St. Clement

Clement

Less than two miles from the heart of Truro, St. Clement might be another world entirely. Reached by a quiet and narrow lane, it nestles above the tidal Tresillian River, its wooded banks a haunt of herons. Jane and I revisited after more than thirty years and, for the first time, took a close look at the church. The delightful churchyard is entered through an unusual lych gate, rooms above it and a filled-in coffen stile, like a great granite cattle grid, beneath your feet. The churchyard, itself part of a wildlife project, is full of ancient tomb stones with sentimental inscriptions. Near the south porch is a remarkable survival, an eleven foot high granite pillar, twice used as a 6th century memorial, re-cut as a Celtic Cross and later used as a gate-post. Inside is a pulpit of green serpentine, a 14th century font and a rather touching marble memorial to Samuel Thomas. An easy one mile, sometimes muddy, walk down-river brings you to the village of Malpas and its enjoyable Heron Inn. A pleasant, but sometimes muddy, walk up-river brings you to Tresillian village just east of Truro. A walk uphill and across fields brings you to Boscawen Park on the Truro River just on the south side of Truro city centre. There is a small amount of parking at the creek below the church.

A round walk includes St. Clement and Malpas.

Waterfront at St. Clement

Signed L from Trafalgar roundabout Truro

St.