#perranzabuloe

[bluesman56]

Drive me mad by Tony

[travelling-my-little-pony]

It’s the first day of the month, so it’s Love Wishes on a Letterbox Day!

Here is Love Wishes on a leeterbox in Perranzabuloe, in Cornwall, England.

[bluesman56]

Blockage by Tony

[bluesman56]

Inside by Tony

[bluesman56]

Just a week in Time by Tony Via Flickr: On my way to Perranporth in Cornwall. One week later and travel even up the road has stopped. Tough times for those with itchy feet.

[travelling-my-little-pony]

Flower Wishes with some pretty blossom.

At Perranzabuloe, in Cornwall, England.

[maypoleman1]

5th March

St Piran’s Day

Actor Colin Retallick playing St Piran at the annual St Piran’s Day procession. Source: GettyImages/ BBC News

Today is St Piran’s Day. Not much is known about Piran. He is thought to have been an Irish missionary who travelled throughout Wales, Cornwall and Brittany in the post-Roman British Dark Ages. He was apparently an excellent speaker, and taught a fairly relaxed brand of Celtic Christianity that emphasised the joys of eating, drinking and making merry with none of the austere monasticism of the later Roman Catholic missionaries. This probably explains why he became such a popular saint, particularly in Cornwall, where Piran was rumoured to have taught the Cornish miners how to smelt their tin. Piran was said to have arrived in Cornwall in the 480s at Perranzabuloe, and a seventh century oratory still marks the spot. By the Middle Ages, Piran’s shrine had become a major saintly attraction for pilgrims and the many Cornish settlements with the prefix Perran are all likely named after the saint.

There is a darker side to the Piran cult. Nineteenth century excavations of the oratory revealed three ancient headless skeletons and three decapitated skulls. This may be no more than evidence of early medieval foul play, but equally, in this Celtic part of Britain, perhaps the shrine remained a pagan hold out with associated sacrifice and head worship at play. There is probably a gothic horror novel in there somewhere.

[bluesman56]

Singular by Tony Via Flickr: