Located on the Roseland Peninsula close to the River Fal, Philleigh is a small yet scattered rural community, where its residents mainly live on farms or in hamlets.
One of Philleigh interesting places to visit is the breathtaking sixteenth century Inn aptly named The Roseland Inn. The Roseland Inn is a great place for visitors to stop at and enjoy the good food and fine ales.
Philleigh including St Philleigh, the village and the parish was named after the Celtic Saint, St Fillus. St. Fillus is believed to have been a monk of Irish or Welsh decent who had lived in Glastonbury and he came to Cornwall with St Kea and St Rumon both saints from the area, around 600A.D. They started a number different sites of worship.
The church in Philleigh, St Philleigh, has in its tower original medieval work, which survives to this day, especially in the arcade and the north transept. Thomas Carminow in 1387 is believed to be the first rector of the church in Philleigh. Up to 1938 the rectors of Philleigh resided at the Glebe house, which is opposite the church, until the parish pastoral responsibilities were given to neighboring parishes.
The main road in Philleigh, travels straight through the village and once was the old coach road that linked the city of London to Penzance, this can be seen on the earlier maps of the seventeenth century. This road goes on to the river crossings at the Tolverne Ferry and King Harry Ferry, which have both been providing ferry services since mediaeval days. Tolverne and Smuggler’s Cottage which are near to Philleigh are where you will find D-Day embarkation memorabilia, there is also a passenger ferry to Falmouth that runs during the summer months.
