Ships Figurehead About 8 Metres West of the Lych Gate of the Church of St Morwenna
SHIPS FIGUREHEAD ABOUT 8 METRES WEST OF THE LYCH GATE OF THE CHURCH OF ST MORWENNA
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1141779
- Date first listed:
- 09-Sept-1985
- List Entry Name:
- Ships Figurehead About 8 Metres West of the Lych Gate of the Church of St Morwenna
- Statutory Address:
- SHIPS FIGUREHEAD ABOUT 8 METRES WEST OF THE LYCH GATE OF THE CHURCH OF ST MORWENNA
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1141779
- Date first listed:
- 09-Sept-1985
- List Entry Name:
- Ships Figurehead About 8 Metres West of the Lych Gate of the Church of St Morwenna
- Statutory Address 1:
- SHIPS FIGUREHEAD ABOUT 8 METRES WEST OF THE LYCH GATE OF THE CHURCH OF ST MORWENNA
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- SHIPS FIGUREHEAD ABOUT 8 METRES WEST OF THE LYCH GATE OF THE CHURCH OF ST MORWENNA
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Morwenstow
- National Grid Reference:
- SS 20544 15267
Details
SS 21 NW MORWENSTOW MORWENSTOW
1/109 Ships figurehead about 8 metres - west of the lych gate of the Church of St Morwenna - II
Ships figurehead. Early C19. Carved wood painted single colour. Figure of Caledonia, holding drawn sword and shield, fixed on original timber. Ship's figurehead set up to commemorate the captain and crew of the 'Caledonia' of Arbroath, wrecked at Morwenstow in 1842 with one survivor. The figure was repaired in 1968 after it had been damaged during theft. It is illustrated in the Hawker memorial window (q.v.) in the church. The Reverend R S Hawker's practice of burying drowned sailors in the churchyard was a notable break with local tradition. At one time 3 ships keels and a cross formed from oars were placed in the churchyard to commemorate dead sailors. Hawker published a dramatic description of the aftermath of the wreck of the 'Caledonia' with a poem : "We smoothed the green turf on their breast,/'Mid baffled ocean's angry roan/And there - the relique of the storm-/We fixed fair Scotland's figured form"/, Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall (1870). R S Hawker, poet and antiquary, was vicar of Morwenstow from 1835-1874.
Listing NGR: SS2054615266
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 64912
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Hawker, R S, Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall, (1870)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 17:04:01.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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