This is how our day out on the Roseland Peninsula ended, after our visit to St Mawes. From St Mawes it is only about a ten minute drive to St Just in Roseland, where a 13th century church stands right beside a tidal creek, surrounded by gardens full of palm trees and shrubs.
John Betjeman described the churchyard as “to many people the most beautiful churchyard on earth”, and having wandered round it on a clear autumn day, it’s not difficult to see why. This is how our visit went, in the order we did it.
Parking at Renwicks Cafe
We parked in the small car park next to Renwicks Cafe. It is a donation car park, and the minimum suggested donation is £3. You put your ticket on the dashboard and then walk down the path towards the church. Apart from the free car park at the top of the steep hill, it is the first one you come to. The money goes towards the upkeep of the car park, which the church council looks after, so I never begrudge paying it.
The main car park is a little further down the road and right next to the entrance, so you can park there instead if you prefer. It is also a donation car park. In the summer months you will probably end up there, but get there early, because this is a very popular spot
Through the churchyard
The path takes you through the churchyard (still in use today), which was beautiful and peaceful when we walked down towards the church and the estuary. The grounds are very well looked after, and the palm trees and ornamental shrubs make it feel like somewhere much further south than Cornwall. That is no accident. A 19th century rector, helped by John Garland Treseder, introduced many of the tropical plants, and the mix of flowers and shrubs beside the water is a big part of what makes St Just so unusual.
Inside the church
There has been a place of worship on this spot since the 6th century, when there was a Celtic chapel here, and the present church was dedicated to St Just on 14 August 1261 by Walter, Bishop of Exeter. The chancel dates from that time. The church was restored in 1872 and is Grade I listed.
Inside you can find an octagonal font from the 15th century and a lectern carved with a winged lion, taken from a medieval misericord. The dedication is unusual too. Only one other church in England is dedicated to St Just, and that is at St Just in Penwith, on the far west of Cornwall.
The view from the front of the church
We then walked round to the front of the church to admire the view across the Fal estuary. It was very quiet and, for a short while, we were the only people walking around. That is not something you can count on, because St Just is one of the most visited churches in Cornwall, so I was glad we had picked a quiet day in the shoulder season.
The prayer tree and the holy well
We took a few minutes to read some of the messages people have left on the prayer tree, and then continued along the path towards the holy well.
The well is a short walk east of the church, about 100 metres away, and it is a Grade II listed structure. It is the restored remains of a medieval holy well. A local legend says that Joseph of Arimathea brought his young nephew Jesus to Cornwall and landed at St Just in Roseland, and that the boy led the crew to the well. It is only a legend, but it is a lovely story to have in your head as you stand there.
The wooded path along the estuary
From the well you can continue along the wooded path that runs alongside the estuary. The water beside the church is St Just Pool, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so it is a quiet and sheltered stretch to walk along.
The famous view back to the church
Eventually the path brings you out onto the bank of the estuary. When the tide is out, this is the place to stop and look back at the famous view of the church. A word of warning though: be careful where you stand, because the mud here can be like quicksand! It has been called probably the most photographed church in Cornwall, and it is easy to understand why.
It is worth checking the tide before you go, because this is the view you want to see with the water low.
Back to Renwicks Cafe
We retraced our steps along the path and back through the well kept grounds and the churchyard to Renwicks Cafe, where we stopped for a hot drink. The cafe serves homemade food, and it has both covered and uncovered seating overlooking the gardens, so it works well whatever the weather is doing. Then it was back to the car and home. It was a perfect autumn day out on the Roseland Peninsula.
Video
I filmed this video back in 2021 on a glorious summer day.
St Just in Roseland Guides
The best places to park on the Roseland Peninsula
Hi, I’m JV. As an ex travel photographer, I’ve been all over the world, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather call home than Cornwall. Now I’m putting that experience to work, finding the best of Cornwall for you. I hope you found this article useful. Please check out my socials below: