Polruan sits on the opposite bank from the town of Fowey, right at the estuary mouth of the River Fowey. An ancient Celtic Christian site is perched on the highest cliff above the town looking out to sea. The remains of one wall of an ancient church still stands. It's thought that the monk who lived here also lit a light to guide ships into the safe shelter of the harbour and to warn of the rocky cliffs alongside the coast. It's said that St Ruan was the first occupant on the site where the remains of St Saviours which was built in the 8th century. It was a strategic lookout point not just for safe harbour but also to warn of enemy attack approaching, when the bell could be rung loudly.
