St Breaca's Church, Breage, Helston

Restored medieval paintings and a curious ancient cross attract pilgrims to Breage’s church, named after a female saint and recipient of funds to develop its visitor facilities‍

Highlights

• Church founded by St Breage
• Ancient cross
• Early wall paintings

There are several Celtic churches named after a female missionary, which tells us plenty about the role of women in bringing Christianity to Britain. St Breaca certainly made a lasting impression on south Cornwall. She came to Breage from Ireland in the late 5th or early 6th century, and her church has recently won a major grant to develop its heritage facilities in honour of this pioneering missionary.

An ancient cross stands just outside the south porch. These are common in Cornwall, but Breage’s is made of sandstone, a material not found locally. As the church guide says, there is no evidence that this cross was directly linked to St Breaca. But it was clearly transported here for a reason, perhaps even to mark her grave. The churchyard retains its circular shape, another indication of an early Celtic foundation.

The church itself has Norman fragments but is mostly 15th century. It contains some eye-catching, if rather crude, wall paintings. Most famous of these is ‘Christ of the Trades’. It depicts the Saviour in a loincloth, horribly lacerated as he was during his Passion. Behind him lie all manner of medieval tools and instruments. Jenkins records the most plausible explanation for such a composition: a strict warning against working on the Sabbath. It is otherwise interpreted as Christ simply blessing the labour of tradesmen, but that doesn’t explain his wounds.

Very little of the medieval stained-glass windows survives. A modern window in the south wall of the nave near the entrance depicts St Breaca. Other than that, the church currently has no shrine dedicated to its pioneering founder.

There was a medieval Life of St Breage kept in this church, but it is now lost. The antiquarian John Leland made an abbreviated copy in the 16th century. Frustratingly, it seems to have been one of the few lives of a Cornish saint that actually contained authentic historical detail. Many of the others simply plagiarise stories from other saints’ lives.

The copy records that St Breage came here from St Brigid’s monastery in County Kildare with several companions, including St Sithney, whose church is a mile to the east (page 216). Her saint’s day is 1 May.

Directions‍

St Breaca’s Church, Shute Hill, Breage, Helston TR13 9PD

www.achurchnearyou.com/church/2377

W3W: boast.stag.intro

GPS: 50.1083N 5.3320W‍

The church is in the middle of the village, usually unlocked during the daytime.