One of the parishes of the Lizard Peninsular, Ruan Major is a rural parish of 2485 acres but with a small population - only 163 people in 1841. The church is now a ruin and this parish, together with the parish of Ruan Minor and the parish of Grade were amalgamated in 1934 and are now known by the Diocese as Grade-Ruan. The abandoned church is located at Ordnance Grid Ref. SW7016 and is located at the end of a narrow road, the church is not sign posted, parking is limited. The church ceased to be used for worship in the 1940’s and it is now a roofless ruin gradually deteriorating and yet well worth a visit.

The CIP survey found a few surviving church plaques placed on the ground in the belfry area and exposed and deteriorating. There were fifty three headstones in the churchyard with 114 names. At the time of the survey the churchyard was badly overgrown ( as were the public paths and bridle way near the church ) although it is understood that Kerrier District Council do cut the vegetation from time to time. Some of the headstones survive from the period before the church was rebuilt in 1866, the earliest death recorded on a monument is 1782, the latest date is 1986. There is one official war grave. One memorial has been ‘relocated’ -i.e. STOLEN? since our original survey.