Three Saints Way: Tremain, Treneglos and Tresmeer

Every now and again, Mrs P and I lead a walk for our U3A Thursday Group. The next time is fast approaching and we decided to reconnoitre a possible route recently. This one was called 'The Three Saints Way Heritage and Nature Trail' and sounded interesting. In the event, it was an 'OK' walk: one that we'd put in the portfolio as a possible but maybe not the one we'll actually do on the day. Having said all that, we had a good day out and saw a part of our locality that we rarely visit. And, as a bonus, despite a pretty dire weather forecast, we got around with barely a drop of rain falling on us. Another bonus was the opportunity for me to end the day under the Tamar Bridges near midnight with my camera. Something I've meant to do for a while but have never got around to.

Our route, just over 6 miles, started and ended at Tremaine church. Probably about 50% of it was along quiet country lanes: the remainder was across fields. Lots of sky all the way around and a reasonable amount of mud to slosh around in.

St Winwaloe's church at Tremaine, reputedly the smallest parish church in Cornwall. Originally pre-Norman (it is built on a circular plot called a llan which indicates considerable antiquity) , but rebuilt in the 12th and 13th centuries and largely unchanged since then. It has no electricity or gas and is a delightfully tranquil place. Of the three churches we visited on this walk, St Winwaloe's was the only one at which services, albeit infrequent, are still held.

Everything about St Winwaloe's is simple and unadorned, as typified by this floral arrangement. Anything more flamboyant would have been completely out of place.

An asymmetrical barn attached to the mid-16th century farmhouse in the hamlet of Westcott, which was mentioned in the Domesday book. The splayed design allowed for greater storage on the upper floor.

We criss-crossed the old Launceston to Bude railway line, which closed in the early 1960s. If you were alighted at Tresmeer station with the not-unreasonable expectation of being near Tresmeer, you'd have been disappointed. Tresmeer is about 3 miles distant.

Tresmeer station is, in fact, in Splatt. Nowadays Splatt seems to consist of about 5 houses but, once upon a time, was the site for a large cattle fair.

Treglith farmhouse, dating from the early 1600s and largely unchanged since then, even this porch at the rear of the property but I think the middle column was damaged a long while back.

St Gregory's church in the hamlet of Treneglos. The present building dates from the 11th century but, according to my copy of Pevsner, was subject to a drastic restoration in and around 1858. As for St Winwaloe's at Tremaine, St Gregory's was also built in a llan. Sadly, due to the roof being in bad repair, St Gregory's has been closed for several years awaiting funds for repairs. Will the money ever be raised? I doubt it.

We could not see the interior of St Leonard's but we could see its main architectural feature, this Norman tympanum above the door. It shows two beasts (lions?) facing each other and a tree of life. There is something similar at the church in Egloskerry and it is suspected that they were both carved by the same hands.

Although the sky in the direction of Bodmin Moor looked threatening, the rain held off.

Lots of snowdrops all the way around. They never cease to be a joy.

Sheep, just sheep.

 

St Nicholas's church at Tresmeer. Fifteenth century but extensively restored by the Victorians. It's been closed for several years and is now up for sale for a mere £40,000. No water, electricity or gas and not a lot of land to come with the purchase.

A few photographs of the Tamar bridges, Brunel's original railway bridge of 1859 to the right and the 1960's road bridge to the left. Despite being taken at night, with a hand held camera in a strong wind, they are not too bad.

Looking downstream.

I took this from the site of Silver Street, where Mrs P's great great grandparents once lived. They would have watched as Brunel's bridge was built.

And one more for luck.