Church Cove January 2024: Part 5

It looked like it was going to another windy day and one that was not particularly conducive to walking along the coastal footpath. As it turned out, it was a lot brighter than we thought but we enjoyed ourselves anyway. We completed our tour of the churches on the Lizard with those that are in the Meneage sector of the peninsular, the “land of the monks”. In the process, we continued our hagiography with some well-documented saints, and also some that are rather obscure. So obscure, in one instance, that they did not actually exist.

A field of daffodils. The heralds of Spring are here in profusion. None in our garden yet but we have a few snowdrops.

St Anthony in Meneage lies near the Helford River, where the church sits on Gillan Creek, just above high water mark. It is approached along what is described at the start as a 'weak road'. I'm not too sure what that means exactly but it skirts the creek and, apparently, must be forded at high tide. It is an experience driving it but meeting an on-coming car must be hugely problematic..... we didn't!

The church sits next to a boatyard; the site is idyllic, but the church building, rather unexceptional. Its survival, for many hundreds of years, at this high water mark, is remarkable as its tenuous hold on dry land has necessitated many rebuilds over the centuries. It is medieval in origin but much altered over the years. The tower is fifteenth century. To which St Anthony the church is dedicated is not certain, probably a Franciscan ascetic of Padua, also of Lisbon as he was born Portuguese, but there are a few alternatives.

You never know what tragedies lie behind a headstone. Take this very artistic slate one denoting a very sad series of events. Louis Rushworth-Lund was born in 1987, and tragically fell into a deep pond at a garden centre in Chacewater in March 1990 and drowned, aged just 2½. His parents, keen sailors, decided to cross the Atlantic to help them come to terms with their loss. On the Dutch Caribbean island of St Maarten, just 2 months later, Louis’ father Crispin was murdered by robbers, leaving his wife Belinda and young daughter Alice with 2 deaths to grieve.

In the west door is an unusual “dog flap”, allegedly to allow comings and goings of shepherds’ dogs whilst their masters prayed. Nice story but the flap looks a little small for any reasonably sized sheep dog.

A nice etched glass window, dedicated to Willie Jenkin, a former organist and church warden

The carved granite font is thought to be 13th Century.

The  carved oak pulpit, installed in 1950 is the work of the talented Violet Pinwill.

The church of St Mannacus and St Dunstan at Manaccan, a tiny church in a tiny village. St Mannacus almost certainly didn’t exist and the name Manaccan originates from 'land of the monks'. But St Dunstan definitely did; he was Bishop of Worcester, then London and finally Canterbury in the 10th Century.

Before getting into the building, I was amazed by the bizarre appearence of a thriving fig tree growing out of the wall. Here it is, in winter and exfoliated, but it’s roots are clearly in the mortar and foundations. The stone and the trunk are clearly in harmony and although its origin is unknown, it has been there for some 250 years

Rather unusually, possibly uniquely, there is no church porch. You enter the church through an excellent Norman arch.

Inside the 12th Century church there is a fine reredos, the remains of an old rood loft stair, a good side altar and window endowed by the Vyvyan family, and a Loyal Coat of Arms to Charles I. This is a common sight in West Cornwall, which was fiercely loyalist in the Civil War. But it was so cold, with very few sources of heat visible. Wrap up warm if ever you visit.

Manaccan’s most unlikely claim to fame is having Titanium ore named Manaccanite. The element was first identified in 1791 by the scientist/cleric Reverend William Gregor. He was vicar near Grampound Road but was brought some interesting mine spoil from Manaccan and in which he identified a “new element”.

Saint Melanus, Mullion. Wonderfully warm church in the attractive, but very quiet, village of Mullion. What you see is mainly from the 15th Century but there are relics of the older 13th Century church. Saint Melanus himself is a Breton (of course he was) Saint of the 6th Century; he took office as Bishop of Rennes 519 AD.  

And almost the first thing we come across another sheep dog flap in this impressive church. Shepherds clearly attended services with their dogs and the latter were obviously free to enter and exit to relieve themselves at will. We love stuff like this!

The interior of the church is light but some think it is rather dominated by the full width 20th Century 'Arts and Crafts' rood screen which has quality but does rather cut the three altars off from the congregation. I can see what they mean but it doesn't act as much of a distraction for me.

The carved oak bench ends are considered to be the best in Cornwall, but run very closely by those at Alternun. They date from the 15th century, and the craftsmanship is amazing.

There are some common themes on the bench ends: royalty, village life, symbolism are all there. They have been extensively analysed and there is a comprehensive catalogue of them on display.

One bench end that amused me was this one, purported to be 'Jonah and the Whale', but more recently thought to be someone vomiting into a pot. That I can see.

More fine carving by the Pinwill sisters. I do love running my fingers over the delicate tracing and envying those with the skills to produce something like this.

The late afternoon sun illuminating the Royal Coat of Arms

The centre aisle with the rood screen. We looked very closely at it, from all angles, and concluded that the only way up was via a ladder.