Gerrans

I have a particular affection for this corner of Cornwall, the Roseland Peninsula. It is where I spent family holidays as a teenager, it is where I met Jane and the church is where Jane's older son, Jeremy, married his Mimi. At the bottom of a long, steep hill is Portscatho with a small harbour at the southern end of the sweep of Gerrans Bay. It has to be said that it is not a very prepossessing church, though the octagonal spire is unusual for Cornwall. For me, the greatest attraction was the Cornish Cross near the porch; restored in the 19th century it had apparently previously formed part of the coping of the churchyard wall.. A fire in 1848 meant that less early and original work remains than I would like. For instance, there are only a few carved bench ends, one bearing the device of Catherine of Aragon. There is an attaractive square Norman font, standing on a fat central pillar with four slim surrounding shafts. There are few monuments though that to Edward Hobbs, of 1718, is described by Pevsner as carrying two allegorical figures "in garments as chastely undetailed as if they were of 1820". On the south wall, a slate tablet lists all Rectors of Gerrans since 1260. It is suggested that the name Gerrans derives from a saint of that name; it is more likely that it relates to King Gereint of Dumnonia, for whom Dingerein Castle at Curgurrel is named.

Note the, for Cornwall, unusual spire

Gerrans and Portscatho are signed from A3078 to St. Mawes

Golant, St.