' ‘ CH U RCH ES AN D AN T I Q U I I I ES
WALLO E C U RY G U N ,
C IN THE LI ZARD DISTRI T,
I NCLUDI N G
L O C A L T R A D I T I O N S .
U MM I N GS ALFRED HAYMAN F ,
E R .
' the B ti h ha lo i l s tion i r a t Paul J Tram q/ ri s A w c g m As ocia ; V ca f s . , .
te r n l and la Vica q/Cmy and Gu mal ac.
E h R BORO H CO . LON DON . MA L U G ,
W. E R RO. LAK , T U
TH E RI GHT REVEREND FREDERI CK
R I P T LO D B SH O OF H E DI OCESE,
OF W I U AN D GU W LL M A PART H CH C RY N A OE FOR ,
TH I S EFFORT TO PRESERVE SOM E OF TH E ANCI ENT
TRADI TI ONS OF WEST CORNWALL
I S AFFECTI ONATELY AN D RES PECTFU LLY DEDI CATED
BY TH E A U T H OR.
4 0 1 0 1 0
O N C TE N TS .
Saint Corantyn Cury Church Restoration of the Church B ochym Ancient Stone I mplements and Celtic Remains B onyth on Antiquities of Cury and Gunwalloe Cury Great Tree Saint Winwaloe Gunwalloe Church Wreck s Wreck of the Coquette The Dollar Wreck H oly Well at Gunwalloe The Caerth of Camden Reminiscences of the C ornish Language West Country Folk The Supernatural Traditions and Old Customs Manor of Wynyanton Looe Pool
Whereby may be discerned that so fervent was the zeal of those ' elder times to ods service and honour that the freel endowed G , y y the Church with some part of their possessions and that in those ood works ev en the meaner sort of men as we as the ious g , ll p ” ’ o nders w —D u d s A i uit f u ere not bac ward. alc at . , k g g
' 1 1 y a bien des auteurs dans lesquels on trouv e des choses singu ’ lieres uine se recontrent as ailleur CelaIne fait dire u on ourroit q p s. q p faire nu livre -fort curieux ui contiendroi 7 a 0 77 , q t, 4 ’ ’ ” les chos ui n u é dit u i — es o t ét es une fo s. M ena c q q g .
P R E F A E C .
HE following pages are not put forth as containing very great discoveries or much that is new they were commenced at a time when the restoration of one of the
was Oldest churches in the Lizard district in hand, and the interest excite d by one or two archz ologi cal discoveries in the parish seemed to favour the presumption that a permanent record Of these would be acceptable to many beyond the immediate
o neighbourho d .
o Thus the n tes, which were intended by the writer
o for w at first nly private use, gre and multiplied, until at length they are suffered to appear in their present form .
Of es o In several instances things great inter t w uld,
few o fo in a m re years , have been entirely rgotten
—as a z o of g , the cust m keeping Gunwalloe Day,
on 1 8 o described page 5 , and the exact positi n of a
l d o C circ e calle Earth, menti ned by amden, but for v fii PR EFACE . the last fifty years known only to two inhabitants of o Of o now the parish, b th wh m are nearly ninety years Of age . These particulars Of historic interest I have eu deav oured to f o o to o rescue r m Oblivi n, and stere type the record Of others which might be in danger
f fo o O being rg tten . In collecting together particulars and items t e
two a not o specting the p rishes, which might be nly
Of o o to eneral l cal interest, but entertaining als the g
o Of our o a reader and visit r C rnish districts , I h ve availed myself freely of all the existing authorities within my reach for while the large and cumbrous
o o o o hist ries , wh se place m re pr perly is in the public
or o Of f Of library the h uses the rich, are ull the
o of fo a o oa richest st res in rm ti n, they are appr chable
ew not a nd Of w by the f , the m ny, a much hat they
o not a o c ntain is gener lly kn wn and received . I have drawn then upon the information con tained in such books as are given in the list
a o e are to appended, and my ckn wl dgments due
each .
’ F or King Charles letter and its translation I
H e mncr E s of to m . am indebted jy y , q, the MSS
who n department British Museum , has ki dly given
n o on Cor me every assista ce, and wh se paper the nish language read before the Philological Society PR A EF CE . ix has materially aided me in co mpiling the few notes I have made concerning the Old language of C orn wall . Much Of the information here respecting B ochym has been most ably and willingly contributed by a a . o Rich rd Davey, Esq , wh se kindness dem nds a
o o Of o m re than passing n tice, the plate the mansi n
Of Boch m n to wo b and y being give this rk y him , he having lent the B ochym Celts for the purpose
Of o on o to repr ducti in heli type, illustrate the paper
On them . I have also to acknowledge the kind aid and
f . o o . o suggesti ns W . P C urtney, Esq , the talented ” o of o Cornubiensis edit r the Bibli theca .
T O of fo Messrs . Parker Ox rd I am under Obliga tion for the ready way in which they placed at my f a n n or o o . I disposal the block the illustr ti s p O. All the heliotype plates have been prepared from
a for o photographs t ken especially the w rk by Mr .
