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prophetic character about most huge stones in Cornwall, has prophesied that a yet larger number of kings will one day assemble around this rock for a similar festive purpose, previously to some stirring event, or even the end of the world itself. A similar sort of story is associated, as we shall see, with a curious split stone in St. Levan churchyard, and with a rock near the famous Lanyon Cromlech.

The Sennen Dinner Table is a most irregularly shaped granite block. I found on measurement that it was 7 feet 8 inches in length on one side, and 5 feet 10 inches on the side nearer the forge. Another side is 5 feet 11 inches long, and the height from the ground 3 feet 3 inches. So it will be seen how irregular a block of granite it is, and certainly it must have been a very uncomfortable table to sit at. The worthy kings could not have got their legs under it, so perhaps they reclined on couches around it, in the old Roman fashion.

The old Sennen churchyard encircling the church is small, and being full a little walled-in cemetery is now used a short distance on the main road north of the church. This is about 70 yards long by 50 wide. I saw a grave being dug there, and the man had to cut the rock away with chisel and hammer. An old cross, about ten feet high, evidently Celtic, stands in the centre. It was moved to its present position by a former rector from some field in the neighbourhood, where it was used as a bridge to cross a streamlet, and so is now kept from going further to destruction. The side facing the road shows a figure carved in relief, probably a crucifix, much weather-worn, and the reverse a cross carved also in relief. The parsons of Cornwall have been very good in rescuing their ancient remains from serving servile purposes, and I came across many similar instances.

Sennen is said to have derived its name from Sinninus, an abbot, who had been at Rome with St. Patrick, and who came hither with Germochus and Breaca, from whom Germoe and Breaga parishes are denominated. Landing at Hayle they separated from each other, when Sinninus retired further into the west than any of his companions, and took up his abode in the district which now bears his name, but which was formerly included in the parish of

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IRELAND AND CORNWALL

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Buryan. Dr. Pryce supposed that Sinninus, on his landing near Hayle, was murdered by Theodorick, and that Breaca and others built this church to commemorate his name. His festival as a martyr is celebrated on June 30th.

St. Sennen's feast, or, at any rate, that of the parish, is on Advent Sunday, or the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew's Day.

Hals raises a doubt as to the place having been named after the Irish saint, St. Sinninus. He thinks the word Sennen means the Holy Valley, from San, holy, and nam, valley. Modern criticism is against this, as there are no valley and no marks or signs of there having been any special sanctity at Land's End.

The connection between Ireland and this part of Cornwall must have been at one time considerable. Several of the relics found in association with the very ancient antiquities bear a remarkable resemblance to ancient Irish objects of the same class. Notably, I may mention the gold torques and gorgets (especially that found near Padstow) and the gold cup found in a barrow at Liskeard, the golden armlet from Sancreed, and the curious golden and very characteristic fibula found at the Lizard.

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CHAPTER IV

SENNEN CHURCH

street, or rather

ENNEN Church-the first and last church in Englandis situated in the one street, or rather country road, of which Sennen consists and is suitably in close juxtaposition to the First and Last Inn in England. This close relationship of church and inn in old English villages is not unusual. In the Middle Ages the inn was often owned by the parson, and before the era of good roads all over the country this close connection between inn and church was most convenient, if not almost necessary. Horses and chaises could be put up at the inn whilst the travellers attended service. In out-of-the-way spots in Ireland people to this day attend service arriving on horseback from distant places across the bogs, where roads or even bridle paths are not. In distant Connemara I have seen many a good yeoman with his wife on the same horse, the wife behind holding on to her husband, arrive from far-away spots across the mountains to attend Sunday service. So it used to be all over England before the advent of roads.

The stone mounting-blocks outside so many of these Cornish churches and hostelries, with steps up either side, also attest the fact that large numbers of the congregation used to arrive at the church door from afar on horseback.

As might be expected in this critical age, this close proximity of public-house and public place of worship has given rise to much banter, probably chiefly by those who have little antiquarian knowledge and are ignorant of the high esteem in which inns were formerly held in England. Defoe, even in his days, satirises the fact in well-known lines :

"Wherever God erects a house of prayer
The Devil always builds a chapel there:
And 'twill be found upon examination,
The latter has the largest congregation,"

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