Davidstow Parish Church a brief history

Davidstow Parish Church is dedicated to St. David, patron saint of Wales. The local connection is that he was the son of St Non whose parish of Altarnun is our neighbour. St. Non (or Nonna) left her native Wales in about 527 AD, one of many Celtic missionaries who came to Cornwall about that time.

The Church dates from the 13th Century but there were Christians in the area long before that. In 1540 the patronage was annexed to the Duchy of Cornwall - where it still remains - but in the absence of a Duke of Cornwall the Presentation to the living was in the right of the Monarch at that time. HRH Prince Charles in his capacity as Duke of Cornwall is the present patron of the living.

A major restoration of the church was carried out in the 15th century and the main fabric of the nave, aisles and tower date from that time. There were a series of non-resident vicars in the 18th century and by the mid 19th century the church had become very dilapidated and was described as “being in a parlous state”. In 1875 the church was saved by the Pearse family of Trehane. It was extensively restored and much of it effectively re-built, leaving the church much as we see it today. There is a large stone plaque in the porch which mentions the Pearse family and their generosity.

 

Davidstow Holy Well
following the 1996 restoration

The Holy Well is located in a boggy hollow in a pasture field, owned by Church Town Farm, to the north east of Davidstow Church. The Well is approached over a stone stile next to the Church Hall; access proving difficult because of the boggy nature of the land and considerable poaching by grazing cattle. The well has been through two restorations, firstly in 1871 by Michael Williams, and the archway above the door bears testimony to this fact, and secondly in 1996 by Fred Sanders of St.Breward under the auspices of and financed by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit. It is currently in an overgrown state and can prove difficult to access.

Constructed in regular granite blocks, some of which it is said were taken from a ruined chapel in Lesnewth
wth at the time of the 1871 restoration, the facade is four metres long and one and a half metres at its highest point. The stones around the doorway are characteristic of the medieval period and the base of each of the flanking stones shows the beginnings of what may be original decoration. A new oak doorway made in exactly the same style as the old one, using new timber but the original iron fittings, was hung at the time of the 1996 restoration.

In their book “Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall”, published in 1894, L & M Quiller-Couch describe the Holy Well at Davidstow as being more uncommon than beautiful. The water has no peculiar virtue ascribed to it neither is there any legend or tradition belonging to the well.

The water from the well, after suitable treatment, is used in making the now famous Davidstow Cheese (see MEGALITHIC PORTAL link below)

Thanks to David Lamond for the above articles

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For more information on St David's Church and the Holy Well please click on the following links:

GENUKI UK & Ireland Geneology.
Various historical facts plus Church information.

BOSCASTLE. FORRABURY, MINSTER & DAVIDSTOW PARISHES
Church information & pictures

MEGALITHIC PORTAL
On line forum (discussions/questions concerning the Holy Well)

CORNWALL COUNTY COUNCIL
Reference to Holy Well landscaping project 1997-8
Reference to Holy Well repairs 1996-7

LIVE VIDEO
Private video portrait of The Holy Well

Please note that Davidstow parish website takes no responsibility for accuracy or otherwise of the content found via any of the above links