St Mawgan

Cornwall Information & Accommodation Guide

St Mawgan parish and village stand on Cornwall's Atlantic coast and offer delightful rural scenery as well as stunning beach and coastal scenery.

The full name of the parish is Mawgan-in-Pydar to distinguish it from Mawgan parish on the Lizard peninsula. The prefix 'saint' is a relatively recent addition.

The parish church dates from the 13th century and has a number of 15th century bench ends and brasses of the Arundell family. There are a number of stone crosses in the parish including an impressive lantern head cross in the churchyard which is of special interest.

The churchtown stands in a quiet wooded valley tucked away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and still retaining much of the peace it has known for centuries as the Vale of Lanherne. A monastery was established here as early as the 7th century. The Arundell family had their home here and their manor house has for over 200 years been a convent of the Carmelite Order.

As Lanherne, the area was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Mawgan Porth is a fine sandy beach and excellent for swimming. The beach is dog friendly all year round. Car parking and toilets are available.

Of archaeological interest are Griffin's Point, an Iron Age cliff castle (Location Map Reference SW 842664 approached by following the coastal path south from Mawgan Porth beach) and a Dark Age settlement in Mawgan Porth itself which was excavated in the 1950s showing evidence of occupation of farming and fishing families between the 9th and 11th centuries. The settlement was well established and had its own cemetery with a large number of slate cists.(Location: Map Reference SW 852673)

For information about the Parish Church please click here.

Location:
IntoCornwall Area Map Newquay - Padstow Area

Road directions to St Mawgan

Books online:
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