The Church of St Keria gives Egloskerry a tangible historical landmark: it stands on a rise in the village centre and was consecrated in 1222. If you are looking for accommodation in Egloskerry, you can understand the place through its architectural history, local traditions and landscape. When planning your trip, you can also take into account whether you are particularly interested in sacred architecture, local traditions or landscaped gardens.

Church of St Keria: a detail on the nave

A Norman tympanum depicting a dragon swallowing its own tail is located above the blocked north door of the nave. A tympanum is the decorated field above a doorway; the term places the dragon motif in the doorway rather than on a freestanding work of art. Together with its precise location on the north side, this provides a specific architectural detail alongside the church’s consecration year. For travellers interested in historic architectural styles, both the motif and its position on the nave are significant.

The name Egloskerry also leads to the church: it is Cornish for “church of Keri”. According to tradition, Saint Keria is said to have been one of the 24 children of the Welsh king Brychan. The meaning of the name and the story touch on different aspects of the village’s history: the translation offers a linguistic context, while Keria’s origins remain identified as tradition. Those who enjoy considering place names and local traditions together will find another way into the village’s history, alongside its building.

Penheale Manor: gardens and planning your visit

West of the house at Penheale Manor is a sunken parterre with nine square beds. Box hedging borders the beds, while gravel paths separate them. The nine individual plots, their borders and the paths make the garden’s layout easy to understand. The gardens at Penheale Manor are private and occasionally open on selected days throughout the year for charitable purposes. If you are planning a visit, check the opening days before travelling.

Landscape and historical traces

The River Attery (Ottery) forms the northern boundary of the parish of Egloskerry. Two spatial scales therefore meet here: the Church of St Keria on a rise in the village centre and the river at the parish’s northern boundary.

The railway’s history is also tied to a date: in 1891, the village was marked on the national railway map in connection with the construction of the line from Launceston to Padstow. Compared with the consecration year of 1222, this note belongs to a later historical period. It complements the church’s architectural history with the railway line’s appearance on the map.

Egloskerry playground

Egloskerry playground is maintained for visitors from the surrounding areas. If you are travelling with children, it is a specific local feature you can take into account when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Perranporth, Porkellis, Gwennap, Saint Gennys, Illogan, Helston, Lostwithiel, Falmouth

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