St Piran's Oratory- Penhale Sands,Perranporth,Cornwall
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MoreOutdoor
N 50° 21.900 W 005° 08.345
30U E 347868 N 5581401
The Oratory is possible an early Christian Chapel and cemetery. Unearthed from centries under sand and preserved for prosperity. A bund has been built around the ruins to preserve them with an engraved lintel above the doorway
Waymark Code: WM16EBJ
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/13/2022
Views: 1
The engraved lintel reads -
"SANCTUS PIRAN INZABULO"
The translation of the message is 'Saint Piran in Zabuloe’ (Perranzabuloe); apparently, the name Perranzabuloe derives from the Latin 'Perranus in Sabulo', which means 'Piran in the sand'
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"St Piran’s Oratory is considered as one of the most important early Christian sites in Britain. It was allegedly built in about the eighth century by St Piran and consists of a compact rectangular building with a small nave and chancel, possibly separated by a wooden rood screen. A stone bench runs round the whole interior and there are doorways to the south and east, the southern doorway having an archway containing three carved heads, probably a 17th century addition. A 5th-6th century stone inscribed with Roman capitals is built upside down into one wall, suggesting possible earlier activity on the site. Following partial clearance of the site in 1835, the carved stones around the doorway were stolen and as protection against the encroaching sand, an ugly concrete bunker was constructed over the site in 1910. The site remained popular during the 20th century and the altar was kept supplied with fresh flowers daily. Unfortunately increasing vandalism and environmental problems led to the decision to rebury the site and it [lay beneath the dunes with an inscribed stone marking it's place until 2014].
The churchyard associated with the oratory is subject to the shifting sands and human bones are regularly exposed. A woman with a child in her arms was uncovered near the oratory doorway and other skeletons discovered in the early 20th century were all found to be laid out east-west with legs crossed. Twelve cists were discovered during the burial of the site in 1980 and were found to have slate tops and contain human bone. The cemetery, along with the foundations of another building identified near the oratory in the early 20th century and thought to possibly have been a baptistery are buried without trace under the dunes.
Recent excavations and management work have been undertaken to improve understanding and access to the site which can be easily reached by footpath across the dunes from the coastal path."
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"Piran was a 5th or 6th century Cornish abbot, one of many Celtic saints said to have travelled across the sea from Ireland, where he has been identified with St Ciarán of Saigir (apparently the P and K sounds often transpose in Celtic languages).
His legend is one of many hagiographical accounts of saints being preserved from drowning: in one version he was thrown into the sea strapped to a millstone, having angered the pagan king of Leinster (or a group of tribal kings) with his holy deeds. The sea calmed, and he floated safely across to north Cornwall, where he became a hermit, attracting numerous followers – the first of his converts were said to have been a fox, a badger and a boar. He soon established his Oratory on the sands near to where he landed.
Another legend claims he lived to the age of 206.
He is also said to have rediscovered tin-smelting, by lighting his fire on a black hearthstone which turned out to be rich in tin ore. The tin smelted to the surface to form a white-silver cross on the black background.
Piran is thus the patron saint of tin-miners, and popularly recognised as official saint of Cornwall. The flag of St Piran, a white cross on a black background, is generally recognised as Cornwall’s flag. The colours are said to represent the black ore and contrasting metal of tin – or the light of truth shining in the darkness."
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