In a field below the vicarage at Altarnon, can be found the Well of St Nonna. After much decay restored with care by Morley Brown who brought the land and being fascinated with the legend of the well sort out the water course which enabled the well to once again run freely.

The well achieved great fame as a "Bowsening pool" where unfortunate lunatics were pitched backwards in a short sharp shock principal in the hope of curing them. This practice is described by the Cornish historian Carew in the sixteenth century as follows.

"In our forefathers days, when devotion as much exceeded knowledge as knowledge now cometh short of devotion, there were many bowssening places for curing madmen; and amongst the rest, one at Alternunne in this hundred, called St Nunne's Pool, which saints altar it may be,' pars pro toto', gave name to church.

And because the manner of this bowssening is not so unpleasing to heare as it was uneasy to feele, I will (if you please) deliver you the practise as I receyved it from the beholder. The water running from St Nunne's Well fell into a square and close walled plot, which might bee filled at what depth they listed. Upon this wall was the franticke person set to stand, his back towards the poole; and from thence, with a sudden blow to the breast, tumbled headlong into the pond, where a strong fellow. provided for the nonce, tooke him and tossed him and tossed him, up and downe, alongst and athwart the water, until the patient, by forgoing his strength, had somewhat forgot his fury. Then was hee conveyed to the church, and certaine masses sung over him; upon which handling, if his right wits returned, St Nunne had the thanks; but, if there appeared small amendment, he was bowssened againe and againe while there remained in him any hope of life for recovery .

It may be , this device took original from the master of Bedlam, who (the fable saith) used to cure his patients of that impatience, by keeping them bound in pooles up to the middle, and so more or less after fit of their fury".