Crowan
, More St. Crewenna's Church
In early April 2019 I again headed down west, this time first to visit Holy Trinity at Penponds, then to take another look at St. Crewenna's Chuch in Crowan. I was last there in May 2017 but, before that, the first time I saw Crowan was when walking the Land's End Trail, helping Robert Preston to update the route details, way back in August 2008. Then, my route took me through the Clowance estate; this time I drove from Penponds by way of Praze-an-Beeble. There is more to the church than suggested by my original report above. The first thing I discovered that I had omitted is the Cornish Cross in the churchyard; also a nice little weather-worn cross on the porch roof. Inside, this time, I noted the pier capitals, angels holding shields. And I noted the figures on the base of the otherwise rather plain font: lions passant. I also noticed the surprising amount of stained glass, some of it by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. This time I also noticed a surprising number of attractive embroidered kneelers, one with robin and snowdrops, another reminding me of canal boats with a castle and roses. I took a good number of photographs on this visit: here are three of them.
Cornish Cross Head
St. Aubyn Memorial
Lion Passant on Font Base
Photographs
More in Churches & Holy Sites
Cubert, St. Cubert's Church
Cubert lies a mile or so south of Crantock, to the south of the Gannel Estuary that defines the southern boundary of Newquay. St. Cubert's church is to the south of the main street, Holywell Road, at the eastern end of the village. It stands in a large, but largely empty, graveyard, raised above the surrounding land, an example of the typical Cornish lann; a roofless lych gate leads up to the churchyard, in which there are some good table tombs. Look back from inside the lych gate and you will see a cottage with a round cloam oven projecting from it. The first thing about the church itself to take your eye is the, unusual for Cornwall, broach spire, rising directly from the body of the tower. Next thing to notice, before you enter the church, is the Cornish Crosshead by the porch; it stands on the top of an originally unconnected granite upright. Inside, the church consists of nave, south aisle and north transept. The north transept is particularly striking, the columns of its arched entrance of blue Catacleuse stone (an Elvan stone). Inside the north transept is the font, also made of Catacleuse stone, with a central pillar and four slim supporting pillars in the Bodmin style, and a wooden font cover in the shape of four transepts and a tower. The pulpit is made up from medieval bench ends. The chancel ceiling has carved wooden bosses. Other features to note are carved capitals to some pillars, a St. Cubert banner and the glass figure of a soldier with rifle and bayonet.
Cury, St. Gunwalloe's Church
Leaving the Helston to Lizard Town road, Cury is halfway to delightful Poldhu Cove. There is not much to the village: thirty or forty houses, a primary school, St. Gunwalloe's church, a Methodist chapel, a football ground and allotments. I was there primarily to see and to photograph a tall Cornish Cross in the churchyard. You cannot miss it, standing tall beside the steps up to the mound that the church, as so often in Cornwall, stands on. While outside, look also at the two-stage tower with its stair turret. Entering the church, I was struck immediately by the porch where, under a wagon roof, is an elaborate decorated Norman doorway. Inside the church, what strikes you most are the ceilings: the nave has a sort of Cornish hammer-beam, the aisle a panelled wagon roof with carved bosses. There is a small south transept, connected to the chancel by a squint. Above is the exit to a missing rood loft. An elaborate font stands on pillars of the local serpentine. Pevsner describes it as "a variety of the Bodmin type". A Christ figure stands in a window opening.
Devoran, St. John
A charming village, tucked quietly away from the busy Truro to Falmouth road, Devoran's present belies its past. Now a quiet and beautiful creek-side village, boasting a fair number of small-boat sailors, Devoran was once a very busy commercial port, shipping copper ore from mines on the Great Flat Lode around Redruth, linked by the horse drawn Redruth and Chacewater Railway, now part of a Coast to Coast trail. When you see how the creek has silted up - ironically with mine spoil - it is hard to imagine how any cargo boats ever got as far as Devoran - let alone Bissoe further upstream. St. John's Church was built in 1855-7; it is by J L Pearson, architect of Truro Cathedral. The style is restrained Early English, the first of the Gothic styles. Unusually the chancel is in the form of a semi-circular apse with lancet windows. Inside, the chancel is notable for its blue windows and ceiling. The white Caen stone pulpit has gothic niches containing holy figures. The white font is of three octagonal stages. There are simple pine pews. Stained glass is mostly grisaille. In the village, the Old Quay Inn has an enjoyable local atmosphere; food is fairly ambitious in the gastro-pub style. We have eaten there on several occasions and have always liked it. If there is no space in the pub's small car park, you should be able to park by the village hall at the start of Quay Street.