Believe it or not, this is my last Cornwall 2017 post before I go back to Venice and Verona. Or did you think I had also finished our Italy trip???? HA!
As you may recall, we had off-n-on rain our entire time in Cornwall except for that beautiful Sunday in Tintagel (King Arthur's legendary birthplace) and Boscastle. But that didn't stop us from getting out to see something of interest. And because Pauline knows we love the parish churches, she picked two that are geographically close to each other.
As you can see from the inset, we drove to the north coast of Cornwall,
approximately 17 miles from our St. Austell home base.
We first went to Mawgan Porth beach where we got the lay of the land...
and the Atlantic Ocean!
(It's also where we ate our lunch that day.)
From the beach we drove 2 miles to visit our first parish church of the day...in the rain.
This is the St. Mawgan in Pydar parish church from the 13th century.
Usually the churchyards are every bit as interesting to me as the church interiors.
There's an old thorn tree associated with the legends of Joseph of Arimathea...
a memorial to the 10 men who froze to death while at sea in 1846 (center-right)...
and a lantern cross carved around 1420 (top-left and bottom-right).
Look at how the gravestones circle the church, from front to back!
It was a Monday when we were there, but there were bell ringers...practicing?
Wouldn't we all love to ring the bells!
We did indeed feel welcomed, even though much of the space was dark, without the lights on.
The font is 15th century, Norman style, made of Pentewan stone.
The pulpit is from 1533, Dad. And I know you'd love to play that wee organ, Mom.
And should any of us require a kneeler, there are plenty to go around.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
From St. Mawgan we drove the 3 miles to the St. Eval parish church, also from the 13th century.
It happens to sit out in the middle of nowhere, visible for miles around,
surrounded by the disused RAF (Royal Air Force) runways of the WWII command airfield.
See the sundial over the entrance? "We shall Die."
Besides the church itself, 21 war graves are maintained here by the RAF.
The RAF ties to this church after the war are very strong, as you'd imagine.
It was their church while stationed nearby.
It was their church while stationed nearby.
It was another dark church that rainy afternoon, but you can get the gist of it.
The bench end (top-left) is from the mid-16th century.
The "plain" font is also from the Norman times.
Pauline is always on the lookout for green men in these old churches.
These are from the high-up ceiling in bad camera light, but, again, you get the gist.
Besides, Pauline often tells us green men don't like being photographed. :)
Back down on terra firma, there is "World Peace!"
And a reminder that the RAF is covering our back.
In fact, Pauline's dad, from Squadron 612 (top-right), used the base back in the war.
Thank you!
And thus ends this 6-day stint in a very special place: CORNWALL, England.
We'll never forget it.
