The site of the original Celtic church is claimed to be at Trungle and would have been a simple wooden oratory in a round enclosure. That the present church site has Celtic foundation is strongly suggested by the finding in 1954 of the top of a granite churchyard cross built into the wall of the vicarage. the Christ-figure is depicted wearing a tunic showing it to be early Byzantine design, perhaps 9th century. it is now kept in the church window by the font. The ancient cross which once stood at Roseworthy is considered to be perhaps the most beautiful cross in Cornwall, and was removed in the 18th century for safety to Lanherne Nunnery, Mawgan in Pydar. The large cross which is now in the churchyard , near the main porch on the north, was removed in 1858 from a point about half-a-mile east of the church.
Norman Times.
1311-May 24th Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, chief lord of the manor, at the instance of Walter de Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter, authorised by his deed the grant of an acre of land in the manor of Drannack, with the advowson of the church Sancti Wynneri, to Sir Richard de Stapledon, in aid for the maintenance of, twelve scholars in the university of Oxford. (These were to be youths in whom capacity, good conduct and straitened circumstances were most fully combined.)
1318-October 21st Sir Richard conveyed the deed to the Dean and chapter of Exeter, and the Bishop of Exeter bestowed the great tithe of the Parish of Gwinear on the Exeter College, of which he was the founder.
The only Norman remains in the current church are some corbel heads, and the base of the font. The corbel heads are built into the western wall of the tower, and would appear to represent the heads of two nuns, joined together. Two curios beak heads are built into the south porch on either side of the doorway.
15th Century
The tower.
1683-A monument exists to Elizabeth Arundell.
16th Century.
The north aisle was built by the Arundell family, who were connected with Roseworthy. the ornamentation of the capitals of the pillars consists mainly of foliage, but some of the Capitals have angels holding shields. On one capitals in the Arundell aisle there is a curious horned animal roughly executed.
1727-Is the date of the present font.
19th Century.
There is a large memorial to John Harvey, famous engineer of Hayle.
Arundell-see above.
Penneck-owned Taskus farm before 1789, the family arms were presented 1712.
Polkinhorne-is an old family name that can be traced back as far as 1290.
Williams (Roger)- the apostle of freedom in religious matters. Baptised in Gwinear on December 21st 1602, graduated at Pembroke College Cambridge January 1624, and went to New England 1629.