Startling and eerie are words that jump to mind upon first glimpse of Roche Chapel in Cornwall. This former house of worship teeters atop a granite outcrop, which in turn sticks out from the landscape like a spooky sore thumb. The chapel seems carved from the rock but is actually built onto it.
Dates are vague but the natural rock formed over 270 million years ago and the chapel was built some time during the 15th century. Legends suggest a leper hermit built it, that Jan Tregeagle fled demons to take refuge here and a miner’s shadow haunts it. You can climb up via a thin but sturdy metal ladder.
Even if climbing, chapels and legends aren’t your bag it’s worth driving by this extraordinary building, as you’re unlikely to see anything else quite like it. The chapel is found near the road out of Roche towards Carbis.
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