Beringer Of Helston . TO all the subscribers my apologies are due for r the somewhat delayed publication of the wo k . It
n a o Of o a a was comme ced in peri d c mp r tive leisure, and when there was every prospect of its comple tion at or about the same time as the restoration
Of the church at Cury. With very little warning the writer was removed PREFACE
f ’ f o the o o o to . r m seclusi n a c untry parish S Paul s ,
o r oo o o for Trur , a ve y p r and p pul us district ; and months literally no opportunity was afforded of putting pen to paper to complete what had been already begun .
ur o a v o The church at C y needed c nst nt super isi n, and amid the many cares and incessant labour Of a town parish the projected book had to be laid aside .
o s o The pr spectuses were i sued , and subscripti ns had c or o a o been re eived , in all pr b bility the w rk
o o had never been published . Its c mpleti n has,
o o of o e to h wever, been a s urce great enj ym nt the f a o writer, and in the ullest sense a recre ti n in the
o f o midst f a toiling and busy li e . It is h ped that its many imperfections may be overlooked in the n good Object which prompted the undertaki g.
’
. A S R RO S P UL , T U ,
'
Ckn stmas I 8 . , 74 LIST OF WORKS REFERRED TO .
’ N or en s Surve of ornwa on on 1 2 8 d y C ll L d , 7 ’ am en s B r tann a fol. on on 1 8 C d i i , L d , 7 9 ’ arew 3 Surv e of Cornwa on on 1 6 C y ll L d , 7 9 ’ Polwhele s Cornwall . 1 80 3 1 80 6 ’ Stav e e 5 H stor of hurches I n E n an 8vo 1 l y i y C gl d , 773
ossar of oth c Arch tecture rd ed. 8v o Oxfor 1 8 0 Gl y G i i , 3 , d, 4 ’ Wh ta ers Anc ent Cathe ra Of ornwa on on 1 0 i k i d l C ll L d , 8 4 J ournal of the B riti sh Archaeological A ssociation ’ B ht s Church es of West ornwa 8v o Oxfor 1 lig C ll, d, 865 ’ B light s Crosses and Antiquities Of Com
wa and ed. 1 ll, 872 ’ LObineau 5 (Don Gui Alexis) H istoire de B reta ne 2 vo s fo io ar s 1 g , l , l P i , 70 9 ’ Lyson 5 H i story Of Cornwall London ’ B loxam5 r nc es of oth c ArchI tecture P i ipl G i ,
8th ed. on on 1 8 6 L d , 4 estamenta Vetusta 8vo on on 1 T , L d , 826 ’ ' Wr ht s e t Roman and Saxon 8v o on on 1 ig C l , , L d , 85 2 The nt uar an t nerar 8v o on on 1 8 A iq i I i y, L d , 1 5 ’ O v er s M onasticon Diocesis E xoniens s fol. E xeter 1 li i , , 846 aroch a H stor of Cornwal Truro 1 P i l i y l , 867 ’ Ro erts E ar H stor Of the C mr 8v o on n b ly i y y y, L do , 1 80 3 ’ wa D . ert s H stor of orn on on 8 Gilb i y C ll L d , 1 38
. m h o ectanea nt ua R. S t . on 1 C ll A iq (C i ) L don, 84 8 Transactions of the E xeter Diocesan Archi tectural Soc et to E xeter 1 8 0 - i y, 4 , 5 60 tor of the B orou h of s ear b H is y g Li k d, y
ohn A en 8v o . on on 1 8 J ll , L d , 56 ourna Of the Ro a I nst tution Of ornwa Truro 1 8 8 J l y l i C ll , 5 74
orest Trees of B r ta n b . A. oh s 8vo F i i , y C J n , London
Wee at the zar 8v o . I st ed. on on k Li d, L d , 1 848 nd Rai ne of E war the S xt S r Life a g d d i , i
ohn Ha ward Kt. to o on 1 6 0 J y , , 4 L nd , 3 S OF WOR S R RR D T LI T K EFE E O.
1 0 0 0 F acts relating to Dev on and Cornwall B m v o e a . 8 o m uth ( ll y, J Ply B a to Dan sh Crom echs and ur Cus ms Rev . i l i l ,
W. . Lukis 8vo C , 1 86 1 H e ston rammar S choo M a azme 8vo H e ston 1 8 l G l g , l , 5 7 T raditi ons and H earthside Stories Of West ornwal I st and and ser es enzance 1 8 1 8 0 C l , , i P , 73, 7 ’ H unt s (Robt. ) Romances and Drolls of the West of E n an 2 v o s 8vo on o n 1 86 gl d, l , L d , 5 ’ u lers hurch H stor fo o Lon on 1 6 6 F l C i y, li d , 5 ’ O borne s H stor of E ssex on on 1 8 1 g i y L d , 4 ’ B loomfields H istory Of N orfolk u e de la our stes ans le or han Al G id T i d M bi , fre ou uet Vannes d F q , ’ B ran s o u ar nt u t es ohn B ran d P p l A iq i i , J d,
. R. S . B ohn v o s on on 1 8 F , 3 l L d , 5 3 ’ B or ase s N atura H stor Of ornwa fo o 1 8 l l i y C ll, li 7 5 Antiquiti es 1 754 Sc s es to 1 6 illy I l , 4 75 ’ n rews nec otes nc ent and Mo ern A d A d , A i d , 8y o on on 1 0 L d , 79
N aenia ornu a W . . B or ase 8v o on on 1 8 2 C bi , C l , L d , 7 ’ Dav es e t c Researches E d. Dav es i C l i , i , 8v o on on 1 80 L d , 4 ornwa and its oasts l honse E s uI C ll C , A p q ros 8v o on on 1 68 , i L d , 5 ’ The an s E nd D str ct R chd. Edmon s L d i i , d , 8 v o on on 1 862 L d , ’ on A o e te b A exan er Andrew s to Lon on 1 8 L g g , di d y l d , 4 d , 73 Haunts and H omes of the Rural Populati on
Of Cornwa . Tre ellas 8v o on on 1 868 ll, I g , L d , H stor Of the n o Sax ons Sharon urner 8v o 1 80 i y A gl , T , 5 Anec otes of Br t sh o o ra h to 1 68 d i i T p g p y, 4 7 ’ Polwhele 5 H storica V ews I n Dev on 8v o 1 i l i , 793
Stat st ca Account of S . ust in Penw th i i l J i ,
Rev . . B u er 8v o enz ance 1 8 2 J ll , P , 4 ox es B oo of art rs on on 1 8 8 F k M y L d , 3 Observ ations on the Western Part Of E ng W an . n 8v o Lon on 1 8 l d, Gilpi , d , 79 I N T R O D U C T I O N .
