cornwall holiday uk, cornish bed breakfast, st austell hotel, cornwall holiday seaside coastal walks, sea fishing holiday, cornwall myths and legends, cornwall holiday uk

The little parish church of Boconnoc is set in the heart of a large and ancient private estate, part of which also happens to be a deer park. The setting is almost perfect -the church, like a family chapel, perched on a terrace above the 18th century house (not open to the public) and overlooking the glorious rolling parkland and woods. There is absolute stillness here and the strong sense of another time, another century. The church, which has a bell turret rather than a tower, is largely 15 th century, restored in 1873.

The two most interesting features of Duloe church are the tower and the Colshull chapel. The plan of the church is unusual in that the tower is attached to the south transept. This 13th century tower is massive, like a keep, and appears to lean slightly. It is exceptionally well preserved and topped by a l9th century pyramidal roof, said to be an approximation of the original. The north chapel, part of the l5th century extensions to the church provided by the wealthy Colshulls of Tremadart, is the glory of Duloe. Built as a chantry chapel where masses would be said for the souls of the departed, it is dominated by the mighty tomb of Sir John Colshull (who, in 1450, was the second richest man in Cornwall).

This is a remarkable church in a lovely village; remarkable for an unusually good restoration which allows us to experience , with clarity the atmosphere and fabric of a simple Cornish church in the 15th century. In those days it would not have been outstanding, today it is. Fragments remain of the earlier Norman church, including the squat goblet-shaped font with its rich carving and a piece of an altar stone on the lady Chapel windowsill, but the rest is wholly 15th century. Particularly wonderful is the wealth of old woodwork, some of which is painted, in roofs, panels, bench ends, stalls, monuments and roodscreen. There is a strong feeling of the continuity of worship in this venerable building; it may be ancient and glorious but it is still today, as it ever was, an unaffected village church.

Lansallos Like a sentinel watching over the lonely sweep of Lantivet Bay, this now largely 15th century church has an air of simplicity and solitude. This is an ancient holy place the likely site of a Celtic monastic cell.

An old legend tells of the ghost of a monk who wanders down the church and across the graveyard. In this century the tower, a landmark for sailors and fishermen, has twice been struck by lightning.

This beautiful church. crooked with age, nestles beside a farm in the folds of hills that dip steeply towards the Fowey estuary. A dubious legend relates how St. Willow, the Irish missionary to whom the church is dedicated, was beheaded by a murderous kinsmen at Lamelyon and proceeded to carry his severed head up the wooded path from Pont to the site of the church, the blood which fell along the way colouring all the hedgerow flowers scarlet.

Daphne du Maurier walked up this same path, from the little quay at Pont, on the morning of her wedding in July 1932 to Major Browning. Inside you can see the benefits of a really sensitive restoration and there is a wonderful feeling of space.

This powerful and impressive church, which towers over the huddle of streets and houses down in the old heart of Liskeard, is the second largest parish church in Cornwall, after Bodmin. The bustling market town of Liskeard is one of the oldest towns in Cornwall, and in the 15th century, when much of the present church was built, it was also one of the wealthiest The Norman church which stood here before possibly resembled St. Germans, with two towers flanking the west front The sole tower standing today is modern but contains Norman remains which go to make up a west doorway and upper windows. Other Norman work includes the font in the north porch and a deeply splayed opening in the west wall of the present north aisle, its apex only 7 1/2ft from the ground.