St Ildierna Lansallos
Once the parish church for much of the fishing village of Polperro, a boundary change in the last century deprived the beautiful and historic Church of St Ildierna of its main centre of population, leaving it with the small hamlet of Lansallos consisting mainly of a few holiday homes and lets in an otherwise completely rural parish. There are no shops, schools, pubs, restaurants, or other businesses apart from farms and B&Bs. A small local bus provides an infrequent service to Polruan, Polperro and Looe.
The parish lies within an area of outstanding natural beauty at the start of an old smugglers’ footpath leading down to several picturesque coves surrounded by rugged cliffs. There are fine views over the surrounding countryside and out to sea. Most of the coastal part of the parish is National Trust land and there is an NT campsite adjoining the churchyard. St Ildierna has a capacity of about 150 and is the only licensed place of worship in the parish. The church doors are unlocked during daylight hours and we welcome many visitors, some of whom also attend services. The church has parking for about six cars and there is a large NT car park just up the road.
The owner of the Old Rectory next to the church kindly allows the PCC to use the garden for the Annual Summer Fête, a main fundraising event. This is a fantastic traditional Cornish church fête attracting visitors from far and wide. The regular congregation, small in number, mostly live outside the parish and are mainly attracted by the use of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer for almost all regular services, one of the few churches in Southeast Cornwall to do so. Numbers increase with visitors during holiday season as we are situated next door to the National Trust campsite so our bells often draw people both in the morning and evening. Special services such as Harvest Festival and the Carol Service are always very well attended. The church buildings are in excellent condition having undergone a £500,000 plus repair and restoration following an arson attack in 2005 which destroyed much of the roofing.
The opportunity was taken to build a new vestry and kitchen in the base of the tower and to provide disabled access by constructing an oak ramp inside the church door. Most services are now held in the small Lady Chapel which had a beautiful oak and glass screen installed after the fire. Facilities include a small church hall and kitchen adjacent to the churchyard. The church has a spectacular view across the Cornish coast path to Lantic Bay and the stunning cove of Lansallos. St Ildierna is a beautiful place in which to be married and christenings are also popular in this tranquil setting.
Safeguarding
Our Parish Churches are bound to ensure that children and young people as well as adults are kept safe whilst in their care as an integral part of our church life. If you have any concerns about safeguarding please contact:
Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinators
Lanreath
Mrs Sandra Pipe – 01503 220860
Lansallos
Mrs Josie Slade – 01503 220513
Lanteglos by Fowey
Mr Norman & Mrs Angie Mallard – 01726 870747 or 07791 536609
Pelynt
Rev Richard Allen – 01503 220847 or 07383621292
Talland
Mr Paul Baker – 01503 265628
In the Diocese:
Sarah Acraman Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, 01872 274351 Out of Hours for after 5pm and weekends: 01208 251300
In emergency situation: Local Authority Children’s Social Care: 0300 123 1116 Local Authority Adult’s Social Care: 0300 1234131
Rogation
By Alec Charles
Each spring, around the month of the festival of Ascension, rural communities across the country perform a special service to seek blessings upon their crops to support their health, growth and their journey towards a rich harvest, and upon their parishes to promote the common good and to be faithful stewards of their land.
This service of Rogation underpins the relationship between the village and the natural world and fosters a spirit of hope and faith in the sustainability and fruitfulness of that covenant.
Nowhere is this more important than in such agricultural parishes in southeast Cornwall as Lansallos, on the coast to the west of Polperro, and Lanreath, halfway between Liskeard and Fowey, just south of the popular wildlife park at Porfell.
Both parishes fall within the benefice of Trelawny, whose rector is the Reverend Richard Allen.
This year’s Lansallos service was held in the barn of local farmer and parishioner Marjorie Crews. The congregation brought soil, seeds and growing plants for the Reverend Richard to bless.
Richard spoke of the parable of the sower and of those seeds that fell on good ground and flourished. Afterwards, everyone gratefully tucked into a proper Cornish farmhouse tea.
