44 PARK-AN-CHAPEL. 17. William Drake was instituted 4th April, 1582. Patron, Queen Elizabeth. On whose death, 30th March, 1636, 18. Amos Mason was instituted. On his death, 2nd June, 1678, 19. James Millett* was admitted 18th July, 1678. Patron, Charles II. 20. William Borlase was admitted 22nd May, 1732. Patron, George II. On the death of this Vicar, 21. George Pender Scobell succeeded on the 2nd Nov., 1772. Patron, George III. On whose death, 22. Thomas Nankivel was instituted 29th July, 1814. Patron, George III. 23. John Buller was admitted 14th November, 1825, on the presentation of King George IV. "Nunc 66 mea, mox hujus, et crastina nescio cujus." From the church, our attention is next obviously directed to the ancient chapels, which aforetime have existed in this parish. And first, to those remains which are still to be seen at Cape Cornwall, in an enclosure, to which it gives the name of Park-an-Chapel, i. e., the Chapel field. Borlase, in his MS. notes says, "On the isthmus which connects Cape Cornwall with "the adjoining hill in the middle of the plain stand "the remains of an old chapel. It was about 45 feet * Extract from St. Just Parish Register," Burials 1732. The Rev. Mr. James "Millett, Vic. of this Parish, was bury'd 20th April, aged 85, in the 54th year "of his incumbency, and was succeeded by Wm., 2nd son of John Borlase, of "Pendeen, Esq., Rector of Ludgvan." N.B. Mr. Millett wrote all the entries in the Register, in a good clear hand, to the close of 1731, within a few months of his death, and showed but little marks of age. 66 66 66 " long and 12 broad. The eastern end was faced outside "with hewn stone and had a pretty window to the “altar. The chapel-yard is enclosed with a circular "wall of stone, and directly west of the chapel are to be seen the ruins of a dwelling house which tradition says was a religious retirement." The cross which once embellished this little chapel is of the rudest form, and was rescued a few years since by him who records the fact, from the artificial water course which passes near, in which it was immersed. It may now be seen preserved as a valuable relic in the chancel of the parish church with a brass plate denoting its ancient locality. On the authority of Harrison's description of Britain, Borlase calls Cape Cornwall " the Promontorie "of Helenus, so called, as some think, because Helenus "the son of Priamus, who arrived here with Brute, "lieth buried there, except the sea have washed away "his sepulchre." But the name is more probably derived from the Cornish, Pen Hailen, the great head; or from Pen-hail-mên, the great stone head. It was such hills as these that Ovid describes (Metam. Lib. xiii., v. 979): "Prominet in Pontum cuneatus acumine longo "Collis; utrumque latus circumfluit æquoris unda." On the top of this eminence there seems to have been a building, probably a beacon or watch-tower, to give notice of any hostile approach. Two chapels formerly stood at Bray, or, as anciently spelt, Brea and Bree; one, an appendage to the house, the other, on the summit of the hill, to which it gives the name of Chapel Carn Brea. Of the former, little is known, except the pen-and-ink sketch in Borlase's MS., here copied. It was the east end which he says was very ancient. Within the memory of the present occupant of the farm this edifice, which conferred a character of respectability on the former mansion, now only a farm house, was demolished for the stones to build a barn for the owner of a day. Of that which crowned the apex of the hill Borlase gives a full description, and a better sketch of its ruins in his day. "On Carn Brea Hill stand the remains "of a chapel which, as if the natural hill were not high enough (though overtopping all the rest of these 66 parts), has the additional advantage of an artificial "hill of stone to rest upon, a work of great labour but "of little use, unless to show the folly and superstition "of our ancestors, who were weak enough to imagine "that the more elevated the place of devotion was, the nearer it would be to Heaven." If Dr. Borlase meant to level this censure against the early Christians for thus placing their sacred edifices, he would seem to POPE GREGORY'S LETTER. 47 have mistaken their motives. For the elevated site of this chapel, that of its sister on Chapel Carn Brea, also that of Brent Tor, in Devon, and many others, a better reason may be offered. It is almost certain that the Druids had their temples on these elevated spots, possibly, for the reason which the Doctor assigns. But the Christians, when their religion began to supersede its Pagan predecessor, selected the same places, because they were venerated and in high esteem with the inhabitants of the country, and thus an easier access was obtained for the introduction of christianity. This idea is strengthened by a letter of instructions sent by Pope Gregory to the Abbot Mellitus, then going into Britain. It will be found in Bede's Ecclesiastical History, book i., chap. xxx. 66 "To his most beloved Son, the Abbot Mellitus, Gregory, the servant of the servants of God. "When Almighty God shall bring you to the most "reverend Bishop Augustine our Brother, tell him what "I have upon mature deliberation on the affairs of the 66 English determined upon, viz., That the temples of "the idols of that Nation ought not to be destroyed; "but let the idols that are in them be destroyed, let holy water be made and sprinkled in the said temples, "let altars be erected and relics placed. For if those 66 66 temples are well built, it is requisite that they be "converted from the worship of devils to the service "of the true God; that the Nation seeing that their temples are not destroyed, may remove error from "their hearts, and knowing and adoring the true God, 66 66 may the more familiarly resort to the places to which 48 66 POPE GREGORY'S LETTER. they have been accustomed. And because they have "been used to slaughter many oxen in the sacrifice to 66 66 devils, some solemnity must be exchanged for them on this account, as that on the day of dedication, or "the nativities of the holy martyrs, whose relics are "there deposited, they may build themselves huts of "the boughs of trees about those churches which have "been turned to that use from temples, and celebrate "the solemnity with religious feasting, and no more "offer beasts to the devil, but kill cattle to the praise of God in their eating, and return thanks to "the Giver of all things for their sustenance; to the "end that whilst some gratifications are outwardly 66 66 permitted them, they may the more easily consent "to the inward consolations of the Grace of God. For "there is no doubt that it is impossible to efface every thing at once from their obdurate minds; because he "who endeavours to ascend to the highest place, rises 66 66 66 by degrees or steps and not by leaps. Thus the "Lord made Himself known to the people of Israel in Egypt; and yet He allowed them the use of the "sacrifices, which they were wont to offer to the devil, "in His own worship; so as to command them in His "sacrifice to kill beasts, to the end that changing their "hearts, they might lay aside one part of the sacrifice "whilst they retained the other; that whilst they "offered the same beasts which they were wont to offer, 66 they should offer them to God, and not to idols; and "thus they would be no longer the same sacrifices. "This it behoves your affection to communicate to our "aforesaid Brother, that he being there present may |