Bodmin Moor, an iconic and rugged landscape in North Cornwall, has recently become a site for inspired Christian renewal through outdoor river baptisms.
Earlier this month, on Sunday 15 September, an enthusiastic congregation of about ninety gathered at Delphy Bridge on the De Lank River to witness a series of baptisms, marking the second such Christian ceremony this year.
The unique event was part of the 'Moorland Church' initiative, launched by Rev Robin Thwaites at the height of community isolation during the Covid pandemic.
Rev Thwaites, the rector of the Camelside Benefice, which covers six remote villages on Bodmin Moor, leads a ministry that stretches across this rugged landscape, serving scattered rural communities. This cold river approach aims to connect these communities with their faith in the stunning natural setting of the moor.
"People live and work out on the moors, and to be able to incorporate that into this very special service is just wonderful," Thwaites remarked, emphasising the significance of the location for local worshippers.
The river baptism drew participants eager to embrace this ancient Christian rite in a context that held deep meaning for them.
Nicolas Cuming was the first to enter the chilly waters. "That's cold!" he gasped before being fully submerged completely. Emerging shivering from the river, he described the experience to BBC South West as "amazing!"
He added later, "The whole experience - getting in the water, sitting down, getting dunked backwards, then coming back up again - was unbelievable."
His wife, Nichola, and their four children watched from the bank, and she noted the excitement the event brought to their family. "They are all used to going to the church; this is a bit more exciting than our normal Sunday service, so spirits are certainly high," she said, mentioning that the children had been promised a chance to paddle in the river if they behaved during the ceremony.
Standing in the river, Thwaites shared his vision for the 'Moorland Church'.
"All the time we have had those services, I have been looking at the water, thinking, 'I need to use this, I need to see if we can get some baptisms done.'"
After securing special permission from the regional bishop and archdeacon, he organised the baptisms, which received an enthusiastic response from the community.
"When I put the word out, people were just over the moon; they really wanted to come and be baptised in the river that means so much to them," he explained.
This integration of faith and the natural landscape reflects a significant shift in the narrative surrounding Bodmin Moor, once associated with the dark tales of smuggling and treachery found in du Maurier's classic novel 'Jamaica Inn'. Today, the moor serves as a symbol of hope and community spirit, a place where locals can experience their faith in an environment that resonates deeply with them.
Looking ahead, this growing Cornish congregation has expressed a desire to hold the next baptism service in warmer weather next summer, encouraging even more locals and holidaymakers to participate in this memorable call to Christian faith.
As the service drew to a close, Nicolas Cuming reflected, "It is a little bit chilly this afternoon, I'm not going to lie - it took everything for me to get into that water, but I'm glad I did."
Thwaites added, "There's something very special about having a baptism in the parish church, in the font, but equally, certainly here, the land is so important to this area."
