St. Eval, 'Is a bleak parish exposed to every wind that blows, with a small and scattered population many miles from the nearest railway station and in fact one of the roughest and most ungetatable places in the county'. So wrote the historian Charles Henderson. The church and its tower owes its present existence to its position as a daymark for fishermen and other ships at sea, for in 1938-9 with war looming on the horizon, the St. Eval RAF Aerodrome was built neccessitating the demolition of St. Eval Churchtown and much of the surrounding countryside. During the war, the church tower was a blessed sight to aircraft crews returning from sorties.

Early occupation of the area is indicated by a number of tumuli and other earthworks as well as Bronze Age remains The major estate and farm of Trethewell covered a wide area extending into St. Ervan and St. Mawgan and accounts for the majority of the population being involved on the land.

The existance of the church dates back to 749 (Hals) and its patron was St. Ewalld or St. Evalld and the present church has evidence of Norman work although the transept is of the 13th century and most of the building is of the 15th century Perpendicular style.

Much has been written about the old St. Eval prior to the coming of the RAF and more recent and notable books of great interest are: St. Eval Portrait of a Parish by T. O. Darke ISBN 946143 16 1 and St. Eval Church and Parish a comprehensive history by John Shapland together with a later addition.

There are also many booklets and histories of RAF St. Eval which played such a vital role in WWII.