Padstow has been attracting visitors for a very long time. Over 4000 years ago, even before the building of the Pyramids, it is thought that travellers used the Fowey/Camel Valley on their journeys from Brittany to Ireland. By using this route, known as "The Saints Way", the traitorous sea passage around Land's End could be avoided. But it was St. Petroc's arrival on the shores of the River Camel in the 6th Century that really put Padstow on the map. St Petroc was reputed to be the son of a Welsh Prince. He studied theology in Ireland and then founded a monastery at Lanwethinoc (which later became know as Petrocston, and then ultimately Padstow). Unfortunately the monastery was destroyed by the Vikings in the 10th century. Having lived in Padstow for thirty years, Petroc made a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, and supposedly reached the Indian Ocean living there for a time on an island as a hermit. On his eventual return to Cornwall he founded yet more hermitages and monasteries. He died in Wales, c. 594 and was buried in Padstow. In medieval times Padstow was granted the "right of sanctuary" by King Athelstan. This enabled criminals to remain safe from arrest, and the right of sanctuary continued until the time of the Reformation. Eventually the church's control ceased when the ownership of the land was transferred to the Prideaux family. Thank you for looking, as always any comments or suggestions welcome 8~) **Best Viewed Full Size**