Gunwalloe - Gwynnwalow

Gunwalloe (Gwynnwalow) is a village and cove north along the coast from Mullion and about three miles southwest of Helston. The parish church of St Winwaloe is on the site of an earlier church rebuilt in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. There is a Celtic Cross next to the Church.

Our visit

The clouds began to break when we arrived at the cove. It created a beautiful blue and white streaked skyline over the sandy beach on this March day. The church of St Winwaloe (The Church of Storms) is located next to the cove. It has a special atmosphere with its mixture of Celtic cross stones, standing figure and the old Celtic cross standing secure and safe next to the church.

Saint Winwaloe was born around the year 430 AD and died 3rd March 532 AD.  He was the son of Fragan a prince from Dumnonia a Brythonic Celtic kingdom and land of the Domnonii whose lands included Cornwall. His mother was Gwen Teirbron of Brittany. Winwaloe was said to have been born at Plouguin and grew up in Ploufragan, Aodoù-an-Arvor, Brittany. He was said to have been educated by Saint Budoc, who was the Bishop of Dol in Brittany.

Legend says that as a child Winwaloe had a dream where Saint Patrick came to him. In the dream Saint Patrick asked him to found an Abbey in Brittany. He and other followers of Budoc founded Landévennec Abbey, where he died on 3rd March 532 AD and that date is now his feast day. In Cornwall, the land of his ancestors, he is the patron of churches at Gunwalloe, St Wynwallow’s Church at Landewednack and Tremaine.