St. Teath, St. Tetha's Church

Teath, St. Tetha's Church

St. Tetha's Church lies almost directly across the road from the excellent White Hart Inn in St. Teath. To the right is the entrance to the graveyard, by its gate a tall Cornish Cross. To the left steps lead up to a handsome lych gate. The church lies to the left of the path, a stair turret on the north face of its tower. I had driven through St. Teath on a number of occasions, most particularly when heading for the general area of Trebarwith and Trewarmet, on one occasion when preparing an item on Prince of Wales Engine House, on others when doing round walks from Jeffrey's Pit, one taking in Delabole Quarry, another including well known Trebarwith Strand. On this occasion my expedition was first to revisit St. Tudy to have a detailed look around its church, then to explore St. Teath. This is a slightly difficult village; a narrow road winds through it with little in the way of pavement and there is little parking unless you can justify using the White Hart Inn's vast car park. The obvious focus of the village is the church but there are also some attractive cottages up lanes to the south of the church. Opposite the pub a small square is dominated by a clock tower; behind it is the church on a raised circular site, probably of pre-historic significance. The church is dedicated to St. Tetha, though to be one of the twenty four daughters of fecund Welsh King Brychan. The church consists of nave, two aisles and a three stage tower. Inside are handsome roofs with carved bosses, a carved pulpit bearing a coat of arms, carved choir stall fronts, some good bench ends and a font that appears to be of blue Catacleuse stone. A former church hall, on the edge of the churchyard, now operates as a snooker hall.

Sundial

St. Tetha's Church

Priest Figure