St Clement

St Clement is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, situated along the wooded banks of the Tresillian River, southeast of Truro. Historically known as Moresk, the area was the site of a royal manor and a medieval castle. The parish has a layered quality, with the remains of fortifications, an ancient church with early Christian inscriptions, and views across the river valleys. The village itself is small, and much of the parish functions as a scenic rural area within the Truro suburbs, with the larger hamlet of Tresillian to the northeast.

History: The old name of the area is Moresk, meaning "sea-waters," and the manor was one of the seventeen Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall. A castle stood here in Norman times, likely on high ground near the current church, guarding the river entrance to what would become Truro. The earliest mention of the castle dates from the 15th century, when it was recorded as destroyed in 1104, though old walls were noted as forming part of a garden in 1794. The site of St Clement Church is believed to be an early coastal fort site, and the early Christian building was a chapel for Moresk Castle. In 1259, Bishop Bronescombe of Exeter dedicated the church to St Clement. The church was enlarged during the 14th and 15th centuries and heavily restored in Victorian times. It contains the Ignioc Stone, an early Christian memorial dating to the 6th or 7th century. The church is Grade I listed, and the tower bears the date 1326. The parish was divided in 1895, with the urban part incorporated into Truro. Today, St Clement is a mix of residential areas and scenic countryside, with the church and village retaining their historic character.