| Altarnun lies on the banks of Penport Water which is why
it is recorded in the Domesday Book as Penport. The name of Altarnun came
from the original 6th century church of St. Nonna which was built here (being
a corruption of Altarnon). Nothing remains of this early Celtic church apart
from possibly the Cornish Cross at the entrance to the churchyard. The present
church was mainly built in the 15th century on the site of an earlier 12th
century Norman church the font of which still remains. The church is known
as the Cathedral of the Moors and two of its main features is its tower,
109 feet high and a signed series of 79 bench ends carved by Robert Daye
during a twenty year period from 1510 to 1530. A short walk from the church
is the holy well of St. Nonna, the mother of St. David. There are two bridges
in Altarnun, one being a restored 15th century packhorse bridge which can
be seen in the first photograph. |
