108 ANNTJAL EXCURSION'. 



examining the ancient cross in the churchyard and the interior 

 of the church. The most interesting features of Roche are the 

 rocks, on which some pleasant minutes were spent. The Rev. 

 A. H. Malan read a short description of the spot. He said the 

 history of Roche hermitage is enveloped in obscurity. The rock 

 itself rising abruptly from the surrounding plain is not unlike 

 Vixen Tor on Dartmoor, and with the chapel above looks 

 singularly romantic when viewed from the eastward. The 

 chapel consists of two storeys, the upper being the larger of the 

 two. The lower storey appears to have been the cell ; while the 

 area above, from the greater finish of the east window and the 

 well-designed piscina, would be the chapel proper. But the 

 presence of a piscina (or credence, or stoup) in the lower storey 

 looks as if this were used for religious purposes by the occupants 

 of the cell. The tracery of the east window of the chapel is 

 figured in Lysons' History. The dimensions of the chapel are 

 22 feet X 10 feet; dimensions of cell, 12 feet X 10 feet. 

 Tradition tells us that when his Satanic majesty would chase 

 Tregeagle, by way of a break in the giant's laborious but 

 monotonous work of attempting to bale out Dosmary Pool with 

 a leaky croggan (limpet shell), Tregeagle would come and place 

 his head in the opening of the east window, and as long as he 

 kept in the precincts of the sanctuary he was safe from further 

 molestation. This hermitage is dedicated to St. Michael. 

 Professor Eees says that the dates of churches, &c., in Wales, 

 which are dedicated to the Archangel, range from 718 to the 

 tenth century A.D. There are only five churches in Cornwall 

 with a similar dedication, and eight chapels. Roche Church is 

 dedicated to St. Conant, " whose memory," says Polwhele, " is 

 still preserved by the well of Trefonk, his park, and meadow, 

 commonly called St. Q-onnett's. Gilbert, writing in 1820, says 

 of the chapel — " About 40 years ago the buildings were repaired; 

 but it has since been plundered of nearly every material, and 

 nothing now remains but walls and window frames." There is 

 a tradition among the parishioners, that the chapel was erected by 

 the last male heir of the Tregarrick family, who, about A.D. 

 1400, grew disgusted with the world, and retired to this cell, 

 where he spent the remainder of his days. Setting aside the 

 tradition (Gilbert proceeds), it should be observed that Roche 



