Nestled in the middle of Cornwall is the hamlet of St Clether, near the River Inney. There is a church, which is very nice (but not covered here), the yard of which you walk through to cross a stile into the land behind. There follows a good 10-20 minute walk which is pleasant in its own right but overgrown in places. The views across the fields and river are good, but the walk is not recommended in wet, or recently been wet, conditions.

At the end of the walk you are greeted with a pretty chapel, set in its own small grounds and with the well to one side; it is considered Cornwall's most beautifully sited Holy Well. The tranquillity of this place, between the river and a limestone outcrop, is marvellous and on a warm sunny day, I could have stayed all day.

St. Clether's Chapel is thought to have been built by St Clederus (1), one of the Welsh Celtic saints, in the 5th century who set up his hermitage here. It seems likely that the well would have been of pagan significance before this. The chapel was rebuilt in the 15th century and restored in 1895.

The Chapel. Inside it is a single room. To the left of the picture is the well, shown below

Inside the chapel. Despite its austereness, the chapel feels warm and friendly within. It is in excellent condition and there is a visitor book where people have left many comments. Sadly, a few of them are by the brainless morons that seem to be everywhere, but not that many.

The sign in the chapel. Notice the year it was made - 1913!

St Clether is known by several names - Cleer, Clydog, Scledog, Citanus, Cleodius and Clederus. Return