St Cleer

Like nearby Minions, this sizeable moorland village was overwhelmed, and transformed, by a copper-mining boom in the mid 19th century, which has been compared in its intensity and in its social and economic repercussions, to that of the North American gold rush. There are older historical stories to be told here too; dating from Neolithic times and found a mile east of the village, Trethevy Quoit, also known as ‘The Giant’s House’, is an impressive enclosed chamber tomb, which originally formed the core of a vast earthwork mound.  The largest such structure (known as a dolmen) in the county, Trethevy Quoit is believed to be over 5,000 years old and, although the rectangular hole cut into the stone blocking the tomb’s entrance was thought to allow bodies to be placed inside, the reason for the hole in the capstone is not known with any certainty. Also close by is King Doniert’s Stone, a tall stone cross which was erected in memory of King Durngarth, a Cornish king thought to have drowned in the nearby River Fowey in AD 875.  The Latin inscription on the cross, which is now sadly in two pieces, reads, after translation, ‘Erected for Doniert for the good of his soul’. In the village itself is St Cleer’s Holy Well, in a beautiful 15th century building. There used to be a total immersion (or ‘bowssening’) pool here which was used for the attempted cure of the insane; the patients were tossed up and down in the waters until they became sane.

Downstream from King Doniert’s Stone, the River Fowey descends for half a mile through dense broad-leaved woodland in a delightful series of cascades known as Golitha Falls.  This outstanding beauty spot is also a National Nature Reserve, and the grey wagtail and the great spotted woodpecker are among the rare birds to be seen.

Available Guidebooks for this region:

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