Churches of the British Isles

A Celtic cross survives in the churchyard after being rediscovered in a nearby field. Following a lightning strike in 1923, a fallen tower pinnacle was used as a base for a new pulpit. An arson attack on 23 February 2005 caused a great deal of damage, destroying the organ and burning out all of the Lady Chapel roof and much of the chancel roof. Fortunately all the medieval pews (not modern chairs) survived unscathed and the church has since undergone full restoration.

Lansallos Religious House may have been a Celtic monastery. Henderson was sure one existed here, confirmed in a recently-discovered document. In a charter of the reign of Athelstan, Count Maenchi granted Lanlouern to St Heldenus, implying that in the 900s Lansallos was a landowning church. This in turn may back-up the idea of a religious community here. It had gone by the time of the Norman arrival, but Lansallos is recorded in Domesday Book as a secular manor.

Lansallos United Methodist Chapel and burial ground is visible on the north side of the lane to Cornwall Farm, about a kilometre north-east from Lansallos village. Built at an unconfirmed date as a United Methodist chapel to seat 110 people, church minutes date from 1854. It had its own burial ground and, slightly to the north of it, is Mabel Barrow, so it was also known as Mableborough or Mable Barrow Chapel. It closed before 1932, with occasional services until 1947.

Trenewan Bible Christian Chapel is on the north side of the approach lane into the village, reached by turning left at the staggered crossroads when continuing north-east from Lansellos. Its build date of 1858 is recorded on the central plaque, with accounts to back-up that date, and a certificate of registration which is dated 1872. Between 1907-1932 it was Trenewan United Methodist Church, becoming a full Methodist church in 1932. It is now the private 'Old Chapel'.

Trefrawl Old Chapel was located to the north of Trenewan, passing Valleybrook Holidays on the left to reach the t-junction by Trefrawl Farm. The chapel sat in the field on the eastern side of the lane, between farm and big house. Ralph Trencreek Domicellus in 1405 had a licence for the chapel in his mansion of Trefrandewell. Trefrandewell is identified in the OS object name book of 1907 but, in 1972, their surveyor could find no visible traces of a chapel in the ground.

Two photos on this page kindly contributed by Roy Reed via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group, and two copyright © Tony Atkin and Roger Geach via Geograph, reused under a cc licence.