England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Advent St Adwena

The Parish

The parish of Advent lies in northern Cornwall not too far from its northern Irish Sea coastline, Advent is located roughly 2 miles south of the small town of Camelford and sits just over a half mile east of the A39 road which links Camelford with Wadebridge. There is no place named Advent on modern day maps, the core of the parish is at a small hamlet of Tresinney with subsidiary settlements further east such as Highertown and south such as Trecarne. The parish encompasses a large portion of northern Bodmin Moor, the assets of which supplied much of the income for the parish, extensive quarrying of the tough granite was subsequently followed by working of the China Clay that resulted from its chemical erosion, the moor also provided rough upland grazing for sheep whilst lower ground was farmed with cattle. Advent parish is drained southwards by the River Camel which skirts the moor as far as Bodmin before turning to reach the Irish Sea northwestwards arriving through Wadebridge. Advent church at Tresinney is sited at 200 metres above the sea but the eastern edges of the parish rise almost to 400 metres on nearby Rough Tor. Advent parish, like many upland parishes, was extensive with just over 4,200 acres required to support its around 300 parishioners. Advent, nor its subsidiary settlements, is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Adwena's church, the dedication is to a 5th century daughter of the King of Brycheiniog in south Wales who reputedly founded the church and is associated with being the patron saint of sweet-hearts, lies roughly 300 metres northeast of the hamlet of Tresinney accessed by footpath from the lane to Highertown. The church was founded initially as a chapelry to nearby Lanteglos by Camelford eventually becoming a parish in its own right. The earliest part of the church is the northern transept which, despite extensive rebuilding, retains lancet style windows from the 13th century Early English Gothic period. Slightly later, and from the short Transitional period, comes the rather thin western tower built over the turn of 13th into 14th centuries. The eight pinnacles which top the tower are only exceeded by the 12 of St Ive in this county. The main body of the church has been extensively rebuilt over the centuries and much dating detail lost as a consequence, what remains indicates a Perpendicular style 15th century origin but much is from the restorations of the late 1840s and more modern work in the 1970s. The narrow lane to Highertown has a short area widened to permit a car or two to safely park without obstructing, a green footpath sign also points the way to the church along a rough track  to where the more adventurous might also park in a dedicated area. Sadly for the photographer the church sits tight to the southern edges of the round, a "llan" in Wales, churchyard removing those favoured aspects and making for a challenging church to photographer especially on a sunny day.