This year, Lanreath’s roving Rogation saw parishioners visit a series of key places across the village: the village well, a wild uncultivated space, a beautifully tended garden, a local farm, the churchyard of St Marnarch, and nearby fields replete with livestock and crops.
“This is one of the remotest parts of Cornwall,” Richard says. “What we’re trying to do is to reconnect church with the farming community. One of the ways we do that is through these services. They’re a classic way of saying we really care about you. We realise it’s very difficult to make a living from farming, and we’re here to support you.”
Richard leads a range of outdoor services for agricultural communities throughout the year. He runs services for lambing, for ploughing, for harvest, and even for the blessing of tractors and combine harvesters. These services can attract as many as 80 people each.
“They’re social spaces, places where farmers can meet,” Richard says. “Farming can be a very lonely job. Not only are we bringing church to them, we’re offering practical support and encouragement. It’s a brilliant way of reaching people. The local farmers are very supportive. You just have to have a bit of enthusiasm and a bit of fun, and people come with you and are so grateful for it.”
This spring’s Rogation events were focused upon people’s duty of care for the natural environment.
“We’re trying to understand the importance of caring for what God has given us and not wasting things,” Richard says. “We have a real heart about caring for creation – it’s part of our Christian responsibility. We know that in the past we’ve used too many chemicals on the land. We prayed that we can care for the soil properly. We prayed that we can look after the land and leave it fallow when it needs to rest.
“Our farmers are dependent upon the seasons, on the sun and the rain, for the germination and fruition of their crops. Our farmers look to nature. When you talk to them about the cycles of nature, they agree that it’s the good Lord who sends the rain and who sends the sun.”
Reverend Richard Allen at the village well at Lanreath
Richard recalls, during this year’s service at Lanreath, a large bumblebee landing on his trousers and climbing up his leg.
“It was a great sign of the beauty of nature and the importance of allowing all nature to flourish,” he says.
He observes that these forms of outdoor worship are very much part of a long Christian tradition.
“Jesus went out to the people,” he says. “And when the monks came to Cornwall there were no churches. They preached in barns and on village greens. That’s just what we do.”
Lansallos Plough Sunday
The Rev`s been blessing Ploughs again this Sunday in Trelawny Benefice. This Sunday took him to Tregamellyn Farm in the heart of Lansallos Parish. Only 73 people live in the hamlet of Lansallos around the tiny parish church but 20 people including children came to the special blessing.
Richard
Lansallos Church Plough Sunday Service
Members of the farming community joined the congregation of Lansallos Church for a Plough Sunday service in the farmyard of Tregamellyn Farm, near Trenewan, courtesy of Mrs Marjorie Crew.
The Reverend Richard Allen started the service with prayers of praise and thanks to the Lord for creating our Earth in all its abundance, followed by prayers of penitence for too often misusing His creative work. A talk by the Reverend Richard stressed the responsibility we all have to help reduce the effects of global warming on the land and its creatures.
The service concluded with a blessing of the plough, seed and soil, together with farm animals and all who work on the land. The congregation then enjoyed delicious refreshments provided by members of Lansallos Parochial Church Council.
With many thanks,
John Feesey
Lansallos PCC
Lansallos Christingle Service
Lansallos held its annual Christingle Service on Sunday afternoon. 44 people attended the service which included 13 children. The Trelawny Rev, Richard Allen explained to the children the true meaning of Christmas from the Nativity Scene and explained that Gods greatest present to us at Christmas is Jesus. Everyone appreciated there Christingle which represent 4 important aspects of the Christian life. The orange reminds us of the beautiful world that God has made. The candle reminds us of the light of Christ and that all Gods teachings help us to walk in that light. The red band is a reminder of Easter and the blood of Jesus shed for our forgiveness on the cross and then of course the sweets remind us of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is love joy peace patience kindness gentleness faithfulness and self control which God can empower us with.
