Altarnun, St. Nonna's
Although I had been in or through Altarnun on many occasions, including an Inny Valleys Walk that starts here, and had attended a village coffee morning some years ago, I realised, to my surprise, that I had never been inside St. Nonna's Church. So when my friend Bob suggested an outing to include Altarnun and a walk on East Moor, I was happy to join him in February 2017. This is a holy place of some significance as Nonna, also know as Non, Nonnita and Nun, was the mother of the patron saint of Wales, St. David. Sadly, Non's Holy Well, on the edge of Altarnun, is appallingly overgrown; it is a disgrace that the village does not maintain it. Generally speaking, I was quite impressed by the interior of the church. There are good wagon roofs with carved bosses. At each end of the extended Victorian screen, there is only a remnant of the medieval screen. There is a rood stair entrance but no stairs. There is a fine font, one of the best of the so-called Altarnun Fonts, Norman with a bearded face at each corner. There are, unusually, no memorials. The church's finest feature is the superb collection of medieval carved bench ends, 79 in all. Some are entertaining - a Cornish bagpiper, jesters, violinists, sheep. Moving is a so-called vernicle, a portrait of Christ on a handkerchief held by an angel. Outside is a good Cornish Cross with identical obverse and reverse.
St. Nonna's Church
Altarnun Revisited Altarnun's Bench Ends
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Altarnun, St. Nonna's Bench Ends
Hands and Feet
Anthony-in-Meneage
Visited on the same day in February 2019 as St. Manacaa's church in Manaccan, this is an unusually situated church, only a spit of shingle with boats parked on it separating the church from Gillan Creek and just a few cottages near it. The church was originally 13th century but only parts of the nave and transept now date from that time. To my delight, before even entering the church, I spotted a Cornish Cross, rather damaged. I found a lot to like within the church. There are fine wagon roofs with simple carved bosses. The font is circular, of the 15th century and has shield-carrying angels. In the chancel chapel a reredos of the Last Supper is said to be from Lord Byron's Newstead Abbey. In a niche in the transept is an unusual relief carving of the Last Supper. Unexpectedly, the pulpit is 20th century by Violet Pinwell, one of three Devon sisters. Stained glass is mostly late Victorian. The Royal Arms are unusually inscribed "GUL IV Rex" for James 4th. The lectern is a carved wooden eagle. Rood stairs are still in place but, disappointingly no rood screen. A carved wooden chest has a front of three panels. There is a good collection of kneelers; my favourite carried a lamb and flag within a sunburst.
Biscovey
This, rather oddly, is the parish church of the ecclesiastical parish of Par, which includes St. Blazey and Tywardreath; it's a big parish and a small church. On a sunny Saturday in early October I had a busy time visiting churches in the St. Austell/Par area. Major visit was Holy Trinity in St. Austell itself but I also enjoyed All Saints in Pentewan, St. Levan's in Higher Porthpean and, described here, St. Mary the Virgin in Biscovey. The location of St. Mary the Virgin is a surprise, high above a large circular car park on the north side of the A390 St. Austell to Lostwithiel Road. There are 32 steps to climb from car park to churchyard but the effort is well worth it. The first thing to note, in the angle between the external walls of the chancel and south aisle, is the tall remains of a Cornish Cross, sadly minus its head. This is a noteworthy church in at least one respect: It was built in 1848, the very first work of highly respected architect G E Street. The tower and spire are unusual for Cornwall, effectively a double broach spire with tiny dormers. Once inside, the high ceiling gives a feeling of spaciousness. The nave roof, of tie beam and crown post, is echoed in the aisle roof. The chancel has three stained glass windows to south, three to east, and a colourful altar cloth. The aisle chapel has a ceiling in blue and gold. The simple pulpit is of stone with blue carpeted stairs. There is an ornate brass lectern and a plain litany desk. A banner is of Virgin and Child.