The church is dedicated to Saint Ia the Virgin, also known as Ives, supposedly an Irish holy woman of the 5th or 6th century. The current building dates to the reign of King Henry V of England. St Ives was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1639 and is now primarily a popular seaside resort, notably achieving the title of Best UK Seaside Town from the British Travel Awards in both 2010 and 2011. St Ives has become renowned for its number of artists.
