This remote Cornwall escape is filled with natural beauty and one standout historic building just six miles south of the tourist hotspot, Truro.
St Just in Roseland is a notable village and civil parish famous for its picturesque church and unexpected tropical settings. Located just north of St Mawes, the area is tucked nicely away on the Cornwall coastline, offering serene sights away from your typical Cornish spots.
What makes the area so noteworthy is its 13th-century Church of England parish church, known locally as St Just’s Church. The historic building is set back along riverside gardens, home to some of the rarest species in the country.
St Just’s Church sits comfortably on the edge of a tidal creek, like something straight out of a fairytale, quietly beside the Carrick Roads, outside of the main village. Leading up to it is a charming road made with granite blocks that are detailed with meaningful Bible verses and quotations.
The gardens surrounding the area are filled with luscious palm trees, flowers, plants and more, creating an illusive little jungle around the centuries-old building. A TripAdvisor review claims that St Just in Roseland is home to “tranquil” gardens, “the most beautiful” that they’ve seen belonging to a church.
Another impressed visitor left a review to say: “I have been to many wonderful churches, but this one is very special. For almost 1,500 years there has been a church on this site; even today there is a sense of peace and solitude.
“The graveyard is really a semi-tropical garden and compares well with some of the famous gardens in Cornwall.
The church is relatively plain inside but provides a magic space to leave behind the modern world and all its troubles.”
Someone else said: “This church and area are just so beautiful. The church and grounds are just so serene and peaceful and pretty. The views over the water from the church are beautiful.
“Lovely old graves and a well-kept graveyard. Definitely worth a visit if you love churches.”
The inside of the church itself is open for respectful visitors, acting as a place for prayer and worship, as well as a “place of respite” for all in the community. According to its website, St Just in Roseland Church is a place “you will never forget you have visited”.
It further states: “St Just church is open daily from 9am to 6pm in the summer and 9am to 4pm during the winter months.Please note there may be times when the church is closed – such as for a funeral or reflective service.”
Forming part of the grounds is also a quaint cafe, Renwicks Café, that serves both locals and tourists alike, nestled in the subtropical gardens.In order to reach it, visitors should head outside of the main village down a small side road which leads to hillside church gates. There isn’t ample parking available on site, but roadside parking is also an option for those passing through.