n and Of UC H has been writte , well, the
o Of a out o t ngue l nd jutting int the sea,
a a or a th t Mene ge Liz rd district, which forms the C ornish Chersonesus of the
or o Of the o n ancients, and certainly this p ti n C r ish coast richly deserves all the encomiums that have been lavished upon it the whole Of the district from
oo o o o to o the L e Bar, acr ss thr ugh Helst n Falm uth, or round the coves and headlands of its shore line to o S o on to the harb ur, which is ec nd ly Plymouth and fo a n f Of and o Mil rd H ve , is ull interest, a visit r,
o as an a aeo o whether he c me a naturalist, rch l gist, an or S a o wo n artist, imply t urist, rki g hard in
Of f and a n can search rest, resh air, gr nd sce ery, not f to o n a f ail be m re tha . s tisfied with the east ” ou for o d here spread t ne an all.
n a has to The me e ge is, as its name been taken
“ ' ” ston a o imply, a y district but its attr cti ns are none the less for that .
Some hav e giv en another interpretation to the name “ ohn sa s in his fanc fu wa A Wee at the zar J y , i l y ( k Li d I x v i N T RODU CTION .
o k at K nance or r s The serpentine r c s y , the quar ie
Of Polt sco o of o r e , the l vely bit c ast scene y at the
fo e a e to fo o b who rm r pl ce, n ver be rg tten y any have
and o Once visited it, the rare heaths ther plants
of Goonhill a of o o the y, the rem ins R man stati ns,
o m n and o an ancient sepulchral m nu e ts, prehist ric ‘ ti uities an a ca n q , the gr d Old ecclesi sti l buildi gs , still containing splendid examples of early art
o and oak o b th in granite cavings , all c mbine to
fo a for o o rm rich field , and pr mise . investigati n full remuneration for the interest and labour be
stowed .
the whole Of the distri ct south of H elston is called M eneage a name b wh ch ant uar ans who ma nta n the O r nt y i iq i , i i ie al or n of man of the orn sh names er ve f o a P igi y C i , d i d r m er “ sian word for a low plant (heath) of which brooms are ma e d . Within the small compass of the Lizard district are no ess han 1 2 churches most of them of reat ant u t a l t , g iq i y, nd all fu Of nterest to the ecc es o o t and an ll i l i l gis tiquary. Th e number has been adduced as part proof of the theory that in ancient days this was a well populated dI strict.
C A YN SAINT OR N T . and that in the wilds thereof were the rude dwel lings Of the early saints who came to convert the
Celtic race. Of Dr a w . o o ran n t . o t these B rl se names , St C y d an . ou o Of f w S Rum , b th whom were a ter ards
o Of orn u o Bish ps C wall, and he disting ishes S . C ran
or r o of tyn S . Cu y as the first Cornish ap stle any
o n te . The early inhabitants Of Cornwall seem to have
' ”— ro deafi orestatione et a us libertatibus. a ox orn p l M d , C ubia.
M S . in the B o e an . conta n n a h st r of A dl i Lib , i i g i o y S . Ruan ment ons the mcné as the S va N emea a fores , i g yl , t ’ h ts a f ste w t w eas nd elan s Co v . n e l. i d i ild b , L d iii . , pp 1 2- 1 N emeas va in ornu a lenissima o im ferarum 5 53, yl C bi p l , ” m n s faci bat s i orator um in s va N Ru o u e emaea. S . ib i yl The present state and desolation of the Goonhilly downs must not be considered ev idence that they were at no time w h woo nor fre uent b w n I ov ere t e a ma s. n c d i d, q d y ild i l other arts of the count now e ua un ro uct v e a earanc p y, q lly p d i , pp es hav e been discovered indicative of a period when forest sc enery was not unknown. I n 1 740 large pieces of unknown m er were du u near Ha e in such a os t on that ti b g p yl , p i i they must have rown near the ace where the were scov g pl y di ered . few ears ater on an oak tree w th ranches and ea A y l , i b l v es, was found at a depth of 30 feet below the surface in th pari sh Of Sennen near the same Spot were di scov ered many horns teeth etc . of ar e eer. arts Of the stran etween , , , l g d P d b ’ hae s M P enzance and S . Mi c l ount present indicati ons of a forest of oak w ow and haze the stum s of wh ch rm , ill , l, p i fi ly rooted in the soil were only a few years Since distinctly v isi — ’ low water the anc ent nam of ch ble at i e S . Mi ael s M ount “ ” Car c - uze in oos or the hoar n h roc i t woo . was i k L C , k e d RA Y SAINT CO N T N . maintained a close connection with the Celtic in n a n habitants of A morica a d Ireland . It cert i ly is n t a ar e a o as o little rem kabl th t g back , we will, as far as a o or s or can a tr diti n hi t y t ke us, yet at the earliest peri od that we know anything Of Cornwall a Christianity was already est blished there. The legends and nam es Of the Cornish saints
r a to o a and a e in every respect simil r th se in Irel nd, it is peculiarly interesting that there are several O f them whose names are preserved in connecti on w on o S o Of a ith churches b th h res the ch nnel, patron saints equally well known in this peninsula O f the meneage and on the opposite coast Of Bri n ta y. The Bretons emigrated from C ornwall and
Wa o o a circa 0 0 A D and 0 . . les int Arm ric , 4 5 5 , car w ried ith them their bishops and priests. One c o on w Danmonii o l y ere , and a district in Arm rica
Danmonium was called .
