St Newlina
St Newlyn East, Cornwall
He established his church here, at the highest point of the parish. He eventually returned to Wales, where he became Abbott of his monastery, dying in 775. After his death his relics were brought back across to Cornwall. In the south transept there is a recess for a tomb. Was this the place where the relics of St Cubert were placed?
The first thing you cross when you come into the churchyard and in the middle of the entrance is the stone coffin stand, which is so often a feature of Cornish churches. The idea being that the coffin was carried from one of the outlying hamlets along one of the church paths, which have now become public foot paths, and was placed on the coffin rest while someone went to find the vicar and he would come and sprinkle the coffin with holy water before it was carried into the church.
The coffin at St Cubert is brought in through the north door, but is always carried out of the south door, through the porch. The north door is an unusual entrance and never popular because the north was always associated with the place of darkness and danger, so a coffin carried through there was passing through death to be carried out after the funeral service through the south door which opened out into light and the hope of the Resurrection.
One of the finest treasures of the church is the organ, a splendid instrument built by the late Father Willis who is probably the greatest of the 19th century organ builders, whose organs can be found in many cathedrals, including Truro and the Royal Albert Hall. This particular organ was commissioned by Viscount Clifton for the music room at Lanhydrock, and it was installed there at the end of the 19th century. Viscount Clifton had been impressed with the instrument that had been built by Father Willis in Truro cathedral.
In the early years of the 20th century the organ was moved out from the house at Lanhydrock and placed in the church in the grounds of the house but it occupied a great deal of space, so in 1970 the parish church at St Cubert was able to acquire the organ and install it in its present position.