Lansallos Harvest of The Sea
Lansallos celebrated its annual Harvest of the Sea service on Sunday evening. The congregation of 120 plus people were joined by the Polperro Fishermen’s Choir who this year were celebrating their centenary. They were originally formed to sing at Harvest of the Sea celebrations and to support a local fisherman Tommy Mark who became a well known Cornish Lay preacher who was know as the fishermen’s Bishop. He blended religion and the sea in his homilies. His evangelical address were presented in his customary breezy but intensely sincere manner. This is exactly what `Rev Trelawny` Richard and the fishermen’s choir are attempting to do today. They have already celebrated HJarvest of the Sea this year together in Polperro and Polruan drawing large crowds of people which would not normally be seen in church.
What has happened at Lansallos has been a truly remarkable move of God as nearly on a monthly basis the church hosts a service relevant to its community ranging from Plough Sunday, Rogation, Harvest, Pets and of course Carols and Christingles to name but a few and numbers are massively increased with a quadrupling and double quadrupling of the congregation. It must be borne in mind there is a regular congregation of 9 or 10 in a hamlet of about 75 people where the church is situated. It proves the point of faithfulness and the willingness to change and try something new in the true spirit of `On The Way`. This tiny church is certainly On The Way. Not only that, they are always able to pay their quotas mainly due to the efforts of the congregation in hosting an fabulous traditional Cornish Summer fete each year.
It is a privilege to encourage you with the goodness of God.
Christening at Lansallos
A wonderful Christening took place at Lansallos on Saturday when Hamish Ball was baptised. Its lovely to see the church full of young farming families and friends for such a joyful occasion.
Richard Allen Rector
Lansallos Harvest
Lansallos celebrated its annual Harvest Festival. The Just Voices Choir of Looe joined us. The church was beautifully decorated as we celebrated this special farming service in one of Cornwalls remotest and smallest parishes. It was a joy to see nearly 50 people gathered when around 70 people actually live in the hamlet of Lansallos.
LANSALLOS PETS SERVICE
Lansallos held its annual pets service in the church garden with the beautiful backdrop of the cliffs to Lantic Bay. Over 20 people gathered along with 6 wonderfully behaved dogs. There were plenty of treats for our fury friends but everyone else tucked into tea and cake following the service. The Trelawny Rector, Richard Allen spoke on Psalm 23 drawing parells to the way owners care for their dogs and the loving care of our heavenly father. Everyone own thoroughly enjoyed his deorerising shampoo which is frequently used on Bluebelle after she finds some doggie perfume to role in!!!!!!!
Six pet dogs and twenty owners and their friends were warmly welcomed by the Rector of Trelawny Benefice, the Reverend Richard Allen, at a special Pets Service held on Sunday, 25th June, in the garden of Lansallos Church.
Rogation Lansallos
Lansallos held its annual rogation service in the barn of one of our local farmers and partitioner Marjorie Crews. The congregation brought soil, seeds and growing plants to be blessed by the Rector, The Rev Richard Allen. Richard spoke on the Parable of the Sower having visual aids of seed growing on paths, rocky places amongst thorn bushes and of course good soil. Afterwards everyone tucked into a good Cornish farmhouse tea.
Lansallos Plough Sunday Service
John Feesey was able to lead a Plough Sunday Service at Tregamellon Farm near Lansallos. A group of parishioners, families and farmers thoroughly enjoyed this traditional agricultural service. Praying that god again would bless the labours of our farming community.
Lansallos Christingle Service
Lansallos Harvest of the Sea Service Sunday 23rd October
Lansallos Parish Church hosted a Harvest of the Sea Celebration led by the Trelawny Rev, Richard Allen and the Polperro Fishermen’s Choir. The packed church enjoyed songs from the sea sung by the Polperro Fishermen and congregational favourites included Eternal Father, the Naval hymn and Will your Anchor hold. The church was decorated in sea faring tradition to reflect the nautical feel of the parish. Harvest of the Sea has a special place in the heart of the Rectors wife Harriet Pelham Allen who came to faith as a teenager at a Harvest of the Sea Celebration at the Fore Street Chapel in St Ives when that well known St Ives pastor, teacher and Cornish Rugby player Harold Stevens preached. The Rev shared of the red and green lights of port and starboard on the boats and buoys and as to how God can guide us here on earth and ultimately into the port of heaven through Jesus work on the cross.
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