Like the adjoining parish of Kilkhampton, Morewinstow is entirely confined to rocks of the calcareous series, known in Devonshire by the name of Dunstone. The schistose and compact varieties of this rock are extensively exposed on the shores, and in the precipitous cliffs of Stanbury Creek, where they may be seen curved and contorted in the most intricate manner.
MULLION.
HALS.
The manuscript relating to this parish is lost.
TONKIN.
Mullion is in the hundred of Kerrier, in that part of it called Maneage, bounded to the west by the Channel, to the north by Cury, Gunwallo, and St. Mawgan, to the east by Ruan Major, and to the south by Grade.
This parish has its name from St. Melina, and is dedicated to her. It is a vicarage valued in the King’s Book at £9. 4s. 4d. The patronage in the Bishop of Exeter. The incumbent Mr. Wills. The great tithes belong to the Chapter of Exeter, with the exception of an endowment to the vicar made by Robert Lyddra, sometime Provost of Glassney College, as may be seen in the registry of Exeter.
In the valuation of Pope Nicholas anno 1291, the 20th of Edward the First, this church is valued at £8; but since it is there called Ecclesia Sancte Melanie, and that in Usherde Brit. & Eccles. Primordiis, pp. 145 and 146 (I presume Archbishop Usher De Christianarum Ecclesiarum, in Occidentis præsertim partibus, Successione et Statu, London, 1613, 4to. Hamburgh, 1658, London, 1687, with a continuation. Edit.) the famous St. Malo is called St. Mellonus, St. Melanius, and Meloninus Britannus, I rather take him to have been the patron of this church, and to have given his name to the parish.