Ruan Minor No. 1

One of several locations in Cornwall and Wales in which the church was built near a holy well. Tyrrell-Green (1928: 11) informs that "chapels were sometimes built either directly above holy wells or in such close proximity to them that a simple arrangement could be made for the water from the sacred spring to flow into a reservoir within the chapel. It is probable that these well-chapels were erected in the first instance to serve as baptisteries", which would account for the choice of this church site, as well as those at Callington, Llangibby, Mathern, St. Cleer near Liskeard and others. [cf. Index entry for Ruan Minor No. 2 for the Norman baptismal font inside the church]