St Mellanus, born in South Wales sometime in the earlier part of the sixth century.
He appears to have been a friend of St Samson, a historically authenticated person, who migrated to Brittany and there built the great church at Dol. St Mellanus went with Sampson but returned to Cornwall to preach and convert. He later became Bishop of Aleth (St Malo) and died 570 AD. St Mellanus is honoured in the Cathedral at Rennes (Capital of Brittany ). The statue of the saint in front of the rood screen was purchased by a previous vicar in Rue S. Melan - the road leading to Rennes Cathedral. His name has many alternate spellings. In the 6th century many missionaries traveled between Brittany. Cornwall, Wales and Ireland-preaching and baptising by local streams before churches were built. There is a prayer cross at Predannack on the moor and sites of early meeting places at Clahar and Trenance.
Many years passed between the death of the saint and the building of the present church, it is more then likely that an earlier Norman Church was situated on this site.
1500-The tower was erected by Robert Luddra (or Luddre). He appears to be a vicar of Mullion, and as so is entered in the Valour Ecclesiasticus of Bishop Vesey of 1536, but it is possible that this tower was built by him actually before his vicariate, while he was still provost of Glasney College Penryn. The exterior is built partly of granite and partly of serpentine. The latter stone provides the principal geological formation of this district. Being of different colours, and veined not unlike marble, it has been extensively quarried and worked by l;ocal craftsmen into knick-knacks and table ornaments, its property of taking a high polish lending the manufactured articles an additional attraction. The drip stone moulding could have been taken from an older building two centuries earlier.
The North door is also thought to of belonged to a previous church, and to be not later than the 11th century. It is of oak, and has wooden studs rather than iron, as in the main door. Above the north door is the Royal Coat of Arms, said to have been bestowed by Charles II. It is alleged that he attended divine service at the time when he is supposed to have stayed at Erisey Manor (now demolished). As also occurs in many old churches the north door is sometimes referred to as the "Devil's Door", from the ancient custom of opening this door at the time of baptism, to permit the speedy exit of any spirit driven out by the ceremony.
Over the south (main ) door is hung the hatchment of the Erisey family above referred to. It was originally concealed under the coat of arms. A small hole in the bottom of the door is the so called "Dog Door". This is sometimes to be found in churches near extensive farm lands, notably Wales, and was supposed to be for the convenience of sheep dogs attending service, whose staying power was not that of their masters. In the main porch is a Beneatura, or holy water stoup.
The floor of the church is of an unusual substance, lime ash. The preparation of this composition is now a lost art, and any necessary repairs have to be carried out in concrete.
The Ancient Rood Screen, erected probably about the middle of the 15th century, was badly mutilated at the reformation, and suffered again later times, when it was more or less completely destroyed. Only the portion below the transom across the chancel was remaining when the restoration of the central portion was commenced in 1925. The screen is typically Cornish in type. It is built entirely of oak and has been restored complete, with rood loft, parapet front and rood. The southern section was completed in 1961.
Over the west window, and immediately under the string course, is a piece of granite on which is carved a representation of the Crucifixion. The manner of this treatment is unusual in Cornish churches, though found on some of the later Cornish Crosses.
The principal beauty of churches is the old oak seats, traditionally supposed to have been carved from timber from an ancient forest which grew on what is now Goonhilly Downs. The carving on the bench ends is curious and often striking as per the illustration.
The roof is in true Cornish style. The original timbers are reputed to have come from the same Goonhilly Forest as the bench ends. The roof was totally restored and re-built in 1987/88 still in the old style. There is not one nail in the oak timbers-all joints are pegged in the medieval fashion - the roof ceilings are of riven lath with horse-hair and lime plaster. Part of an old wall-plate is preserved in the case of the South West window sill. In the chancel roof are six figures supposed to represent saints but these were painted over during the Commonwealth to prevent them being destroyed and the details and colours are lost.