St. Levan No. 2 / Saint Levan

Described and illustrated in Blight (1862): "Entering by the porch, the first object to be noticed is the stoup, which is perfect. It is square, and ornamented with simple (pointed?) arcading on one side." The quadrangular holy-water stoup is wall-mounted by the side of the entrance; the front side of the basin is ornamented with a blind arcade of three arches. [cf. Index entry for St. Levan No. 2 for the baptismal font at this church]. This church is one of several in Cornwall and Wales in which the church was built near a holy well. Noted in Cox (1912): "square E[arly] E[nglish] arcaded stoup in porch". Tyrrell-Green (1928) 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. In this place, only traces are left.One of several churches 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.