This is the story of the ancient Marian shrine of Liskeard. Originally a sanctuary of the goddess Kerrid, a goddess of love and eternal youth, this hallowed site was a popular place of devotion to the Virgin Mary until its suppression at the time of the Reformation.
The remains of the shrine were discovered in 1955 by Cornish historian and writer Margaret "Peggy" Pollard, who became convinced that she had a mission to restore it.
Many volumes have been written about Cornwall before but none like this one. It is not a history book, although many will find fascinating historical snippets within its pages. It is not a theological treatise, although at times it details the theology of Peggy Pollard, the great defender of the lost shrine of Liskeard.
It is not a novel and yet on occasions it reads like one. It is a book full of mysticism and interest, describing the discovery of part of Cornwall's long lost cultural and religious heritage, stretching back over two thousand years.
This fascinating book appears to gather a strange and mysterious momentum of coincidences. Are they, however, merely coincidences? Might they be rather the intricate, carefully woven plan of God? Will Mary, the Mother of God, be restored to her ancient shrine at Ladye Park in Liskeard, or will the Devil triumph over her, manifesting himself through the evil forces of "Kerrid", a long-forgotten, pagan Goddess?
Reminiscent of ancient Arthurian legends, this is a tale that is still unfurling in Celtic Cornwall. It could well have great significance in the third millennium, not just for Cornwall but the whole of England and beyond.
240 pages, paperback.
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