an o a e a an M y C rnish n m s are still ext nt in Brit y.
a o Caerha es andGr lls a — a Trev ni n, y , y C stle the g te way Of which bears the arms of the C ornish family
O f Gr lls a a Of a s ‘ y . The inh bit nts Brit ny still po sessj
’ LObineau s H st. of B r tan as uote b Polwhele i i y, q d y , vol.
I . 8 . , p Polwhele wr t n in 1 80 6 remarks in his oo c n , i i g , , b k o c erning th n a e a u e and terature of ornwa . 26 that the at M r l g g li C ll, p , l e . 4 SAINT CORANTYN .
of o s a an many the British w rd , dulterated with
o of a o impure all y barb r us French, and Ireland still retains a dialect Of the ancient British or Celtic
of a language. Speaking the disadvantages ttend
o Of o an o ing the suppressi n the C rnish l guage, Bish p
’ Gibson ( 1 678 in his addition to Camden s “ o o of o cor C rnwall, adduces the l ss c mmerce and
r o A moricans esp ndence with the , under Henry
fo o e VII . , be re wh se time th y had mutual inter ” of f a d change amilies n princes with them .
Corant n to Of r was S . y , whom the church Cu y
c B ronscombe o of dedi ated by Walter , Bish p Exe
. 1 to o ter, Sep , seems have passed int this
o o r of so an of c untry thr ugh Ireland, the nurse y m y
ur two O Cornish saints . As there are churches in the county dedicated to him SO there are two ac f f a o O . o c unts his li e . Dr B rl se says Of him S
Corantine now r o , called Cu y, was the first C rnish
o Of o o n ap stle any n te. B rn in Brita y he first
e his own o r e n preach d in c unt y and Ireland , till b i g driven away by violence he betook himself to the
' Trevanion of Carha es in ornwa in a tour , y , C ll, through B re ta ne was reat sur r se at the echoes of hi g , g ly p i d s own name and seat for he foun oth a rev an on anda Carh A , d b T i ayes. nd the rench em rants at B och m in 1 were e h F ig y , 793, d lig ted w th the s m ar t of Corn sh names to the r own arti i i il i y i i , p cu l ch m and u lar y B o y Penq ite.
B sho B ronscombe in 1 2 0 e 8 . P 1 22. ol. i p di d I I , 1 SA CORAN YN INT T . 5
f of foo of o li e a hermit, and settled at t a m untain called M enehout (Menheniot) in the diocese Of
f Gr ll n s of o a . o a o u C rnw ll At the entreaty , King
A rmoricans he o o Of o the , was c nsecrated Bish p C rn
o of o wall by S . Martin, Bish p T urs, and died in
on o o s Animadverting this, an ther hist rian say t a a hat he must certainly h ve died much e rlier, as
o who oo f re Mel r, was murdered s n a ter the first
c e tion Of i n o o w p Chr stia ity int C rn all, was educated
o r o in his m naste y. He settled first as a hermit n that part of the coast where now stands the chapel
o f orant n or and f o C y , Cury, r m this retirement seems to have been drawn by the King Of Corn wall to take charge Of the m onastery of Menhe
o ni t. Certain it is that many of the very numerous
a f o C ornish s ints came r m Ireland . Fuller quaintly remarks Cornwall is the Cornucopia Of saints
o of o Of (m stly Irish extracti n) , and the names the towns and villages the best no menclator of the devout men Of this age (the 6th and he adds with considerable point I f the people Of
that province have as much holiness in their hearts ,
as a a I n a o the parishes h ve s nctity their n mes, C rn wall may pass for another H oly Land in public
o reputati n . RA Tv N 6 SAINT CO N .
