The Church
The ruin of the original 8th Century St Saviours Church/Chapel still stands at the top of Polruan Hill. It was a well-known and important landmark for sailors and a lookout during times of war. Maps of the Boconnoc Estate in 1771 showed that the chapel was in ruins by that date.
The name is perpetuated in the current St Saviours Church.
The Church of St. Saviours is a chapel-of-ease to the parish church of Lanteglos – in the winter villagers were reluctant to walk to the parish church of St Wyllow (Lanteglos-by-Fowey) and so funds were raised to build the church of St Saviours.
It was erected in 1891 at a cost of £1,450 and is a building of limestone, with dressings of Bath stone, from designs by Mr W Smith, architect of Truro. It consists of quasi-chancel, nave and south aisle, and has 350 sittings.
Apparently, stone was quarried on site and buttresses were needed because the steep roof was pushing the walls out.
The church is open during daylight hours and has some lovely stained glass windows including two made by William Morris.
The Cache
Polruan village is built on a steep hillside overlooking the Fowey Estuary. Parking is at a premium but there are two sizeable pay and display car parks if you have driven into the village from the east. An alternative is to arrive on the foot ferry which operates daily between Fowey and Polruan. Either way you will be walking up or down hill in order to locate this cache. However, the views over the estuary and the town of Fowey are worth the effort.
The most convenient car park is the one labelled Car Park 1 on St Saviour's Hill in the additional waypoints. From this car park, just in front of the public toilets, there is a footpath which leads down to the Church which is visible below and to the right of the footpath entrance.
The headline coordinates will take you to the front (East End) of the church where, in the lawn, is a slate memorial to a brother and sister.
You need to obtain the following information:
James Lynch ABCD - ABEF and,
his sister, Katherine Lynch ABCF - GHHJ
The cache can be found a short walk away at N 50 AB.CDA W 004 JE.AAE
The cache is a 35 mm Film Container attached magnetically to a steel angular fence post support.
Please be stealthy at the GZ - it is a busy spot especially in the summer when holidaymakers are seeking relief!!
Please Bring Your Own Pen.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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