54 



ANNUAL EXCURSION, 1901. 



When our members were considering where they should go 

 for their excursion, Mr. John Charles "Williams, the President 

 for the time being, said it would be a source of great pleasure to 

 him to see them at Caerhays Castle. This cordial invitation 

 was gladly accepted, and the Hon. Secretaries accordingly made 

 the arrangements for Thursday, the 25th of July. Heavy rain 

 and high wind overnight, coupled with the prospect of a 

 continuation of the showers, did not set the party of thirty in 

 the best of spirits when they met at Truro in the morning. 

 Still, the more hopeful and prophetic among the number ventured 

 the opinion that the weather would not be so bad as some might 

 imagine — there would come a "break" bye-and-bye. And as 

 the day wore on these prophets proved to be correct. Never 

 once did the sun shine, but at no time were the excursionists 

 inconvenienced by any serious fall of rain, though the darkest 

 clouds frequently gathered over them, and the air was rather 

 chilly. 



The first halting place was the Church of St. Michael 

 Penkivel, which was reached by way of the lovely carriage drive 

 of Tregothnan, which Viscount Falmouth had kindly opened to 

 the visitors. Half an hour was spent at St. Michael Penkivel, 

 whose church is a fourteenth century edifice, though rebuilt on 

 former lines in 1862. This beautiful church contains many 

 objects of interest — provision for four altars for the four priests 

 of this archpresbytery (one of them being in the tower) — two 

 fine mediaeval coffin slabs in the south porch — an altar slab in 

 the south transept, with crosses on it and the initials IC (no 

 doubt those of John Carminow), and, most interesting of all, the 

 original foundation stone, of which an illustration is given. 



This may probably be extended as " Sanctus Michaelis 

 Archangelus, Walter Episcopus," meaning Walter Bronescombe, 

 Bishop of Exeter, who on 13th Aiigust, 1261, dedicated the 

 church. The chancel of that date apjaears to have been preserved 



