The parish church is dedicated to
St Julitta (Juliot) and stands in an isolated location above the valley of the
River Valency at The parish church of
Lanteglos by Camelford and the castle chapel at
Tintagel are also dedicated to St Julitta. The church is in the
St Juliot civil parish of northeast
Cornwall, The church predates the
Domesday Book. The
Dark Ages church building was enlarged in the
13th century when
transepts were added The chapel of St Julitta was acquired in 1238 by the canons of St Stephens by
Launceston and before 1269 was annexed to their church of
St Gennys. In the late
15th century a south
aisle and porch were added to the church. At the
Reformation it was separated from St Gennys and became a donative served by perpetual curates who were paid £7 annually. It became a
rectory in 1865. There was formerly a north transept which was removed in the
Victorian restoration. The tower is of three stages; the south aisle is built of
granite and has one additional bay east of the end of the nave. Features of interest include the vaulted granite south porch and a relief in bronze of the Deposition of
Christ which is the work of an Italian
16th-century Mannerist. There are two Cornish crosses in the churchyard. The parish now belongs to the Boscastle group of Anglican parishes. It was surveyed by the Dorchester architect John Hicks in 1867, but he died before restoration work could start. It was restored between 1870 and 1872 by
Thomas Hardy. The restoration was almost a complete rebuilding, but controversial as to whether some of the original building could have been restored, rather than replaced. It re-opened on 25 April 1872. As well as being an architect Hardy was better known as a
poet and
novelist. He met his wife here in 1870, and wrote
A Pair of Blue Eyes and other poems in 1912–13, about his time in the parish. There are three
Cornish crosses of early dating. There are two Cornish crosses in the churchyard. One of the crosses was originally sited at
Anderton Mill, Lesnewth, but was brought here for preservation in 1852. ==Parish status==