Heritage Church: St Just in Roseland
Alice Johnson explores this 13th-century church
AGENTLE breeze filled with the scent of the ocean rustles the leaves of palm trees that reach tall into the blue of the sky. These tropical plants should seem out of place in this English countryside air, yet their ribbed trunks stand strong against the backdrop of an historic church.
The graves that rest here are held lovingly in nature’s comforting arms, as natural growth and exotic flowers surround the slopes of this sacred ground, while undulating land leads to a Cornish creekside. Is there any wonder that the beauty of this churchyard was remarked upon by English writer and poet Sir John Betjeman in his book Cornwall: A Shell Guide in 1964.
Located on the Roseland Peninsula , the handsome 13th-century St Just in Roseland Church sits amongst a subtropical waterside garden, complete with a holy well and two lych-gates that date from the 1600s. On a fine day, at high tide, this sacred structure’s existence is reflected in near perfect form into the waters of St Just Creek, a tidal inlet that leads to the Carrick Roads.
It was in 1261, on 14 August, that this Anglican church was devoted to St Just by Bishop Bronescombe.
“St Just decided to withdraw from the world, which for him was the splendour and politics of a royal court,” says Reverend Emma Durose, priest-in-charge to the benefice of St Just in Roseland and St Mawes, “and came to this place to start a hermitage where he could be alone with God.”
It seems unsurprising that this quiet corner was chosen all those years ago, as it remains a sanctuary where visitors can find a stillness and peace in the air; that sense of quiet that is so difficult to find in busy modern-day lives.
“When I am at St Just in Roseland, in the church and the gardens, I feel a deep, tangible sense of God being very close, that I am walking on holy ground,” says Reverend Emma.
Although the church is of the 13th century, due to restoration over the years, especially in the 19th century when the church pews were altered, many original features no longer exist untouched in their entirety. The tower, for example, dates from the beginning of the 15th century, and structural repairs to the roof have been carried out as recently as 2011, but the double piscina (basins for holy water used for the washing of communion vessels) has survived in its historic splendour since the 13th century.
Along with stories of St Just, this creekside location is intertwined with a local legend of another most noteworthy visitor. It is said that the boy Jesus landed here with
Joseph of Arimathea, a tin merchant arriving in the area for business. It is a story that has lasted the spoken tales of millennia and one which is talked of still.
It seems the church and grounds of St Just in Roseland have touched the lives of many, from those mentioned in Holy Scripture to families of the parish to whom the church was a central part of their community.
Some of the oldest surviving headstones found here are, sadly, in memory of children who succumbed to diphtheria in the 18th century. Another memorial that draws particular attention is a stone Celtic cross with elaborately woven markings that stands near the edge of the creek, casting its long shadow into the turquoise waters spotted with
clumps of seaweed.
This memorial is for Charles John Bowen Cooke who died in 1920, and was the chief mechanical engineer of the London and North Western, and North London railway companies. An author of locomotive works who was awarded a CBE for his part in World War I, his story is just one of many that have been laid to rest in the peaceful hold of this churchyard.
“There is a strong and vibrant sense of history,” says Reverend Emma. “Those people who have prayed here over many centuries have left a permanent imprint.”
With all the tales of history, it is the subtropical garden that adds the final touch of beauty. The churchyard is a buffet for the senses, enticing yet overwhelming. It is a place where habitats merge – where the world of a tidal creek complete with the calls of curlews turns to land where a redbreasted robin sings heralding the day. This very British wildlife species calls poetically amongst plants that are native to much warmer climes, from tree ferns to magnolias and azaleas.
It was John Garland Treseder, son of the proprietor of Treseders Nursery, who had such an influence on the planting of this unique churchyard, making it one of Cornwall’s most beautiful horticultural treasures.
John left Cornwall for Australia in the 1850s, where he prospered with horticultural-related businesses, including nurseries. However, several years later, following the death of his father, John returned to his Cornish roots.
“In 1897, John Treseder, on a return trip from Australia, found a plot of land adjacent to the main church grounds, which he thought was an ideal area for a nursery to grow tropical plants,” explains Clive Johns, groundsman and verger for St Just in Roseland, who has worked here for over 21 years.
“Then, in 1903, the Reverend Humphrey Davis started planting out the main area around the church after taking an interest in what was being grown in the nursery.”
St Just in Roseland was the perfect spot for a subtropical paradise because the area has a microclimate that allows heat-loving plants to flourish, as they are protected from any damaging touches of frost.
Frank Collins of Portscatho took over the care of the garden in 1925.
“In the early 1960s the church took back the grounds, which were used as a tropical nursery, for extra burial,” says Clive.
In present times, the churchyard welcomes you with a perfect patchwork of native and tropical species, many of which have naturalised over the years and spread across the grounds here. The delicate white of snowdrops hint at the turning of the season, followed by sunshiny daffodils in spring, to primroses and bluebells, not to mention the glory of lichens that cover the surfaces of headstones and tree branches across the grounds.
Then there are the gatherings of clumps of the tropical plant giant rhubarb (Gunnera manicata) with its spikes of reddish flowers, the palm trees Trachycarpus fortunei standing tall by the church, and bear’s breeches (Acanthus mollis), the late summer bloomer that showcases huge racemes of white flowers before the backdrop of the creek and distant rolling hills.
Further species present are magnolias, azaleas, camellias, myrtles and bamboos. Trees including western red cedars, walnut and cedar of Lebanon also grow well here. Amongst the flora, too, are granite stones holding biblical verses and quotes, many of which were placed
here by the Reverend Humphrey Davis during his time as rector from 1901-1930. He took such a keen interest in the garden, and added these stones, even composing some of the poetical writings himself and conducting a dedication ceremony after the positioning of each. He unknowingly created a much-loved feature of the place.
The subtropical nature of the churchyard is so unique that it is important to maintain this area’s special charm for the future, as it is hard to imagine the church without the backdrop of colourful exotic plants.
“We are carrying on with the same theme of planting,” Clive says, although he mentions that sometimes the elements can have an influence, with high winds responsible for trees falling, and the possibility of dormant seeds germinating.
However, as time passes, developments occur. For example, the burial grounds previously acquired that were once the tropical nursery are now full, so this unique garden is set to expand.
“We have extended the churchyard again across the road, which we are intending to plant out in a similar design over the years to come,” Clive explains.
The church and grounds are much admired by visitors, and it’s the dedication and hard work of those involved that have kept this area’s beauty and tropical plantings thriving, maintaining its splendour for the future.
St Just in Roseland Church and grounds are swathed in delights of both an historical and horticultural sense, and anyone who visits can enjoy the surprise of discovering such a sanctuary and the calmness of its special atmosphere. There is much beauty to be seen here in any season, from the high greens of summer to the orange glow of autumn, the bitter stillness of winter or the colourful flowering hope of spring – there is always a moment of peace to be found by the creekside.
When Clive Johns was asked what his favourite spot in the churchyard was, he simply replied, “There are too many to choose from. It’s just magic.”
Discover more about St Just in Roseland at stjustandstmawes.org.uk