St Piran On Perran Sands Stock Image

St Piran Old Chuch on Perran Sands was built in about 1150. The Oratory was established by Piran, or Perran, a 6th-century Irish monk. When the Oratory was engulfed by sand in the 10th century a new church was built a hundred yards or so to the north, sheltered from the sand by a small stream. In a curious twist, this new church was in turn overcome by the sand after tin mining caused the stream to dry up. In 1804 it was abandoned too, and a new church built several miles inland.