One of these many Irish saints must have made a
o o if peril us v yage, all be true, as there is a tradi tion handed down among the S . Agnes Scilly
W o f o n Islanders that S . arna came ver r m Irela d in
o o on o a little wicker b at, c vered the utside with raw lzere a hides, and that he landed in this S ncta ‘ Warna bay .
the Tax at B enef. 1 2 1 theValor Of o o In , 9 , P pe Nich
' l s is N in niwhi a Cur . . a ch was , y called Eccles S f Ninian
’ a no r o who n ble B it n, died in In the Ki g s
o a Ca oran n o . C ti alias B ks it is c lled p de , and a o a this cc rds with remark in Dr. Oliver in his
M onasticon f to a Of ,§ re erring the gr dual altering
on o a Of a s the divisi s and b und ries the p rishe , he
rout ec Sc s es . 1 . Res ect n th nfl T b k illy I l , p 49 p i g e i ux of
i . . r h a t an n v . k s s n s e K s ea n Of S . B r aca I i i , L l d ( 3, p p i g i immortalized in the old Corni sh couplet m w mah rn B r a l Ger o te e e avethas. , g Germow was a n B rea e but a m w f ki g, g id i e, sa s B reaca v en t in Cornubiam comitata mu t an y , i l is s ctis 3 i nter quos fuerunt Sinninus abbas qui Romae cum patritio manu m nachus Germochus rex E w n r w fu t. M a s o e C e enna i , , l , , H e ena ec a B reaca a ulit sub Rev er cum su s uorum l , T l , pp y i , q
. B v B partem occidet Tewder reaca enit ad Pencair. reaca
h . B r a a difi v i in Tr n with v enit ad T renewit e c e ca t eccles. e e — et Talmeneth ut le itur in v ta S . Elwini. POLWH ELE . , g i , ii 1 2 9.
' ' ’ Co l ers E cc es. H st. v . 1 . . l l i l i , p 4 3
Polwhele . . 1 2 . H ichins . 2 . L son v . . . 6. I ii , p 9 , p 35 y , iii , p 7 i o x . . . M onast. D E on p 4 37 SA CORAN TYN INT . 7 instances What is now the parish of Cury was
a Of or n in fo . C e t us andcon rmerly within the p rish S , tained o affo a small chapel, licensed by Bish p St rd, in favour Of the m onks Of Hales who might come ” o d own to visit their pr perty there . In the Exeter Martyrology it is F estum beati ” n ini o onfessoris 1 M i ore t et C a l. C Episc pi , THE CHURCH .
I n that most misera le e i of our histor when it lease God to b p rod y, p d ive those resum tuous men the ower we now too fatall how the g p p p , k y y ther an hin an ent or eautiful in the ouse of employed it . Was e yt g ci b H r n Was here an thin that s o e of God that they spa ed ? Nothi g. t y g p k atholic customs or that was li el to foster true evotion to God that C , k y d , m t w r altars e with favour at their han ? othin . he tore o n ou ds N g T y d , the estro e our ainte win ows All mrved wor in woo and y d y d p d d . k d stone the levelle to the t I t is even sai that romwell fre uentl y d dus . d C q y ma e the churches into lo in s for his sol iers and what was farworse d dg g d , , , ” into sta les for hi h r e b s o s s.
HE Church of Saint Corantyn now stands
Of o Of o a in the centre a little kn t c tt ges,
and o o of curi usly en ugh, the level the turf in the churchyard and on the graves is now some feet above that of the surrounding
o r ad .
a o the This has been c used , it is c njectured, by gradual raising of the ground by the interment of successive generations . Its present height is sugges
if o of tive, ther evidence were wanting, the antiquity of the structure, in which, it is said, the Liturgy was first read in English .
THE CHU RCH . 9
f of The edifice itsel consists chancel and nave ,
o a with a t wer at the western end, a north isle, and
o n o for s uth tra sept, which has bel nged generations
B och m fa a h to the y manor and mily, and is c lled t e ” k m e B oc y aisl .
o as o e The p rch at present is a m dern inv ntion . There is some doubt as to whether the church was originally cruciform it clearly belongs to
e r o o of thr e pe i ds, the s le remains the earliest being
o a oo o the N rm n d rway at the s uth entrance, of n XI . century date, the nave and cha cel is XIV. cen
o c o tury, and the n rth aisle, whi h c ntains a window
of Of . o very rare type, XV century w rk.
oak o f The carved r o in this aisle, portions Of which have been denuded of whitewash and plaster
ou of o o in the c rse rest rati n, must have been a beau
f one o ti ul in the days that are g ne.
The small remnants Of carving t hat remain have
f and o e been care ully preserved rest r d, as far as
o to o o o p ssible, their riginal p siti ns .
of o In his Churches West C rnwall , Mr. Blight
o o of thus n tices the interi r the church (p. 30 ) Of The aisle, XV. century character, is connected
fo - with the nave by six ur centred arches, the piers f at are sha ted the angles, the space between each being a plain cavetto mould the capitals are or na mented e of fo with a simpl and angular kind liage . T 1 0 H E C HU RC H .
