It is of little doubt that on the site of the present church St Petroc had a preaching cross and probably a cell beside a fountain (Nansfounteyn means the fountain in the valley) during the time he lived at Padstow. It is believed that there was a convent of nuns under the rule of St Issey.
Until the abolution of peculiar jurisdiction was a peculiar of the Bishops of Exeter and outside the juridiction of the Archdeacon of Cornwall.
The font of granite is the ancient one.
1264-See the restoration of the church in 1858 It is probable that Roger Lempru or Lempriere was rector at this time.
14th Century
The main structure of the church is from this date.
1741-The church had fallen into serious disrepair and at this time the south aisle was almost wholly rebuilt. The church at this time had a wooden tower.
1748-The wooden tower was taken down.
1750-A new stone tower was erected and four pinnacles brought from the ruined church of St Cadoc to surmount the angles.
1858-The church again in a dilaperdated state was pulled down by Sir Hugh Molesworth Bart the then rector. The restoration work was carried out under the superintendance of Mr William White, a London architect. (The pinnacles brought from St Cadoc were replaced. The angel corbel on the south side of the tower and corbel inside the sanctury to the north of the altar, were brought from the ruins of St Constantine by Sir Hugh Molesworth).
The church having been taken down almost to its foundation and rebuilt as far as possible with its old materials. The chief alterations took place in the north aisle. This originally was cut out of the living rock, left to form the north wall for some distance up, from which waster was continually dripping.
The westernmost bay of this aisle is new and to make up the colannade the column of cataclew stone, with the half column, was brought from St Cadoc and added to the east end, the granit pillars with theit arches being shifted west wards.The archway in the dividing wall between the two sanctuaries was made at the time to cover the tombstone of an ecclesiastic. The inscription on it appears to be "Sire Roger Lempru gist ici" Sir was the ordinary title of a priest in the middle ages. This even occures as late as Shakespears time.
October 6th The church was re-dedicated.