Photos of Roche
and its surroundings

The doorway to the ground floor of St Michael's Chapel on Roche Rock. To reach this point involves a climb and inside is a further access point to the second level of the chapel.

Remains of the 15th century chapel of St Michael at Roche.

Roche is a village and a parish in the china clay area near St Austell.

It is named after the stunning outcrop of tourmaliinised granite which rises out of the landscape like a huge, jagged tooth. Its name comes from the Norman French word meaning rock.

The hermitage (chapel) dedicated to St Michael, standing upon the rock, was used in the 1970s, as a filming location for the third Omen film, 'The Final Conflict'.

It stands on a high ridge on the northern edge of St Austell Downs. There are a large number of springs, holy wells and other water features in the area.

The dramatic schorl (tourmalinised granite) outcrop with its ruined chapel, a former hermitage, is a very unexpected surprise on the outskirts of Roche village.

It is associated with many local legends and has been used as a filming location.

Find out about its history, folklore, ghost stories and the films it has featured in.

Looking down to the entrance of St Michael's Chapel at Roche Rock

Roche rock is an excellent example of quartz schorl. This is a fully tourmalinised granite with crystals of black tourmaline.

In the background is the Parish Church of Roche, dedicated to St Gomonda.

St Michael's Chapel, Roche Rock, Roche.

The chapel of St Michael dates from the 15th century. It is believed to be built on top of the original hermit's cell.

Inside the ruins of St Michael's Chapel on Roche rock.

Roche is situated in the middle of the china clay area of Cornwall. Standing on the summit of Roche Rock, evidence of the extraction of china clay can be seen on the terraced mound in the distance.