Altarnun
Encyclopedia
Altarnun icon is a village and civil parish in Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. It is located on the north-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor
at .
The parish of Altarnun includes the village of Fivelanes and the hamlets of Bolventor
, Treween and Trewint, and had a population of 976 according to the 2001 census. The area of the parish is 15018 acres (60.8 km²), the largest in Cornwall.
The moorland area of the parish is large and lies west of the village towards Rough Tor
and southwards towards Dozmary Pool
. There is a large conifer plantation at Wilsey Down Forest (Halvana Plantation). The village is in the valley of the Penpont Water and the parish is divided by the A30
trunk road which passes through Fivelanes which was once an important stopping place for stage coaches.
, the Church of St Nonna
is also known as the Cathedral of the Moor. It is a building largely of the 15th century in the Perpendicular style, with a tower 109 ft (33.2 m) high. It is notable for the fine Norman font and the amount of old woodwork, including the screen, bench-ends and communion rails which date to 1684. The screen is one of the finest 15th century examples in Cornwall; it has three gates and the cornice of vines and tracery and vaulting are finely carved.
often visited Trewint (lodging in Digory Isbell's home): this is now a museum of Wesley and Methodism. (The former Wesleyan chapel of Altarnun has the head of Wesley carved over the doorway by Neville Northey Burnard
. This was done when Burnard was aged sixteen years and lived next door.)
by Daphne du Maurier
set in the parish's former coaching house by the same name
. The village was also the birthplace of sculptor Neville Northey Burnard
(1818–1878). It was surveyed for the Survey of English Dialects
.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located on the north-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
at .
The parish of Altarnun includes the village of Fivelanes and the hamlets of Bolventor
Bolventor
Bolventor is a hamlet on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated in Altarnun civil parish between Launceston and Bodmin.Bolventor is the location of the famous Jamaica Inn coaching inn...
, Treween and Trewint, and had a population of 976 according to the 2001 census. The area of the parish is 15018 acres (60.8 km²), the largest in Cornwall.
The moorland area of the parish is large and lies west of the village towards Rough Tor
Rough Tor
Rough Tor, or Roughtor, rowter, is a hill and tor on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. Its summit is 1313 ft above mean sea level, making it the second highest point in Cornwall....
and southwards towards Dozmary Pool
Dozmary Pool
Dozmary Pool is a small lake on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, UK situated 16.9 km/10.5 mi from the sea. It lies about 15 km northeast of Bodmin and 2 km south of Bolventor: it originated in the post-glacial period. The outflow from the pool is into Colliford Lake...
. There is a large conifer plantation at Wilsey Down Forest (Halvana Plantation). The village is in the valley of the Penpont Water and the parish is divided by the A30
A30 road
The 284 miles A30 road from London to Land's End, historically known as the Great South West Road used to provide the most direct route from London to the south west; more recently the M3 motorway and A303 road performs this function for much of the route and only parts of A30 now retain trunk...
trunk road which passes through Fivelanes which was once an important stopping place for stage coaches.
Parish Church of St Nonna
Being the largest parish church on Bodmin MoorBodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
, the Church of St Nonna
Church of St Nonna, Altarnun
The Church of St Nonna also known as the Cathedral of the Moor is the largest church on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, located in the village of Altarnun . The dedication is to Saint Non or Nonna, who was the mother of St David...
is also known as the Cathedral of the Moor. It is a building largely of the 15th century in the Perpendicular style, with a tower 109 ft (33.2 m) high. It is notable for the fine Norman font and the amount of old woodwork, including the screen, bench-ends and communion rails which date to 1684. The screen is one of the finest 15th century examples in Cornwall; it has three gates and the cornice of vines and tracery and vaulting are finely carved.
Wesleyan Methodism in Altarnun
John WesleyJohn Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
often visited Trewint (lodging in Digory Isbell's home): this is now a museum of Wesley and Methodism. (The former Wesleyan chapel of Altarnun has the head of Wesley carved over the doorway by Neville Northey Burnard
Neville Northey Burnard
Neville Northey Burnard was an Cornish sculptor best known for his portrait figures.Burnard was born in the village of Altarnun, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, and was the son of George Burnard, a local stonemason. He showed a talent for carving stone at an early age...
. This was done when Burnard was aged sixteen years and lived next door.)
Language and culture
Altarnun features in the novel Jamaica InnJamaica Inn
The Jamaica Inn, originally a public house and now an inn, is a Grade II listed building in the civil parish of Altarnun, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Located near the middle of Bodmin Moor near the hamlet of Bolventor, it was built as a coaching house in 1750 as a staging post for changing horses...
by Daphne du Maurier
Daphne du Maurier
Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning DBE was a British author and playwright.Many of her works have been adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca and Jamaica Inn and the short stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now". The first three were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.Her elder sister was...
set in the parish's former coaching house by the same name
Jamaica Inn
The Jamaica Inn, originally a public house and now an inn, is a Grade II listed building in the civil parish of Altarnun, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Located near the middle of Bodmin Moor near the hamlet of Bolventor, it was built as a coaching house in 1750 as a staging post for changing horses...
. The village was also the birthplace of sculptor Neville Northey Burnard
Neville Northey Burnard
Neville Northey Burnard was an Cornish sculptor best known for his portrait figures.Burnard was born in the village of Altarnun, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, and was the son of George Burnard, a local stonemason. He showed a talent for carving stone at an early age...
(1818–1878). It was surveyed for the Survey of English Dialects
Survey of English Dialects
The Survey of English Dialects was undertaken between 1950 and 1961 under the direction of Professor Harold Orton of the English department of the University of Leeds. It aimed to collect the full range of speech in England and Wales before local differences were to disappear...
.
See also
- Cornish bagpipesCornish bagpipesCornish bagpipes are the forms of bagpipe once common in Cornwall. Bagpipes and pipes are mentioned in Cornish documentary sources from c.1150 to 1830 and bagpipes are present in Cornish iconography from the 15th and 16th centuries....