Who was St Piran?

Degol S.Peran da tha whye oll. You can find a brief account of the modern association of St Piran with Cornwall here and an introduction to the placenames associated with the saint here. Let’s add a few more details from the Life of St Piran. Written in the 1200s, 700 years after he was supposed … Continue reading Who was St Piran?

Perranzabuloe: leaving Poldark’s parish

Perranzabuloe became the home in the 1930s of Winston Graham, the author of the Poldark series of novels. A few local placenames then made an appearance in his novels, Nampara for instance being used as the name of Ross and Demelza’s home. Emma Hoskin had been born in the real hamlet of Nampara, which was … Continue reading Perranzabuloe: leaving Poldark’s parish

Forenames and identity

St Peran didn't just leave his name in the landscape. On occasion, the name Piran or Perran is bestowed on male babies. However, this isn't some age-old tradition, surviving from the days of the saints. On the other hand, it's not entirely novel either. The forename Perran was being used in Perranzabuloe in the 1600s … Continue reading Forenames and identity

St Piran in the landscape

Forget myths of millstones. In fact, little is known of any actual historical figure called Piran. (For some of the mythology and a few facts see here.) What we do know is that the cult of St Piran became popular in west Cornwall and also spread across the sea to at least six places in … Continue reading St Piran in the landscape