Cottages At Veryan, Cornwall - Built To Keep The Devil Away

Some would say that Veryan, on the Roseland Peninsula, is one of Cornwall's loveliest inland villages. There are many attractive cottages, but the village is mostly famous for it's round houses.

There are five round houses or cottages. These thatched buildings were built around 1810 by the local vicar, a Parson Trist, for the use of local labourers. He also thought that they would be a decorative feature for the village - which indeed they are. Records show they cost £42 (about US$60) to build - inflation has a lot to answer for!

They are a strange design, being round, but there is a reason for this - to keep the devil away - from both the cottages and from the village itself. Maybe not away, as such, but as there are no corners in the cottages the devil has nowhere to hide. And for extra protection a cross has been placed on the top of each thatched roof.

Though the round houses are the main attraction I also particularly like the cottage shown in the photo below - such a superb thatched roof.

Other cottages, like the terrace below, perhaps aren't quite as glamorous but they all go to make up a very pleasant place to visit. The village was first mentioned in 1086, so has quite a history and is, therefore, very popular with tourists.

There are also many other attractions on the Roseland Peninsular: beaches, castles, churches and much more.