court and the Community of the Epiphany legally ceased to exist. In 2002, Copeland Court was renamed as the Epiphany House Conference and Retreat Centre.{{cite web| url = http://www.epiphanyhouse.co.uk/history.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160708014430/http://www.epiphanyhouse.co.uk/history.html| archive-date = 2016-07-08| title = History of Epiphany House conference and retreat centre}}
In 2008, Sr Elizabeth CE attracted some attention in the local and national press as the last surviving member of the order; she was then 92 and living in a nursing home in Devon, but still engaged in charitable work.{{cite web| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/3372549/Nun-92-is-last-representative-of-125-year-old-order.html| title = Nun, 92, is last representative of 125-year-old order}} In 2017, Sr Elizabeth died at the age of 101.{{cite web| url = https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/truros-last-surviving-nun-died-532119| title = Truro's last surviving nun has died aged 101 - Cornwall Live}}
See also
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
- Vincent Coles (1845 – 1929) – warden of the Convent of the Epiphany
References
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Category:Christian monasteries established in the 19th century
Category:Anglican religious orders established in the 19th century
Category:Monasteries in Cornwall