Marazion
Marazion is not a place you pass through on the way to anywhere. So all who go there do so for a purpose. Mostly that purpose is to visit Saint Michael's Mount or to enjoy the beach with its view of the Mount and of the broad sweep of Mount's Bay. But Marazion is an interesting place in its own right. A narrow main street curves down from the east, from the Helston to Penzance main road, petering out soon after it passes the main car park. Along its way are attractive cottages, a charming small square, a couple of pubs, tearooms, shops (including Philps Bakery, renowned for its pasties), and several art and craft galleries. Pubs are the Godolphin Arms, also a hotel, and the King's Arms. We enjoy the view from the bar of the Godolphin but find it impersonal. We far prefer the cozy King's Arms with its friendly welcome and good value food. Marazion has a remarkable history and may be one of Britain's oldest towns. It and St. Michael's Mount may have been known to the Romans, who would have traded for tin here, as Ictis, though some authorities dispute this. The major town of West Cornwall, from 1170 it returned two members to Parliament. It was incorporated by royal charter in 1257, a charter reaffirmed by Elizabeth I in 1595. Its importance is seen in its two former markets, the marhas vean (little market) and marhas yow (Thursday market), the latter giving the town its name.
Marazion is the southern terminus of St. Michael's Way
Marazion is signed from A394 Helston to Penzance
Marazion beach early morning, looking to Penzance
More in Towns & Villages
Marhamchurch
A couple of miles south-east of Bude, Marhamchurch is a fairly large village of some 700 souls. It stands at the top of a long hill which mirrors the line of the former Bude Canal inclined plane. The broad main street seems to have no name. There is a primary school, a church, a shop, the Bullers Arms pub, and attractive cottages near the church. I was first there when exploring the route of the old Bude Canal, which ran for 10 miles from Lower Tamar Lake to Bude; a very pleasant walk, interrupted here and there where the canal has been lost to private land. On this occasion I went to look at the church. It consists of nave, aisle, transepts and three-stage pinnacled tower. A simple lych gate, with a pyramidal slate roof, leads to the church. Inside are typically Cornish wooden barrel vault ceilings with carved bosses, a wooden pulpit with an unexpected tester, and a large Royal Coat of Arms. The wooden roof of the north aisle is 15th century, the others 19th century. There is a fine 17th century pulpit with tester. The Royal Coat of Arms is large and of plaster work. In the main street, the Bray Institute is in Arts and Crafts style and a former National School incorporates granite doorways from demolished almshouses.. Cottages near the church are attractive.
Mawgan-in-Meneage
Meneage
Menheniot
I only discovered Menheniot [the name means Hyniet's land according to Craig Weatherhill, St. Neot's place according to Julyan Holmes - take your choice] towards the end of April 2016. Jane wanted to see an exhibition of Norman Hartnell's designs and materials, being held in the church. I drove her there and quite liked the look of the village so, a week later, I had an outing to explore the village. It was a dull day so photos were disappointing but I still enjoyed the village. There are some good homes and cottages: I particularly liked the Poads Trust cottages and the old Police Station. The church is typically Cornish in that it has nave and two aisles, Perpendicular windows and fine wagon roofs with carved bosses. Less typical is the spire, not seen on many Cornish churches, set on a tower old than the body of the church. Sadly, inside little that is original remains thanks to over zealous Victorian restoration. However, the font, of Caen stone, is medieval and a brass by the pulpit dates from 1386, perhaps Cornwall's oldest. Memorials mostly commemorate Trelawneys. The churchyard is of little interest - no Cornish Crosses - but does contain a grand Vestry building. There is, apparently a holy well to the south of the church but somehow I missed it.