More information : (SW 7822 2568) MONASTERY (NR) (Site of) (NAT). (1)
St Anthony in Meneage was perhaps a Celtic monastery of the name of Lantenning, that being the name of the Churchtown lands. Before the middle of the 12th century it had become a grange of Tywardreath although traditionally spoken of as a cell. (2-3)
Near the churchyard "are the remains of walls and in removing some of them many human bones have been found where it is thought some art of a religious house formerly stood".
In the churchyard are the ruins of an old chapel 24 ft long by 14 ft wide. It was used before the building of the church. However it may have been used more recently as Henderson (3) notes that the church suffered a long period of neglect. (4)
The monastery siting,in the farmyard, probably originated from the farm name "Lantinning" which is derived, it is suggested, from Lan-Intenyn (the monastery of St Intenyn-hence St Anthony). There is nothing visible on the ground.
The chapel is not mentioned in the church guide although it notes "close by the 'holy well' (SW 72 NE31) are the almost vanished remains of old buildings which are said to have been used as almshouses in later years." The ruined building on the east side of the churchyard cannot be the chapel because it lies north-south. The almshouse buildings were probably in the small plot immediately NE of the spring though there are no remains. (5)
(SW 78287566) St. Anthony's Church (NA). (6)
The dedication of the church to St. Anthony is suggested by the Cornish colloquial form of the name 'Lanyntenyn'. (7)
The Celtic name is given as evidence of the site of a lan (8) and pre-Saxon graveyard (9).
The present church is of the 13th and 15th centuries with a good 15th century west tower. (10)
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