The Lizard Revisited 2022: Part 1

 I wrote my very first blog on January 6th 2010 whilst we were staying at Coverack on The Lizard. Twelve years later, we are back in the area again. We have returned several times in the interim and it's never been less than a great pleasure. A week of relaxing and generally pottering about. And here are a few photographs to prove it.

A pretty typical stretch of the Lizard coastline.

Two ways of getting into the churchyard of St Grada's church at Grade - via a gate or over a stile.

St Grada and Holy Cross church at Grade. A small church in an isolated rural setting. It dates from the 13th and 14th centuries and was rebuilt in 1862 as it had fallen into disrepair. What I find attractive about this church is its location amongst the fields.

Following my usual practice, I tried to find what I could about J P Newman. It turns out that his name was Jack Paul but, for some reason, he served under the alias of 'Newman'. His next of kin was his father, H Paul, of Norwich. Jack's service record shows that he worked on airships and a little more research shows that there was an airship base, RNAS Mullion, not that far away at Cury. I didn't know that airships were used to track and attack German submarines in WW1. The base was dismantled in 1919 and very little of it remains now. I couldn't find out the cause of death of Jack Paul but I'm assuming that he died in an accident at the base. 

The interior is very simple, without much in the way of ornamentation. There is no electricity which did not help the photography.

An apostle being shown the door because he refused to take a Lateral Flow Test.

"And that applies to you two as well. No test, no entry".

An unusual pulpit incorporating some very attractively polish serpentine from the Poltesco works at nearby Carleon Cove. 

An equally attractive lectern.

A more panoramic view of St Grada's, giving a good 'feel' for its isolated position. Look closely and you can make out the many lichen-clad headstones.

A change of location from Grade to Cadgwith and St Mary's church, a tiny metal building erected in 1895, as a chapel of St Rumon's in Ruan Minor.

Cadgwith Cove has a surprising number of thatched houses. Unfortunately a very high proportion of them are either holiday lets or second homes. There were signs of a local rebellion against more developements. All power to them.

A couple of day boats on the beach at the Cove. 

We've visited St Winwaloe's church at Church Cove, Gunwalloe, several times but have never sat in on a service - until now. A Celtic Eucharist, attended by 6 people and that included the priest, the organist, the church warden and we two. A pleasantly traditional service, utterly devoid of any modern adornments. And we've never been to a service where the priest asked us if we wanted sing hymns or not!. In the end a compromise was adopted, two verses of each hymn with singing optional. Which was just as well as we did not know 3 of the 4 chosen.

The sea at Church Cove near Gunwalloe, with the rest home at Poldhu Cove in the distance.

One of the Cadgwith day boats being delicately launched with the assistance of a tractor.