Talland Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Talland Parish Church is dramatically located on the cliff-top at Talland
near Looe
in Cornwall, is dedicated to St Tallanus and as such is unique in Britain. St Tallanus is said to be a hermit who made his home here sometime in the fifth century AD and certainly the site has been a sacred place since Celtic times. The altar
of the present-day church is situated on the site of the original Celtic
altar. The altar of the church is said to date from the time of Tallanus and was built at the junction of ley lines. However, St Tallanus's existence is disputed and ley lines cannot be proved to exist either. The first documents to refer to him only appeared in the 15th century and it is believed that the church was previously dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria
after whom the Catherine Wheel
is named. The church celebrated its 500th anniversary in 1990.
Part of the nave and the first stage of the tower probably remain from a 13th century church: the remainder must be late 15th century and is in typical Cornish Perpendicular style. Unusually it has a detached bell-tower on the south side which was only joined to the main body of the church in the 15th century. Inside the church is the headstone of Robert Mark although there is some confusion over exactly who he was. Killed in 1802, some accounts say that he was a Polperro smuggler shot at sea, others that he was a revenue collector killed on duty.. His tablet reads: "In prime of life, most suddenly, Sad tidings to relate, Here view my utter destiny, And pity my sad state. I by a shot which rapid flew, Was instantly struck dead." There is old woodwork in the fine wagon roofs and the many benchends (partly ca. 1520, the rest ca. 1600) are of the usual Cornish type and among the finer examples of these.
Talland
Talland is a hamlet and ecclesiastical parish situated between Looe and Polperro on the south coast of Cornwall...
near Looe
Looe
Looe is a small coastal town, fishing port and civil parish in the former Caradon district of south-east Cornwall, England, with a population of 5,280 . Looe is divided in two by the River Looe, East Looe and West Looe being connected by a bridge...
in Cornwall, is dedicated to St Tallanus and as such is unique in Britain. St Tallanus is said to be a hermit who made his home here sometime in the fifth century AD and certainly the site has been a sacred place since Celtic times. The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
of the present-day church is situated on the site of the original Celtic
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
altar. The altar of the church is said to date from the time of Tallanus and was built at the junction of ley lines. However, St Tallanus's existence is disputed and ley lines cannot be proved to exist either. The first documents to refer to him only appeared in the 15th century and it is believed that the church was previously dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
after whom the Catherine Wheel
Catherine Wheel
Catherine Wheel were a four-piece alternative rock band from Great Yarmouth, England. The band was active from 1990 to 2000, experiencing fluctuating levels of commercial success, and embarking on many lengthy tours.-Biography:...
is named. The church celebrated its 500th anniversary in 1990.
Part of the nave and the first stage of the tower probably remain from a 13th century church: the remainder must be late 15th century and is in typical Cornish Perpendicular style. Unusually it has a detached bell-tower on the south side which was only joined to the main body of the church in the 15th century. Inside the church is the headstone of Robert Mark although there is some confusion over exactly who he was. Killed in 1802, some accounts say that he was a Polperro smuggler shot at sea, others that he was a revenue collector killed on duty.. His tablet reads: "In prime of life, most suddenly, Sad tidings to relate, Here view my utter destiny, And pity my sad state. I by a shot which rapid flew, Was instantly struck dead." There is old woodwork in the fine wagon roofs and the many benchends (partly ca. 1520, the rest ca. 1600) are of the usual Cornish type and among the finer examples of these.
External links
- http://www.parishprofile.co.uk/ Parishes of Lanreath, Pelynt and Talland
- Talland Church