Gwithian

Coordinates: 50°13′17″N 5°23′11″W / 50.2214°N 5.3865°W / 50.2214; -5.3865

Gwithian (Cornish: Godhyan) is a coastal village in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is three miles (5 km) northeast of Hayle and four miles (6.5 km) east of St Ives, Cornwall across St Ives Bay. Gwithian is in the civil parish of Gwinear-Gwithian.

Gwithian has a pub, the Red River Inn, which was formerly named the Pendarves Arms. The pub takes its name from the nearby Red River which, in turn, got its name from the discolouration caused by mining effluent. The river's earlier name was Dowr Coner.

History

Gwithian Towans cover the site of a Bronze Age farm which has been excavated although no remains are visible. The church and relics of St Gwithian or Gocianus, built in 490, were uncovered from the beach and dunes during the early part of the 19th century, but were then allowed to be reclaimed by the shifting sands. Gwithian is the patron saint of good fortune on the sea. Charles Henderson wrote in 1925 that the "oratory ... is more perfect than the Oratory at Perran, having been less meddled with, though it is probably not so ancient". According to H. O'Neill Hencken there is the "remains of church, possibly early, buried in sand".