Restormel Castle Bailey Chapel and the
castle itself lie to the north of Lostwithiel, with the castle
flanked on its eastern side by the River Fowey. It contained two
chapels, one outside the building (in the outer ward) which was
located within the area photographed, and another inside (in the
inner ward - see below). The outer ward had a great hall, a further
three chambers, and the chapel, all above cellars. Much of the
household would have worshipped here.
St Mary's Chapel at Restormel Castle
lay almost directly opposite the castle entrance, against the
inner eastern wall. It is thought to have been added before 1337
and is likely to have been served by a priest from a nearby
hermitage, with the local lord and the inner household worshipping
here. The altar was at the east wall, under a window that was later
blocked off. A small piscine was located against the right hand wall
and two bells hung in the roof.
The Chapel of the Holy Trinity Chapel
stood almost due east of the castle (see above) and right up
against the west bank of the River Fowey. A medieval chapel, it
was destroyed at the Reformation. Henry VIII converted Restormel
Castle's parkland back into ordinary countryside and, with the
castle now out of use, the earliest parts of Restormel Manor
(pictured) were established during the sixteenth century. It is
said to have been built on the site of the chapel itself.
Golant Wesleyan Methodist Chapel sits at
the south-west corner of the junction between Water Lane and Cowshit
Lane (no longer a drover's road!). It appears on early maps as a
Wesleyan Methodist chapel (certainly by 1882), and became Golant
Methodist Church in 1932 at the Methodist union. It is now a
holiday home called 'The Sunday House'. It was erected on the site
of the previous chapel which was built circa 1875 for a cost
of about £300, with space for 250.
Golant Reading Room lies very close to the
southern side of Water Lane (as can be seen here), about fifty metres
east of the Methodist Church (see above). The building appears on
maps by 1907 but a precise date of construction seems to be
unavailable. Reading rooms were imposed on the working classes by
the upper classes, mainly by the church or rich landowners, to
encourage adults and local children to become literate. Today this
reading room is the village hall.
St Sampson's Church, Golant, sits at the
north end of Church Hill, immediately north of Golant itself. St
Sampson established himself here, having erected a temporary
shelter. His well, outside the main door, sprang up when he struck
his staff there. This has been a place of worship since the fifth
century at least with, traditionally, King Mark, plus Tristan and
Iseult, worshipping here. The present building is of a traditional
Celtic design, dating to about 1200 in its earliest parts.
