Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Lanherne (aka St Mawgan Monastery or Lanherne Convent) is a manor house and convent in St Mawgan, Cornwall. It was originally a monastery of Celtic monks, established in the 6th century, and dissolved in the 11th century. The monastery became the Manor of Lanherne by 1086 as recorded in the Domesday Book. It then became a manor house for the Arundell family, and by 1360 it was their main residence. In 1794, after the Arundell line faded, the house was given to a group of Carmelite nuns who had fled the French Revolution. The Carmelite sisters occupied the convent for over two centuries before handing it over to the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in 2001. As of 2025, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate at Lanherne Convent were still at the site. Lanherne Convent is a cloistered community, meaning the public is not permitted to enter the nuns' living quarters. The chapel, however, is open for public worship. The convent has been under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest since 2021 and uses the traditional Latin Mass. The site features an ancient Celtic cross that was moved from another parish and is described as 'the most beautiful specimen of an elaborately decorated cross in Cornwall'. It is within the council area of Cornwall.
Historic England Grade I Listed 1144134.

Place Type: Historic House
Alternative name(s): St Mawgan Monastery or Lanherne Convent
Historic County: Cornwall
Lat, Long: 50.454465,-4.999629
Grid Reference: SW 8716 6592
Civil Parish: Mawgan-in-Pydar CP
Council Area: Cornwall CA
Police Area: Devon and Cornwall PA

GBPN ID: 302846
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Lanherne,_Cornwall_302846

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