Altarnun lies on the eastern side of Bodmin Moor. The parish brings together several distinct cultural and historical themes: the Church of St Nonna with its carved furnishings, prehistoric stone circles, and connections to Cornwall’s smuggling history and Methodism. This means you can choose your destination based on your interests: sacred art and history offer a different focus from prehistoric monuments or the literary connection of the Jamaica Inn.
The Church of St Nonna and its history
The Church of St Nonna preserves a Norman font; its tower has a peal of eight bells. A distinctive feature is the 79 carved oak bench ends, made by Robert Daye. Their depictions draw on biblical themes, older superstitions and local activities. The church therefore showcases both a font of Norman origin and an extensive collection of carvings with varied subjects.
Guided tours and a church guide are available to visitors. If you are planning a visit, check the current access arrangements in advance. Altarnun Old Bridge is also part of the area’s history: it is part of a historic route and connected the parish community with the Church of St Nonna for many centuries.
Prehistoric stone circles
The Nine Stones stone circle is a Scheduled Monument and is one of the smallest stone circles in Cornwall. It survives as an arrangement of eight visible granite slabs. The Leskernick south stone circle is also a Scheduled Monument: a small Early Bronze Age stone circle whose 23 granite stones are arranged on a circle approximately 30 metres in diameter.
Goodaver Stone Circle presents another form: 23 upright granite slabs form an almost circular arrangement. Comparing these descriptions brings out different features—the eight visible slabs at Nine Stones, the approximate size of the circle at Leskernick south, and the almost circular stone arrangement at Goodaver. Each of the three monuments thus offers its own starting point for exploring the area’s stone circles, without grouping them all into a single type.
Literature, smuggling history and Methodism
The Jamaica Inn is closely associated with Daphne du Maurier’s novel of the same name. At the Jamaica Inn’s Smuggling Museum, the film The History of Jamaica Inn presents the history of smuggling in Cornwall. The literary connection and the theme of smuggling history offer two distinct ways to engage with this place: one through a novel, the other through the history of smuggling in Cornwall.
Wesley Cottage focuses on Methodism. The property includes a cottage and an 18th-century chapel. The chapel is said to be possibly the smallest Methodist preaching place in the world. In 1950, the cottage was restored and opened to the public; check current access arrangements before visiting.
Getting oriented and planning your journey
The local bus network offers frequent connections to Bodmin, Launceston and beyond. Check the timetable before travelling for specific journey times. The information about the connections provides a general guide but does not replace checking current departure times.
When choosing your destination, you can weigh the themes against one another: the Church of St Nonna combines church history with carved depictions, the stone circles focus on prehistoric monuments, and the Jamaica Inn and Wesley Cottage add literary, historical and religious connections to the mix. This makes it possible to assess Altarnun according to the interests you want to shape your stay.
Discover more destinations: Morval, Saltash, Pendeen, Tintagel, Saint Issey, Trevone, St Hilary, Gooseham.
For the main travel overview: Cornwall.