The east window of this aisle is the largest in the
fo o r building, and has ur lights with ge met ical tracery ; the sofiit Of the splay is filled with quatre ” fo o a o — a f a il rnament ti n very rare e ture . Below this window the masonry bears clearly the
Of n a a traces a altar ledge. Perh ps reredos has
o a a been let int the w ll, but which, h ving been
o n oo f rem ved, the wall has bee made g d , a ter a
- - f o rough and ready ashi n . The alabasters found in the rood - loft staircase (described at page 1 9) may possibly have formed
of - and o part the altar piece here , being destr yed at
Of fo o the time the Re rmati n, the pieces were buried in the rubbish with which the rood - loft Opening was
a o o an filled up . We h ve pr bably in this nly illus ” tration of o the truth, One extreme begets an ther. The H omilies Of 1 5 62 contained one against the peril of idolatry and superfluous decking of churches ; but the neglect of churches immediately after the Reformation was SO general as to call for an additional H omily for the repairing and keep n f “ o o O . ing clean, and c mely ad rni g churches
— I i a in d ham milies . t s s an s e as h . B ook o H o t e I I f , iii , t r x resses it to see so man churches and so fou l at e e p , y , lly ’ eca e a most in ev er corner. I f a man s r vate house d y d, l y p i
dw lleth . be eca e he w never cease t it be wherein he e d y d, ill ill ” restored again. And ha we be so m n fu of our common ase houses S ll i d l b ,
TH E CHU RCH . I I
At the junction of the chancel and transept a remarkable hagioscope is formed by a large cham
fer of b o the angle, the superstructure eing supp rted
a af and a to o by a det ched sh t, rches small resp nds
of S a S ee illustration imilar char cter. ( . ) A similar arrangement exists in other churches
Of a s c the Liz rd di tri t, as at Landewednack and
fo a . Of o S . Mawg n In the rmer these, h wever, there
an a Of no is arr ngement, which traces exist at Cury,
of s of u a . o o a o viz , a bl ck t ne r de ch r cter pr jecting from the foundation of the wall into which it is
no o o who to built, used d ubt by th se came the
window to stand upon . I n Cu ry the wall externally has been thickened
o t o wo ro o o on u int t unded pr jecti ns, the inner side
Of Of o . the smaller which is a wind w, which may “ ” low ow have been used as side wind . Within, it
oo and f . o t . o are is 4 7 in ab ve the fl r, its dimensi ns in 1 ft. . . 4 in. high by 9 wide
o of os o low The purp ses these Lychn c pes, side ’ o co a wind ws, and all mers pertures, as they are
a o to a r a o c lled, are supp sed h ve been ve y v ri us .
for That they were used witnessing mass, receiving
e ute to so low occu n and be for etfu towar that of d p d pyi g, g l d God where n be a m n stere the wor s of our eterna sa va , i d i i d d l l t on where n be ntreate the sacraments andm ster es of i , i i d y i our redempti on I 2 TH E CHU RCH .
o o f o o w the h st, c n essi n, and d les, seems pretty ell
o for . o r o pr ven M re pa ticularly, h wever, were they
o who not to the s litarii, or lepers, were admitted the i o Of nteri r the sacred edifice, and they are fo as o f und, might be expected, m st requently in the churches near which existed a Laz ar- house in ” the middle ages . In Cornwall most of the churches have low side
o o f r f a wind ws, and this is acc unted o by the act th t there were hospitals for lepers at various places in
o a n of o m C rnwall, the inh bita ts which c unty see to have been much afflicted with the fearful
o sc urge.
. of o ro M Michel,1 speaking the Cag ts, a p s ia a cribed tribe the Pyrenees, s ys In many
r e ro s Of places, as at Luca r , in the ar ndis ement Pau,
r a o of e and at Cla acq, in the C nt n Th ze (the depart
of a o ment the Pyrenees), where the C g ts were
to a t admitted partake of the H oly Sacr ment, hey
f o and the were still kept apart rom other pe ple,
’ consecrated bread was reac/zea to tlzem at t/ze end of a ” rod or cl t-stick o o Of ef , suggesting at nce the meth d
o c mmunicating the lepers in Cornwall .
here i an nterest n art c e in on A o Vol. . . T s i i g i l L g g , I p 4 5 , ” on Leprosy in the Middle Ages. 1' Histoire des Races Mandites de la France et de ’ l E spagne.
1 4 THE CHU RCH .
v t Ele hantias isited wi h that sickness called the p y,
a o in Latin lepra eleph ntiasis, in English lepr sy,
in British lowresy.
o o ho From his acc unt it w uld appear that, t ugh co o s o mm n in Asia, the disea e was first br ught here
f o o A. D 1 1 by seamen and traders r m Egypt ab ut . 0 0 .
ha fol o r so We know t t, in the l wing centu y, wide
o spread was the disease, which had bec me here ditar or o o or o y c ntagi us, b th, that it was made the subject of legal enactments all over Europe ; and was indeed the occasion of the establishment by the Crusaders of the military and religious order
of . u S Lazar s.
ou far- f o o Ab t this time, the amed h spital at Burt n Lazars in Leicestershire was established and eu
do fl o wed, chie y thr ugh the exerti ons of a gentleman
n o who f a l amed M wbray, was himsel a leper ; and l the Lazar -houses in the kingdom were afterwards
’ m to one o ade subject this , and ultimately to S . J hn s
o of r o o H spital Je usalem in L nd n . But to return from this digression to the subject
O f Cury Church . Little more than the foregoing c ould have been said Of it previous to tire work of S ORA O a RE T TI N being t ken in hand, and which has been at length accomplished in the face Of um
o ffi comm n di culties .
