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There can be few churches anywhere to rival the setting of St Just in Roseland. Its churchyard tumbles gently downhill to the church with paths and steps meandering through palm trees, ornamental shrubs and flowers amongst the gravestones. A stream trickles through it heading for St Just Creek beside which this church has stood for over 800 years. From the other side of the creek the church is mirrored in its still waters.
However a church or chapel of some kind has existed here since as early as 550AD - nearly 1500 years. The current church was consecrated in 1216 by Simon of Apulia, Bishop of Exeter and was dedicated to St Just on 14th August 1261, by Walter, Bishop of Exeter. Additions were made to it in the C15th. It was was restored in 1872.
Saint Just to whom the church is dedicated is something of a shadowy figure; Wikipedia suggests that he is Justus of Trieste, but this seems highly unlikely. A notice in the church claims that he was a scion of the Cornish (Christian) Royal family - a descendant of "King Mark" (Conomorus) - but eschewing wealth and power became a hermit living a quiet life of poverty and solitude beside the creek here and gathering his water from what is now considered his Holy Well.

The Church
EH Grade I listing: Link
Church website: Link
Gardens website: Link
Wikipedia article: Link
The Holy Well
Megalithic Portal: Link
EH Grade II listed: Link

Created: Wed, 12 Mar 2025, Updated: Tue, 18 Mar 2025