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 4 THE CHURCHES OF CORNWALL The churches of this western peninsula differ considerably and definitely from those in any other shire or district of England. Although they lack the grace, beauty, and size of those in various other parts of the kingdom, they have distinct attractions and interest of their own, and are pre-eminently local. The late Mr. J. D. Sedding happily expressed this in 1884, when he wrote: "There is in the older Cornish church an indefinable something which makes them seem more identified with the local surroundings than is the case with church architecture in other parts of England. These simple structures seem to be part of the simple nature of the moor and down which surround them ; they have what painters call ' quality ' or tone in them ; they are essentially human, and eloquent of the character of the men who reared them." Else- where he says : " Is the architecture of Cornwall worthy of study ? My answer is ' Yes ' and ' No.' Yes, to such as value character in art more than nice detail ; yes, to the student with a healthy instinct and a soul which will not refuse nourish- ment from any wholesome art however local its type or homely its savour. But for purposes of ' copy ' Cornwall is the worst place in the world to come to. Cornish art is wild, rustic, moorish ; it is unique ; its strong salt flavour unsuits it for other markets, just as other markets will not suit Cornwall. The unique flavour of Cornish art is, to me, one of its