Chapel Carn Brea, Cornwall
Chapel Carn Brea, Cornwall
Chapel Carn Brea is the most westerly hill in the UK and from its summit you can see the rocks off Land’s End and on a clear day, like we had, the low lying Scilly Isles are visible.
On the summit is an ancient Neolithic burial chamber but also evidence of more recent habitation. It’s known that in the Middle Ages around 1300 AD, there was a Christian hermit living here in St Michael’s Chapel. He also acted as a light keeper to warn ships off the coast of the dangerous rocks. Today there is still a beacon on the hill, lit at significant times.
However, between the Neolithic times and the Middle Ages there is a strong belief that a Celtic Christian hermit also lived here. The setting, on ‘the edge of the world’ is exactly the kind of places they settled to live and pray believing they were ‘thin places’ where heaven and earth met. The views are stunning and 360 degrees, right out over Mount’s Bay, with St Michael’s Mount sitting proud off the coast at Marazion. This too was inhabited by Celtic Christians, as was the hamlet of Paul just a few miles away. Carn Euny, Sennen, St Just, Madron and Sancreed are all in the vicinity and this area is known for its concentration of Celtic Christian sites. So it is perfectly feasible that Chapel Carn Brea was also such a site. This person too was a light bearer who helped warn seafarers. There is a similar site at Polruan at the mouth of the River Fowey looking out over St Austell Bay, Cornwall.
We decided to walk up and pray, listening as always to the whisper of the Holy Spirit.
It was a fine day and the views lovely out over Land’s End and Mounts Bay. Unsurprisingly we found it very easy to worship and pray here, which is usually the case on land where a dedicated praying Christian has lived.
As I looked at Land’s End I was reminded of a vision from over a decade ago of Jesus coming to Cornwall and lighting a blue hot flame of revival.
This was the vision encounter:
Prayer Mission to Land’s End
Autumn 2014
“A small group from Devon and Cornwall were at Land’s End to pray, in response to a vision received by a Christian in Torquay, who saw a blazing white light spread from Land’s End up through the country.
As we pray at Land’s End, the Lord asks us to decree His glory, His white hot glory. Then I went into a vision:
“I see a column of angels waiting off Land’s End. They are in pairs, stretching back as far as the eye can see. They are clothed in glowing white with golden light surrounding them. (It reminds me of John Millers’ painting in Truro cathedral).
Their purpose for being sent is to dispel darkness.
They are coming in response to the petitioning prayers going up across the land of Cornwall; in response to the repentance and heart-cries of faith-filled Christians.
The first angels touch land. As their feet touch the earth, white hot flames shoot upwards, forming a barrier with the sea; a spiritual defence.
The light is blindingly intense from within their midst. I then see The King (Jesus), on a white horse with flowing robes. He is holding a flaming torch in His hand and He is galloping through the central spine of Cornwall. The angels flank Him on both coasts.
From time to time, as He crosses Cornwall, He leans down with the torch and touches a place, a village, a hamlet, a farm, a group of people, a home, a town. His arm can reach anywhere in Cornwall. He is responding to people who are praying, however large or small the group.
When He touches the torch down, a flame is lit. It’s a constant flame. All over the county these flames are lit, and they are the flame of His glory. It is not an orange flame but the intense blue flame of the highest heat. It is very, very hot. The white heat of the angels flanks the coasts but the blue flames are inland.
When King Jesus reaches the Tamar, He turns His horse and looks back across Cornwall. Then He blows, violently. All the blue flames across the county shoot up like a gas burner. It’s scary, hot, intense and dangerous.
Then I hear Him say, ‘Burn for Me, Church of Christ. Rise from the ashes of affliction. Rise and stand. Blaze for Me church of Christ; blaze for My reputation and holiness. Stand apart and burn for Me. For I am holy and there is no God but me. I am a jealous God and will tolerate no rivals in the hearts of My people. Burn. And what will stand, will stand on the rock that is Me.’
He then turns and leads His horse down into the Tamar. The angels are flanked along the river but they don’t at this point cross over with Him.”
Another prayer team who are praying at the River Tamar end of the county on the same day, also saw Jesus on the white horse.”
Over the years this vision has never left me and I continue praying it will come to pass. Sitting on the summit of Chapel Carn Brea, I once again was interceding for the fulfilment of what Jesus wants to do here in Cornwall.
I could hear the Holy Spirit saying ‘Stand your ground’. It was for that moment, as suddenly flies swarmed all over us (Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies) trying to distract but I sensed a much deeper and profound warning that it refers to the days ahead and it felt sobering.
Yet it was so easy to worship and pray. I am then reminded of a different vision, this time about an enclosure housing people’s ’Books of Destiny’ including my own. I find myself asking God to turn the next page in my story. As I do this I enter an encounter.
It’s as if I’m climbing a rope ladder right up to heaven. As I climb higher I’m enveloped by cloud but then poke my head above the clouds where I see into heaven. Off to my right, I can see the huge warehouse of new body parts (which I’ve visited previously). Then a darkness surrounds everything except the warehouse, myself and the portal which I’ve climbed through. These are bathed in sparkling light. My heart aches for those new body parts to be released to come to earth as miracles of creative healing for people who are sick. I have no understanding what is holding them back.
All the time these visions and prayer time have been happening, I’m vaguely aware there is a huge red angel with me reaching from earth to heaven. I can’t see him clearly but sense his presence. I suspect he is assigned to this area of land but don’t know for sure.
So, this visit to Chapel Carn Brea turned into a very precious intercessory time and one where faith was reignited for the purposes of God to be outworked in Cornwall.
As is so often the way when praying at these sites, I don’t receive full understanding in my mind but have to follow by faith what the Holy Spirit is revealing. I never seek experiences. I always seek Jesus and start by worshipping Him. If an encounter happens, I flow with it. If it doesn’t, I continue fellowshipping with Him. I’m quite sure some of the prophets in the Bible were unsure what their visions meant, and many didn’t see them fulfilled in their lifetimes, but all that God expected was obedience. I too, in my small way, am trying to be obedient with these mystical and prayerful encounters which are holy and precious.