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Altarnun and Five Lanes in North Cornwall |
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Altarnun
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Altarnun is an attractive village that nestles in a sheltered valley on the north -eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, just off of the A30. It has a picturesque "bridge over stream" postcard look, and the village is dominated by the tower of the 15th Century church of St Nonna's, which was known as 'The Cathedral of the Moor'.
The modern spelling of "Altarnun" is actually incorrect. The true spelling should be "Altarnon", which means the alter of St Non (or Nonna). St Nonna was the mother of St David. The Holy Well of St Non is located not far from St David's Cathedral in Wales. St Nonna is patron of this parish and Pelynt, near Looe, and Dirinon in Brittany. Altarnun is the church where St Nonna's alter was preserved. There are legends of Celtic Saints that mention the portable stone alter that they used to carry with them. The present church was begun in the 15th century. The granite used to build the church was unquarried stone that had been found lying on the moors, hence it's name moorstone. The pillars, and capitals and bases are one stone each. The other stone used is from the former Norman church, and from the Mansion of the Trelawney Family one mile to the North of the church. By tradition the oaks came from the oaks of Trelawney. The family left Trelawney for Trelawne near Looe in the 15th Century, and the old mansion was given to the church so the stone could be used for rebuilding the church. The Tower took over a generation to complete to the pinnacles, which are considerably over 100 feet from the ground. Inside may still be seen the deep padlocks used for scaffolding poles in building. In the second half of the 25th century the aisles of the church were added, and they retain most of the admirably carved Wagon Roofs, while before the close of the century the two porches were built, and these too have ancient carved roofs.
Just down from the church lies the Old Rectory, which was built in 1842. The rectory featured in Daphne du Maurier's book 'Jamaica Inn' playing the role of the home of the notorious Francis Davey, the Vicar of Altarnun. During the same second part of the 15th century the church was adorned with a beautiful Rood Screen, only a portion of which is still standing. Access to the loft and to the Rood (or Crucifixion figures) was from the stairway in the north wall- the door inside the screen. Altarnun is the supposed Penponta of the Doomsday Book and was granted to Robert, Earl of Mortain and Cornwall, by his brother King William the Conqueror. The stream that converges in the valley is known as Penpont water and is a tributary of the River Inny. The stream passes under the 15th century packhorse bridge. Altarnun has a post office, a village shop and Butchers. Apparently the post office is recorded in Kelly's Directory in 1873 when postman John Davey, served Penpont. Back then the postman has the grand title of Receiver of the Mail. To this day it has remained a Post Office. Five Lanes, so called because five lanes converge here by the King's Head public house which was constructed in 1623. The King's Head was occupied by both the Roundheads and the Cavaliers during the 1642 Civil War. In 1773 it was known as The Indian Queen, 12 years later The London Inn and in 1795 it was known has the Five Lanes Inn. Five Lanes became a staging post for coaches in the mid 18th century, when the second turnpike road, the first across Bodmin Moor, was constructed. The King's Head as a ghost, that of one Peggy Bray whom reputedly haunts the long passage upstairs. Visitors to the pub claim to have felt a chill in the air in the centre of the passage. |
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