St Levan's Church, St Levan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Levan Church, St Levan |
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St Levan Church
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| 50°02′33″N 05°39′36″W / 50.04250°N 5.66000°W | |
| OS grid reference | SW380222 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | Selevan, or Salomon |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Levan, Penwith |
| Archdeaconry | Cornwall |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Levan Church is a historic parish church in the Church of England. You can find it in the village of St Levan, which is in Cornwall, United Kingdom. For a long time, until 1864, it was connected to the bigger church area of St Buryan. Now, it's part of a group of churches that includes St Buryan and St Sennen.
Contents
Exploring St Levan Church History
St Levan Church is very old, dating back to the Middle Ages. It was largely rebuilt in the 1100s and then made even bigger in the 1400s. Later, in 1874, a designer named J. D. Sedding helped restore it. He made sure it looked more like its original medieval style.
Who Was Saint Levan?
The church is named after a saint called Levan, whose real name was Selevan. This is a Celtic (old Cornish) version of the name Solomon. According to old stories, Saint Levan was from Cornwall and was the father of another saint, Kybi. He likely lived in the 500s or 600s. There are places in France, in an area called Morbihan, that are also linked to this same saint.
Near the church, on the cliffs, you can find a place called St Levan's Well. Below it are what might be the remains of his old chapel. A writer named William Borlase described these ruins in his book Antiquities. If you want to learn more about the saint, you can look up Salomon of Cornwall.
A Moment in History: The Prayer Book Rebellion
In 1549, there was a big event called the Prayer Book Rebellion. This was a time when many people in Cornwall and Devon were unhappy about changes to church services. A local priest named William Alsa was involved in this rebellion and was sadly executed for his part in it.
Church Bells and Their Sounds
The church tower holds three bells, each from a different time period. The oldest bell was made in 1641 by John Beaskam. Another bell was created in 1754 by Abel Rudhall. The newest bell was added in 1881 by a company called Mears & Stainbank.
Ancient Stone Crosses
In 1896, a researcher named Langdon wrote about six old stone crosses found in the St Levan area. Two of these special crosses are located right in the churchyard.
Beautiful Stained Glass Window
Inside the church, in the chancel (the area near the altar), there is a stunning stained glass window. It was made by Joseph Bell and Son from Bristol and was put in place in March 1880. The window shows Jesus holding a child, with Saint Peter and Saint John on either side. This beautiful window was created to remember Achile Baglehole, who tragically died in July 1879 after falling off the cliff at Land's End.
St Levan Church in Media
St Levan's Church has even appeared on television! It was featured in the very first series of the BBC's famous science fiction show, Doctor Who.
