MAWGAN-IN-PYDAR Close to the church is Lanherne, the ancient mansion of the Arundels — sometimes spelt Arun- dell — a family now extinct in the main line, but represented by the Arundels of Wiltshire. Lan- herne came to the "great Arundels" in 1231, and the front of this old house, now a convent and much enlarged, dates from 1580 ; they had a finer house at Trerice. In 1794 a party of Carmelite nuns, driven from the Continent by the troubles of the French Revolution, came to England, and Lord Arundel granted them this beautiful place of refuge. They have been here ever since, and if a life of conventual fetters can ever be satisfying, it should be in this lovely spot. The settlement has attracted other Catho- lics to the district, so that there is generally a fair attendance of worshippers in the convent- chapel, which contains paintings of Vandyke and Rubens. Inquisitive visitors must not expect to catch sight of the nuns ; they are concealed in their private gallery. Near the door of the chapel is an old cross of Pentewan stone, brought here from Gwinear, bearing a rude carving of the crucifixion, and an inscrip- tion in Saxon lettering — at least, the letters are generally supposed to be Saxon, though the matter is disputed. As the Arundels were always Catholics, it is natural to find a secret chamber in their old mansion ; it is said that a priest was concealed here tor eighteen months, in the time of Elizabeth. The West Country at that time was considerably overrun by fugitive and lurking priests, owing to the lingerings of i8i
