Lanivet: Historic Crosses and Walking Routes

When planning a trip around Lanivet, historical church and cross details can be considered separately from the various walking themes. Lanivet’s churchyard crosses and church offer points of interest for those interested in architectural history and stonework. If you would like to include walking, you can consider the approximately 30-mile Saints’ Way as a coast-to-coast route; nearby, the Helman Tor nature reserve also has its own walking trail.

Churches and Crosses

The Church of St Nivet is a parish church dating from around the early 15th century. Later additions also date from the 15th century. In the north aisle, two windows preserve fragments of 15th-century stained glass in the tracery. The church dates from around the early 15th century; later additions were added in the same century. Two windows in the north aisle preserve stained-glass fragments from this period in the tracery.

The western Lanivet churchyard cross is a complete, four-holed wheel-headed cross and remains in its original location. The northern churchyard cross is distinguished by its incised depiction: a male figure with a “tail” can be seen. The cross is dated to the 10th century. The western wheel-headed cross is complete and still stands in its original location; the northern cross bears the incised male figure and is dated to the 10th century.

St Benet’s Abbey and Other Stone Monuments

St Benet’s Abbey was founded in 1411 as a leper house or hospital. A tower stands to the west of the Abbey and was probably originally the west tower of a 15th-century chapel. Two storeys remain; it probably originally had three. The cautious interpretation of its former function is part of its history, as is the number of storeys that survive today.

East of St Benet’s Abbey stands a medieval granite pinnacle, or granite cross, probably dating from the 15th century. It bears a small wheel-headed cross at the top. Four depressions on the front and back form a primitive saltire cross. This detail can therefore be viewed as part of a multilayered cross design, rather than simply as a pinnacle.

Lanivet church also contains a fragment of a stone shaft, probably dating from around the 6th century. It bears the inscription “ANNICU FIL”.

Walking: Long-Distance Route and Nature Reserve

The Saints’ Way is an approximately 30-mile coast-to-coast walking route from Padstow to Fowey. Its route passes through valleys, woodland, pastures, heathland and villages. The Saints’ Way runs for about 30 miles from Padstow to Fowey. Near Lanivet, the Saints’ Way passes Reperry Cross.

The Helman Tor nature reserve is near Lanivet and offers an 8-mile wilderness walking trail with information boards. To reach it, the route described goes via the A30/A391 roundabout, the A30 bridge and the access road towards Lanivet. This provides both specific waypoints and a stated route length to help you find your way.

At about 30 miles, the Saints’ Way is longer than the 8-mile Helman Tor trail. The routes also differ in character: the Saints’ Way connects two coastal towns and passes through several types of landscape; Helman Tor is a trail in a nature reserve, where information boards are provided. These details can help you include the long-distance route and the nature reserve trail separately in your travel plans.

Archaeological Traces

Nanstallon Roman Fort is a relatively well-preserved rectangular earthwork beside a natural ford over the River Camel. It is extremely rare in Cornwall, where very few unequivocally Roman sites are known. The rectangular earthwork lies beside a natural ford over the River Camel.

Discover more destinations: Illogan, Camborne, Praze-an-Beeble, Saint Neot, Constantine Bay, Ruan Minor, Camelford, Saint Mawgan.

For the broader travel overview: Cornwall.