Lat 50.3850° N, lon 4.8950° W●Cornish village

St DennisCornwall

St Dennis is a village and parish in the china clay country of mid Cornwall, on the B3279 between Newquay and St Austell.

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St Dennis at a glance

St Dennis: a china clay village with a hilltop church on an Iron Age fort above Goss Moor

St Dennis is a village and parish in the china clay country of mid Cornwall, on the B3279 between Newquay and St Austell. Much of the parish is up to 500 feet above sea level. The village grew from several small settlements, Hendra, Trelavour and Whitepit, and expanded quickly after china clay was found in the area.

The parish church of St Denys stands on a hilltop above the village, on the site of an Iron Age hillfort. It looks out over Goss Moor towards the sea at Newquay. The tower is the oldest part. After a fire in 1985 the church was rebuilt, and the new roof timbers were lifted in by a Royal Navy helicopter.

Goss Moor, which lies partly in the parish, is a national nature reserve and the largest continuous mire in south west Britain. The old A30 across the moor is now a cycle route. Around the village are the clay tips and pits of the china clay industry, and part of Trelavour Downs is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

St Dennis has a strong musical and Methodist tradition. St Dennis Band is based here and reached Championship status in 2017. The village pubs are the Commercial Inn in Trelavour Square and the Boscawen Hotel.

Nanpean is a neighbouring clay country village to the south, in St Stephen in Brannel parish, about four miles north west of St Austell. It was once one of the most important centres of the clay industry, and Imerys still runs a refinery on its edge.

Planning questions

Frequently asked questions about St Dennis

Where is the Commercial Inn in St Dennis?

The Commercial Inn is at 10 Trelavour Square, St Dennis, PL26 8AX. It is a traditional Cornish local in a small square, with a main bar, a lounge and a dining room. The field behind the inn was the traditional venue for Cornish wrestling.

Does the Commercial Inn serve food or have rooms?

CAMRA lists bar snacks, with home cooked food at lunchtime on Sundays only. The inn has five bed and breakfast rooms. Parking is limited, but there is on street parking nearby.

How do you get to St Dennis?

St Dennis is on the B3279 between Newquay and St Austell. The nearest railway station is St Columb Road, over three miles away. Buses run between St Dennis and Newquay, St Austell and Truro, with stops including Robartes Road and the Surgery.

What is there to see in St Dennis?

The church of St Denys sits on the site of an Iron Age hillfort, with views over Goss Moor towards Newquay. Its churchyard has an unusual cross with a horseshoe shaped head. The surrounding landscape of clay tips and pits shows the area's china clay history.

Where can you walk or cycle near St Dennis?

Goss Moor, partly in the parish, is a national nature reserve. The old A30 road across the moor was turned into a cycle route, which opened in 2008. It is the largest continuous mire complex in south west Britain.

Where is Nanpean?

Nanpean is a clay country village on the B3279, about four miles north west of St Austell, between St Austell and St Dennis. It is in St Stephen in Brannel parish and has its own church, St George the Martyr, built in 1879. The same buses that serve St Dennis stop there.

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