Extract from Kelly’s Directory of , 1883 (pages 1007-1008)

ROCHE

Roche is a parish and village, 6 miles north from railway station, in the Eastern division of the county, western division of the hundred of Powder, union and county court district of St Austell, rural deanery of St Austell, archdeaconry of Cornwall, and diocese of . Victoria station, on the New Quay railway, 1 mile from the village, is available both for passengers and minerals. The church of St Gomonda is a plain but substantial rectangular building of stone with a north transept, and was rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in 1822; the latter is of three stages, embattled, containing a clock and 6 bells, all cast in 1819; there are several memorials to former rectors, and a fine old Norman font: in the churchyard is an ancient cross, 7 feet 8 inches high, and 2 feet 4 inches wide, with a rudely shaped head pierced with four round apertures; and there is also another cross in the place. The register of baptisms dates from the year 1572; marriages 1575; burials 1612. The living is a rectory, tithe rent-charge £447, net yearly value £415, with residence and 37 acres of glebe, in the gift of the trustee of the late J. Thornton esq. and J. Rashleigh esq. and held since 1863 by the Rev. Robert Fauquier Gardiner B.A. of St Mary Hall, Oxford. The Wesleyan chapel, built in 1835, was renovated in 1877 by the congregation at a cost of £700; the Bible Christian chapel was erected in 1883 on the site of the old one. Within a short distance of the village, on property belonging to Lord Falmouth, but leased by Mr. John Robins, is a remarkable group of rocks – consisting of huge masses of granite towering one above the other to the height of 100 feet: on the highest point are the ruins of the ancient chapel of St Michael, formed by the adaptation of masonry to the natural rock, and probably the habitation of some anchorite; it consisted, when perfect, of two rooms, one over the other, the lower measuring 12 feet by 9, with a window at the east end, in the upper room, or chapel proper, was a larger and more elegant window; steps cut into the rock lead from the cell to the chapel: in a hollow on the north of the public road stands the “Holy Well”; the structure, consisting of a single deep pointed arch, with some adjacent portions, is of granite, 5 feet 4 inches in height, and 3 feet 4 inches wide; there was formerly a granite figure of a saint on the roof, and near the well a chapel, but both have now disappeared; the spring still maintains its reputation, and before sunrise on Holy Thursday, and the two following Thursdays, the peasantry frequent the well and invoke the blessing of the saint by an offering of pins, which are sometimes bent and then thrown into the water. A little to the west of Hensbarrow, in this parish, rises the , which, after a course of 20 miles (4 of which are tidal), falls into the well-known harbour that takes its name. The river Par also rises here. Fairs are held on the day before Holy Thursday, the third Tuesday in July, and the second Tuesday in October. This is a mining district; china-clay is dug out in immense quantities from this neighbourhood, and forms a large article of commerce in this and adjoining parishes. Viscount Falmouth is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Lord Robartes, John Tremayne esq. and Jonathan Rashleigh esq. The soil is peat; subsoil, disintegrated granite and clay slate. The chief crops are barley and oats. The area is 4,930 acres; rateable value £5,797; and the population in 1881 was 1,681. Parish Clerk, Richard Mewton Post, Money Order & Telegraph Office & Savings Bank – (railway sub-office. Letters should have R.S.O. Cornwall added) – Mrs Jane Truscott Williams, postmistress. Letters arrive at 9 a.m.; dispatched at 11.10 a.m. & 2.50 p.m.; week days only Assistant Overseer & Collector of Rates & Taxes, Robert Varcoe A School Board of 5 members was formed in 1872; Robert Varcoe, clerk to the board Board School (mixed), William George Triggs, master; infant, Miss Jane Lawry, mistress

ANDREW, Richard Park Villas COCK, David Parkwoon House GARDINER, Robert Fauquier (Rev) B.A. Rectory GOODFELLOW, William Richard Higher Trerank PARKS, Charles Holman Edgecombe Terrace PARKYN, Thomas Finsbury House ROBINS, Joseph Harmony Cot ROBINS, Mrs STEPHENS, Thomas Brynn