o o That w rk, h wever, and the necessary ex amina THE CHU RCH . 1 5
o Of o o to ti n the walls incident there n, br ught light at two n n co least i teresti g dis veries, besides the rescue Of the oak carvi ng of the wall-plate from
c Of a its wretched overing pl ster . During the winter of 1 87 2 - 3 the gales which occasi oned the very many disastrous wrecks on the Co rnish coast wrought also seri ous damage to
and - o Of the Old time w rn structure the church . The ’ “ ‘ spring of 73 found the roof rifiled andstripped of its covering to such an extent that it was deter mined to make a strenuous effort to restore it in
o n Of o the pr per se se the w rd . — Things were at their worst daylight through
oof a n o oo and the r , w ter welli g up thr ugh the fl r in new- m a no a l n a ade gr ves, the rth w ll bu gi g m ny
a o f o ut Of fur inches , lm st eet, the perpendicular, ther patching was useless .
then o o e a o of It was , in the th r ugh xamin ti n the
o fa one af a o Of wh le bric, that ter n ther Objects inte
o not o ho rest were disc vered , which nly evidenced w a e an nci nt the building is, but suggested m y ques tions of interest to the thoughtful enquirer as to the records Of past ages now remaining walled up beneath and covered by the monstrous plaster
o o so a Of our o c ats w rn by m ny c untry churches, as as was r all fo utterly ugly Cu y, in their de rmity of and o to paint whitewash, but nly requiring be stripped Of their dirty skin and scraped to the bone 1 6 THE C HU RCH . to el as fa or — o to yi d satis ct y a reward , needing nly
e to a b seen be ppreciated .
o of o In the c mmencement the w rk at Cury, the eastern end of the north aisle contained som e h f—o or w of Old and al d zen high chambers pe s, the
o now happily almost obsolete pattern . The rem val of on one of these was determined , and was the
o fo Then first w rks per rmed . was seen what had been hidden many a long year behind the panels ” O f fa o one a these mily graves, as s me c lls them apiscina in the south co rner of the angle formed
the a h o to by the pillar and w ll , w ich w uld seem support the theo ry before advanced that at one
o Of a - an a a time a s rt l dy chapel , with lt r under the
o fo oo - c wind w, had been rmed by the r d s reen, which, s o o Off tretching right acr ss the aisle, w uld shut the f eastern end O it .
s an a o Unles ltar had existed here, there c uld be no possible use for the pIS CI na; and as a rule in a a English churches, where the private lt rs have
o a a o been destr yed, the piscina gener lly rem ins t
ua o a a mark the sit ti n where e ch was pl ced . In their munificence private individuals Often built an aisle with a chantrey - chapel at the east
a o - o or to end, p rtly encl sed by screen w rk, annexed the church a transept or additi onal chapel endowed as a a o m ch ntrey, in rder that re embrance might be specially and continually made Ofthem in the Offices 1 THE CHU RCH . 7
and no o e oo at Of the church ; it is t impr babl , l king the character of the roof and east window of the a in r SO r ff n f o o or isle Cu y, ve y di ere t r m the ther p
o Of n to e n e ti ns the buildi g, gether with the vide c s
Of a a an - a an altar, th t ch trey ch pel existed here . I t may not be uni nteresting to note a few instances of such bequests fo r the reparation of a particular church or some work connected there with
Wm B rn e art r K in o A rm s 1 . . s G e e g , g f , 449 “ TO the whyChe said chirch Y bequeth a gret
o a sco e o Of S a aff h ly w ter pp (st up) ilver, with st
benature a benature and (the asperges) , the s id ” ff e n o sta w yi g xx nobles in plate and m re .
o n W cochs o hi in W c e 1 6 h il C omb 0 . y , f pp g y , 5 “ My body to be buried in the church Of A ll
H allondon on fo od m . TO Wye, be re the the
’ repair Of our Lady s Chapel Of my grant s " a x x iii iv . I will th t my executors pay the charge Of new glazing the windows in the said ” chapeL
m n tust Tcsta e ta Ve a.
S ir William de E r hnm 1 6 g , 34 . Item do et lego ad Opus u nius Capellze annex ae ” ae r h mare Ecclesi de Some t y X . m Testa enta E boraeensia. 1 8 C RC THE HU H .
Thomas de la M are Canon o York Cathedral 1 8 , f , 35 . Item Ecclesia de Welwick pro renov atione mag
na': fenestrze a Xmarcas C ncelli ejusdem . Item ” Coo eracionem a o on X LS ad p C ncelli de Br thert .
armaduke onstable K n t 1 6 M C h . , ig , 37 Item lego pro pavimento Cancelli Ecclesiae de
’ d la nbur h v ii x x v o ro oo F y g j j . Item leg p c per tura et emendacione super altare Sanctae ” Katerina in eadem Ecclesia cum plumbo xx s
M iddleton 1 6 1 1 . no I 0 hn . 7 , In Dei e Amen.
urste a soull to Chrs m o F , I beque th my , y b die
’ to be buried in the Chapell Of our Lady w in
’ hurche of Lon efield e ueath the C g . It m . I b q e ’ d ’ v i I t m to n to the highth ault . the may te nanceOf the rode ligtht in the saide Churche a
o whiche ke in of o c we, the I wille in the p g s me
’ honeste son to o n to p , the said use, acc rdi g the discretion of myn exec
Testam n V s e ta etu ta.
