Church of St Morwenna and St John the Baptist, Morwenstow

Morwenstow, United Kingdom

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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The Church of St Morwenna and St John the Baptist stands in Morwenstow, the most northerly parish in Cornwall, perched in a remote position near the north coast cliffs. Built around 1150, the church displays Norman architecture and was substantially restored by architect James Piers St Aubyn. Dedicated to the local saint Morwenna and to John the Baptist, it remains an active Anglican parish church within the diocese of Truro. The building gained cultural significance under the Victorian vicar Rev. R. S. Hawker (1835–1874), a poet and antiquary credited with establishing the modern harvest festival church service in 1842. The churchyard preserves local maritime history through a ship's figurehead—replicated in stone after a vessel wrecked nearby in 1842; the original wooden figurehead, conserved, has been displayed inside the church since 2008. The church is designated Grade I listed.