COMMERCIAL

BASSETT, Thomas carpenter &c BEST, William Henry shoe maker BESWETHERICK, John wheelwright BRENTON, Samuel shoe maker BREWER, William tailor COCK, David mining engineer & china clay merchant COCK, Rodney farmer Tregoss COCK, Samuel mining captain COMMON, Stephen farmer Hendra Cornwall Trading Co. Limited DYER, Edward farmer Rees Hill DYER, John grocer Mount Pleasant EDYVEAN, William tailor FARROW, Richard farmer Colvreth FRANCIS, Francis Roche Rock Inn FRANCIS, Thomas farmer Tremoderate GEORGE, William flour dealer GOODFELLOW, William Richard surgeon Higher Trerank GOUDGE, John farmer Colvreth GRIGG, Albert Scantlebury farmer Trenower GRIGG, James farmer Belowda GROSE, Nicholas draper, grocer, ironmonger, &c GROSE, Richard miller (water) Carbis GUARD, Anne (Miss) shopkeeper GUARD, James farmer Tregonhay HANCOCK, Simeon farmer Gilley HARRIS, Philip & Henry farmers Bilberry HAWKE, Henry farmer Colvreth HAWKE, Josiah farmer Colvreth HAWKEY, James farmer Retillick HAWKEY, William farmer Trerankmoor HEWITT, Thomas shopkeeper HIGGINS, Phillippa (Mrs) Commercial Inn HIGMAN, Nicholas farmer Pentonvale HIGMAN, Robert boot & shoe maker HOOPER, James Victoria Inn HOPKINS, Elizabeth (Mrs) grocer HOSKINS, John farmer Tremoderate JAGO, Joseph farmer Griglands JULYAN, John jun. smith JULYAN, Richard farmer Tregoss JULYAN, Robert carpenter KENDALL, Richard farmer Trerankmoor KNIGHT, Absalom tailor Belowda KNIGHT, Thomas jun. farmer Woon KNIGHT, William farmer Tresibble LEDDICOAT, William farmer Belowda LIDDICOAT, James blacksmith Belowda LOBB, James farmer Colbiggon LUCAS, George mason Hill Cottage LUCAS, William mason MANHIRE, John mason Townsend House MARSHALL, William clay agent MEWTON, Richard shoe maker & farmer MILLETT, William John farmer Trerank OLVER, Charles saddler PARKS, Charles Holman surgeon Edgecombe Terrace PASCOE, Thomas farmer Hallew PARKYN, Thomas mining agent PAYNE, Elizabeth (Mrs) milliner PEARCE, John farmer Woon PEARCE, Walter farmer Helland PEARCE, William farmer Woon PEDLER, Richard blacksmith PHILLIPS, Job Josias blacksmith PHILLIPS, John mining agent RETALLICK, James farmer Hill House RETALLICK, James farmer Pentonvale RETALLICK, William farmer Woon ROBINS, John farmer ROUSE, Reuben farmer Bilberry ROWSE, Charles farmer Bowdens ROWSE, Edwin miller Tremodrett ROWSE, Joseph farmer Penstrays RUNDLE, William farmer Tregonhay SEARLE, Abel farmer Bryn SOLOMON, Thomas shoe maker STEPHENS, Joseph farmer Belowda STEPHENS, Thomas farmer Belowda STICK, Elizabeth (Mrs) grocer & draper STICK, Nicholas miller (water) & farmer Bryn THOMAS, Jacob farmer Bilberry THOMAS, John butcher & farmer THOMAS, Luke farmer Rosemelling TIPPETT, John farmer Belowda TRELEAVEN, John farmer Egloshayle TREMEWAN, William farmer Colbiggan TRETHEWEY, Daniel wheelwright TRETHEWEY, Mary (Mrs) grocer TRETHEWEY, Richard farmer Tresayes TRETHEWEY, Nicholas shoe maker TRETHEWEY, William farmer TRUSCOTT, John farmer Carbus VARCOE, James farmer Lower Colvreth VARCOE, Richard farmer Tregoss VARCOE, Robert wheelwright & assistant overseer & collector of rates & taxes & clerk to the school board VEALE, Richard farmer Belowda VIVIAN, William farmer Colbiggan WEARY, William farmer WHITE, Samuel farmer WHITE, Thomas Stock farmer Trebilcock WILTON, John farmer Griglands YELLAND, Thomas farmer Colvreth

Transcribed by John Evans