Lanlivery brings together a specific section of the Saint’s Way and architectural and landscape features in the parish. St Brevita and The Crown Inn, just behind it, offer two different starting points for exploring the village’s history; Helman Tor adds archaeological traces and a nature restoration project to the picture. When choosing a destination, you can weigh up whether walking routes, historic buildings or a combination of the two matter more to you.
The Saint’s Way through Lanlivery
The Saint’s Way runs from north to south through the parish of Lanlivery and through the village. The entire route is 27 miles long and runs from Padstow on the north coast to Fowey on the south coast. When planning, it is worth keeping these two scales distinct: the 27 miles describe the coastal connection, while the local reference describes the route through the village and parish. This places Lanlivery within a longer route without confusing its overall length with the local section. If you take the Saint’s Way into account when choosing a destination, you can consider the village’s connection to the route alongside the route’s broader scale.
Buildings and heritage
St Brevita is listed as a Grade I building in Lanlivery; its tower is 100 feet high. Directly behind the church is The Crown Inn, a longhouse dating from the 12th century. If you want to explore village history through specific buildings, you will find two different points of reference here: a church with a clear classification and a stated tower height, and a longhouse with a historical date.
The Treffry Viaduct is also part of the heritage story: in the parishes of Luxulyan and Lanlivery, it is designated both a “Scheduled Monument” and a “World Heritage Site”. While St Brevita and The Crown Inn are buildings in the village, the viaduct is associated with both parishes. This distinction helps keep in mind the respective geographical scope of the heritage sites mentioned.
Helman Tor and paths in Luxulyan Valley
Helman Tor lies within the parish of Lanlivery. The monument there comprises an early prehistoric hillfort, a settlement with stone roundhouses and a field system. It therefore consists of more than just the hillfort: the settlement and field system are also archaeological features. Helman Tor is also the site of Cornwall’s largest nature restoration project to date; the site covers more than 700 acres. This brings archaeological traces and a nature restoration project together at one place as distinct topics.
In the area around Lanlivery, Luxulyan Valley has unsurfaced paths and tramway tracks with a combined length of about 7 km. These figures represent a different scale from the Saint’s Way: in the valley, about 7 km refers to the paths and tracks combined, while 27 miles refers to the entire coastal route. This may help you decide whether you are more interested in a longer coastal connection or in paths and tramway tracks in the valley.
Food and parking
The Crown Inn serves local ales and seasonal home-cooked food. If you plan to eat there, bear in mind the seasonal nature of the menu and check the latest information in advance. Parking is available at St Brevita; in the area around Lanlivery, Luxulyan Valley has limited free parking. If you are planning to travel by car, take this limitation into account.
Discover more destinations: Gwinear, Porthallow, Saint Issey, Lanivet, Altarnun, Liskeard, Gunnislake, Camborne.
For the main travel overview: Cornwall.
