While the summer crowds have long departed, midwinter offers a unique and peaceful opportunity to explore Cornwall's rich ecclesiastical heritage. With winding lanes free of tourist traffic, this is the perfect season for a contemplative tour of ancient churches, where history, legend, and intricate stonework whisper stories of the past.
A Trail of Bears and Heraldic Beasts
The journey begins at St Kew's church, where a notable stained glass window depicting the saint with a tamed bear at his feet is currently hidden from view, obscured by scaffolding. A short distance south, the hilltop tower of St Mabyn's church reveals weathered carvings of heraldic creatures. Among them is a muzzled bear, its snout pointed northwards. Inside the church, bears further appear on the crests of prominent local families: the Prideaux, Barratt, and Godolphins. This recurring motif sparks speculation about early reverence for the Great Bear constellation and its encirclement of the pole star, linking to deep-rooted Arthurian myths.
Secluded Sanctuaries and Ancient Symbolism
Venturing further south along the tidal River Fowey, the secluded St Winnow's church is a highlight. Dedicated to a Celtic missionary, the saint is traditionally shown holding a grindstone—a nod to the legend that he preferred prayer to milling the monks' flour. Further upstream, beyond the historic port of Lostwithiel, the towering landmark of St Bryvyta's church in Lanlivery stands sentinel. Here, the corbels are adorned with powerful symbols: two lions clutch a stylised "tree of life," their protruding tongues historically representing a potent force against evil. Another enigmatic carving shows crowned figures holding a youthful head with flowing locks, positioned between a severed giant's head and a flaming sun—imagery that may hark back to ancient beliefs in seasonal renewal.
Norman Fonts and Green Men
Travelling east to St Marnarch's church in Lanreath, a Grade I-listed building, reveals a magnificent Norman font. It is intricately carved with zigzags, palmettes, and plaits. On remnants of 17th-century benches, the motif of rearing bears reappears, this time linked to the Gryles and Bere families. Above, roof bosses carved with stars look down upon a Tudor rood screen, which retains fragments of painted saints. At its base, a primitive greenman figure sprouts foliage, a timeless symbol of the fertile earth.
The tour concludes back at St Dominic church in the Tamar Valley, where cold winds whip frost-dried beech leaves into drifts by the porch. After a sleety shower, a steep rainbow arcs against the dark clouds over Kit Hill. Inside the tower, overlooking the looped bell ropes, the stained glass figures of St Dominica and her brother Indract—the latter carrying a Tamar salmon—maintain their peaceful, westward gaze, a serene end to a journey through Cornwall's spiritual landscape.
