Towednack Church was built in the 13th century with the short solid church tower being built in 1500.
There is a legend about the height of the tower. When the courses being built by the masons had reached a certain level the devil came and knocked down subsequent building every night. As the work was resumed by day so it was removed by night. Finally the builders in despair erected the battlements as they are today.
The late Norman altar is rough hewn from a solid block of granite. It has five crosses incised at the centre and four corners (representing the five wounds of Christ).
The font is a simple octagonal shape bearing the date 1720 and incised with the initials W.B. and J.R. It is unusual in that the base is the inverted bowl of an earlier, Norman, font.
Only two old pew ends remain and these were used to form a chancel seat on the North side of the altar. Both were stolen in 1997. However, a chance recognition of their description in the catalogue of a London auction house by a visitor to the church has ensured their recovery. They are now attached to the North wall of the nave. On each is carved a man in a high felt hat, wearing moustaches and a pointed beard.
Inside the South Porch is an interesting stone with an incised cross of the Celtic period, which is thought to be the shaft of a cross which stood nearby.
There is a full peal of eight bells of which three are mediaeval.
In 1975, the church was used for the marriage and burial services in the TV series Poldark.
In 1933 Towednack was the first church in modern times to hold a service said in the Cornish Language.
To get the coordinates for the final, stand outside the porch and:
- Look at the sundial above the door (you might need your specs). The date at the top is 1AB0.
- Count the number of separate rocks in the cross to the left of the door = C.
- Look at the gate in the doorway. The number of vertical bars not reaching the top of the gate = D.
- E=C+D.
The cache is a short stroll away at N50 11.BAE W005 31.BCD
Please note correction to formula made shortly after publication.
The cache is NOT hidden in the wall.
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