Lanivet Church near Bodmin
I found Lanivet church when walking the Saints Way. Its dedication is odd. The church's own guide leaflet suggests the dedication is to St. Nivet, daughter of Welsh King Brychan, or to St. Nevet, a Breton. On the other hand the Church of England officially declares it dedicated to St. Ia, who gave her name to St. Ives. Sadly the church is also a something of a disappointment; a handsome, typically Cornish, 15th century church in the Decorated style, ruined by over improvement by the Victorians, who scraped many frescoes and removed original stained glass. The reason to visit Lanivet church is the wonderful collection of stonework dotted around inside and out. By the porch is a 10th century 'hogback' tomb slab. Behind the church are a 13th century four-hole Cornish cross and a 10th century wheel cross. Inside the church are some fascinating memorials. One from the 5th or 6th century commemorates 'Annicu'. A portrait tomb slab in the vestry to a Courtney (perhaps related to the Earls of Devon) dates from 1560; another Courtney was added to it in 1632, surely not the brother the guide leaflet claims. A nearby tomb slab features gilded angels. Pulpit and reredos are both Victorian but attractive. St. Benet's Abbey
5/6th century Annicu stone
Courtney memorial slab
Lanivet near Bodmin, St.
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Lanlivery, St. Bryvyta's Church
I was first in Lanlivery in 2006 when I passed through when walking the Saints Way from Padstow to Fowey. On that occasion I was walking a section, linking the two southbound routes, between Lanlivery and Luxulyan. I stopped for food at the Crown Inn. On that occasion I did not visit St. Bryvyta's church though I did photograph St. Bryvyta's Holy Well by Churchtown Farm. In mid-August 2018 I decided to do a little research to the west of Lostwithiel and visited the churches in both Luxulyan and Lanlivery. I started in the latter with a coffee in the Crown Inn then walked across the road to take a look inside the church of St. Bryvyta (or Brevita or Brivet). As you approach, the first thing you notice about the church is its tower, almost 100 feet tall. Consisting of Nave, Chancel, South Aisle, Porch and Tower, St. Bryvyta's is mostly of the 15th century but incorporates some 13th century work. Noteworthy features inside include wagon roofs, several good 17th and 18th century monuments, several fragments of blue medieval glass in the east window, an octagonal font with simple decoration, an ancient carved slate tomb slab. The wooden pulpit stands on a granite base and bears carved coats of arms. A wall tablet remembers Thomas Hawkey who died in the United States in 1873. In the porch a tablet commemorates Charlotte Atherton, wife of Robert Atherton, vicar of Ratcliffe. Why is a vicar of a Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire village associated with a rural Cornwall church? In the churchyard are a table tomb and several slate gravestones. When I was there, in the quire was an exhibition of wood carvings. The pub opposite, the Crown, is a nice place but menu and prices are more restaurant than pub.
Lanner, Christchurch
I was passing through Lanner on my way to Gwennap when, on a whim, I followed a sign pointing right to "churches." I had no great expectations but was pleasantly surprised, after passing a Methodist Chapel, to find white-painted Christchurch towards the top of the hill, next to it a parish hall. In the churchyard in front of the church what took my eye was the unexpected pair of Cornish Crosses. The church itself dates from 1840 and is by the well known early Victorian architect George Wightwick. Inside the church is well proportioned with a shallow chancel and a 3-bay aisle, a later addition of 1883. The only old thing of notice inside the church is an delightful font with an angelic figure on each face. To my surprise, Pevsner says that this 19th century font was originally in St. Dunstan's, Fleet Street in London.
Lansallos, St. Ildierna's Church
At the beginning of September 2016 I had an outing to the other side of the Fowey River from Fowey. I took the Bodinnick Ferry across the Fowey and followed tiny lanes past Pont to Lanteglos-by-Fowey. There I took interior photos before continuing to Lansallos. There is a National Trust car park back up the hill but, as I was visiting the church, I chose to use the small parking area by the gate to the churchyard. It was a very wet day so I failed to get any good exterior photos and, after photographing a Cornish Cross head and separate shaft in the churchyard, I concentrated instead on the interior. A Celtic church on this site was dedicated to Saint Salwys; the present church, of tower, nave, aisle and chapel, was dedicated to St.Ildierna in 1321 though the present fabric is clearly of the Decorated period. The porch has a superb wooden roof with carved bosses and inside the church are fine wagon roofs, again with carved bosses. There is also as fine a collection of carved bench ends as you will find almost anywhere and carved bench backs, too. The pulpit, on a stone base, has carved panels. On a wall is an excellent slate memorial of 1579 to Margaret Smith. Relics, including a Celtic font, a bell, a chest and stone carvings are at the end of the aisle. Appallingly, the church was subject of an arson attack in 2005; happily, only the organ suffered severe damage. More Images