Sancreed
Encyclopedia
Sancreed is a village and civil parish in Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. The village is situated approximately three miles (5 km) from Penzance
.
Sancreed civil parish encompasses the settlements of Bejouans, Bosvennen, Botreah, Drift
, Sancreed, Trenuggo, and Tregonnebris. It is bounded by St Just
parish to the west, Madron
parish to the northeast, and St Buryan
and Paul
parishes to the south. The parish comprises 4608 acres (18.6 km²) of land.
is a noteworthy prehistoric settlement.
Like many Cornish communities Sancreed can trace its origins to its legendary foundation by St Credan
or Sancredus, a follower of St Petroc. The church itself is pre-dated by the holy well
and baptistery
of Sancreed, located a few hundred metres west of the church: the site was rediscovered by the vicar of Sancreed in the late nineteenth century. The wells and baptistery are of a similar age in both respects to those at Madron
; like Madron there is a tradition of hanging cloughties (small strips of cloth) on the trees surrounding the well. The well is also known as St Uny's well. Next to the grade II listed baptistery ruin there is a modern Celtic cross (erected in 1910) which is a copy of a medieval cross in Illogan
churchyard. Langdon (1896) recorded the existence of eight stone crosses in the parish, including four in the churchyard. The two crosses in the churchyard are Hiberno-Saxon and both have the same unusual shape of the heads, with a crucifixus on one side.
The church which is dedicated to St Sancredus is all built of granite. It has an unbuttresed west tower of two stages, a north transept, and a 15th century south aisle of five bays. Features of interest include the font which is of the St Ives type and the rood screen which has curious carvings at the base.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The village is situated approximately three miles (5 km) from Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
.
Sancreed civil parish encompasses the settlements of Bejouans, Bosvennen, Botreah, Drift
Drift, Cornwall
Drift is a village in west Cornwall, United Kingdom.The village is in the civil parish of Sancreed approximately two miles west of Penzance and six miles from Land's End at...
, Sancreed, Trenuggo, and Tregonnebris. It is bounded by St Just
St Just in Penwith
St Just is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The parish encompasses the town of St Just and the nearby settlements of Trewellard, Pendeen and Kelynack: it is bounded by the parishes of Morvah to the north-east, Sancreed and Madron to the east, St Buryan and Sennen to...
parish to the west, Madron
Madron
Madron is a civil parish and village in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a large rural parish on the Penwith peninsula north of Penzance.Madron village is situated approximately two miles northwest of Penzance town centre....
parish to the northeast, and St Buryan
St Buryan
St Buryan is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom.The village of St Buryan is situated approximately five miles west of Penzance along the B3283 towards Land's End...
and Paul
Paul, Cornwall
Paul is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated two miles south of Penzance and one mile south of Newlyn.The village of Paul is represented on Penzance Town Council...
parishes to the south. The parish comprises 4608 acres (18.6 km²) of land.
History
At Carn EunyCarn Euny
Carn Euny is an archaeological site near Sancreed, on the Penwith peninsula in Cornwall, United Kingdom with considerable evidence of both Iron Age and post-Iron Age settlement. Excavations on this site have shown that there was activity at Carn Euny as early as the Neolithic period...
is a noteworthy prehistoric settlement.
Like many Cornish communities Sancreed can trace its origins to its legendary foundation by St Credan
St Credan
Saint Credan of Evesham is a saint in the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also known in Latin as Credus or Credanus.- Life and cult :...
or Sancredus, a follower of St Petroc. The church itself is pre-dated by the holy well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
and baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
of Sancreed, located a few hundred metres west of the church: the site was rediscovered by the vicar of Sancreed in the late nineteenth century. The wells and baptistery are of a similar age in both respects to those at Madron
Madron
Madron is a civil parish and village in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a large rural parish on the Penwith peninsula north of Penzance.Madron village is situated approximately two miles northwest of Penzance town centre....
; like Madron there is a tradition of hanging cloughties (small strips of cloth) on the trees surrounding the well. The well is also known as St Uny's well. Next to the grade II listed baptistery ruin there is a modern Celtic cross (erected in 1910) which is a copy of a medieval cross in Illogan
Illogan
Illogan is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated two miles northwest of Redruth.Originally a rural area supporting itself by farming and agriculture, Illogan shared in the general leap into prosperity brought about by the mining boom, which was experienced by the...
churchyard. Langdon (1896) recorded the existence of eight stone crosses in the parish, including four in the churchyard. The two crosses in the churchyard are Hiberno-Saxon and both have the same unusual shape of the heads, with a crucifixus on one side.
The church which is dedicated to St Sancredus is all built of granite. It has an unbuttresed west tower of two stages, a north transept, and a 15th century south aisle of five bays. Features of interest include the font which is of the St Ives type and the rood screen which has curious carvings at the base.