St Nonna

St Nonna was the mother of St David and left her native Wales around the year 527. Nonna was one of many Celtic missionaries who passed through Cornwall on their way to Europe in the 6th and 7th centuries.

Of St Nonna’s building nothing remains.

The Normans built a church here in the early 12th century but the church as it now stands dates from the early 15th century. The mullions to the windows are original except those to the west windows which were renewed after lightning caused part of the tower to fall on the west wall in 1791. The timber for the church roofs comes, according to tradition, from the Trelawney family mansion which was dismantled in the 15th century.

One of the finest Norman fonts of all Cornwall can be found on entering the church. This striking 12th-century square font was originally painted and some paint still clings to the very large carvings of bearded faces on each corner.  Between the faces are very large carved rosettes surrounded by serpents.

St Nonna’s is justly famed for its collection of 79 carved bench ends representing not only biblical references but also earlier superstitions and local activities. All were carved in oak by Robert Daye (whose signature is to be found on the bench end adjacent to the font) between 1510 and 1530.

The timber screen and altar rail stretch (unusually) the full width of the church. Both are in oak with the 16th century screen being a Victorian restoration while the altar rail is signed by the maker and inscribed with the names of the vicar and churchwardens and dated 1684. The tower boasts a ring of eight bells.