Proceeding with the examination of the eastern
of o . a of o n wa end the n rth w ll the aisle, pr bi g the ll, covered with its 3- inch coat Of plaster and white
a on a Of wash, I c me up a l rge upright slab Purbeck,
f Of oo in fixed in the wall a ter the manner a d r, a spot highly suggestive of a hidden way to the
oo - of r d l t. C RC H 1 THE HU . 9
o a a a o On rem ving the sl b, st ircase disc vered
f o n n to itsel , but the wh le Ope i g was filled the
O f or Six f debris height five eet with , lime, and
a o o f to hum n b nes, which I pr ceeded care ully r o n o wo f in em ve with the ha ds . Buried s me t eet
o rv a a a the mass , I came up n a ca ed al b ster he d ,
O f our a o a o Of evidently that S vi ur, b ut the size ’ n two o o f o O e s fists d ubled t gether ; urther d wn, other fragments turned up ; and by the time the
o a a fo a wh le st irc se was emptied, I had urteen he ds and o n of f a m s me hu dreds r g ents .
- f The rood loft staircase and d oorway are per ect .
f f a f re Si ting the earth a terwards very c re ully, I
o o f o Of a a c vered ab ut fi ty m re pieces l baster, and now o a t o and the w rk rem ins o piece them t gether, discover if possible the original design Of the whole. a This will be m ore diffi cult than at first appe rs. The attitudes Of the heads seem to suggest that it
an a a - or o and n e our was lt r piece rered s, represe t d
o as a u n L rd ( a centr l fig re) blessi g the Cup, the disciples all Standing round in attitudes Of reve
r a o a on rence o d r ti . The whole Of the figures were originally painted
o so far f o Of a and gilt, and the w rk, r m being rude
on a a . character, is r ther the c tr ry This may have been the altar-piece in the lady
if o chapel, such existed . It is scarcely p ssible the 20 T H E CHU RCH .
fi o o of o oo the gures were a p rti n the H ly R d , as in f a o no a of oss r gments rec vered there is tr ce the Cr .
H o R ood however o eneral a The ly , , th ugh g ly pl ced
of a not a wa 5 0 . at the entrance the ch ncel , was l ys
o e i was n e in n c e or let n o the S m t mes it i s rted i h s , i t
l a oo f n con wa l ne r the entrance d r, and reque tly
tainedo of our o e. ther figures besides that Savi ur, g This modwas not compleat without the images
f a one f m o V . o O the irgin M ry and St J hn, the
an on one and o on st ding the side, the ther the o Of of a o to ther side the image Christ, in llusi n the
’ ’ a a o n 6 — t el s . o . 2 S a7/ p ss ge in S J h s G spel, xix . ey
ist . 1 H . , p 99.
o to Of o a Likewise, ab ve the p all, up n the w ll , stood the m ost famous mod that was in all the
an w Of Ma 0 11 one Of our l d , ith the picture ry side
o and ha f w O . o on o Savi ur, t t S J hn the ther, ith two n c an one on of ar glitteri g Ar h gels, the side M y,
o on i Of o — A ncient R ites and the ther the s de J hn .
D nrham Glossar A rc 1 o o h 8 1 . f y f , p .
o o o a a Of Fr m their p siti n, and the ppear nce the
o a o a wh le pl ce, th se in Cury must h ve been buried for a on a o of o a o n c sider ble peri d time, pr b bly br ke to c in a a and a pieces , pit hed the st irc se, w lled up
a fo of o o o by the Purit n re rmers, wh se pi us d ings we
a c a o o o r h ve su h l sting rec rd , b th in hist y and per
manent disfigurement Of our churches .
2 2 THE C RC HU H .
6 A . D. 1 o o o and 44 by the Puritan L rds and C mm ns ,
i to own o in Opposit on the Church and Cr , all cr sses
crucifix es fo and in churches, and all organs, nts
of o o to altars, and tables st ne were c mmanded be,
a o t ken down and dem lished . — C ommunion tables for stone altars and tables were up to this period used indifferently in the
fo Of m per rmance the Eucharistic rite, and the ter altar s , in the sen e in which the Primitive Church
o used it, was expressly rec gnized and sanctioned by the Church Of England in the Synod of 1 64 0
o o to o were als rdered be rem ved, candlesticks taken l f a a . w y, and all surplices utter y de aced ’ The ournal of o commencin in anuar j D wsing, g J y, 1 6 o o 4 3, details the devastati n c mmitted on the exteriors as well as the interiors of 1 50 churches
ffo o o of r o in Su lk and s me ther the easte n c unties, whilst it also clearly exhibits the gross ignorance Of the agents employed in these fanatical acts of
o one m . El set o desecrati n In church, , the c mmis
“ At H aver Suffo an. 6 1 6 w ro e o n a ou , lk, J , 4 3, e b k d w b t 1 0 0 su erst t ous ctures and 20 0 ha ro dow p i i pi , d been b ke n f m We too awa w b e ore I ca e. k y t o P opish inscriptions with Ora ro nobis and we eat own a r a on i o on p , b d g e t st e ng cr ss ” th to of the church . e p of W. Dowsing. One B esse was h re in the t me of the R l on for l i d i ebel i , ha f-a-crown a da to rea the a l y, b k p inted glass windows of the church wh ch were form I I — e v er fin . ub e in his , i y y e A r y, ac ount on S urre c of Croyd , y . THE CHU RCH . 2 3 sioners had o f , finding the work been d ne be ore ” oo and their visit, rent apieces the h d surplice.
f n to Tenison It was in re ere ce these acts that ,
f 1 — 1 1 . o 6 Archbp Canterbury, 94 7 5 , declared in ” “ his Discourse Of Idolatry that it was high
o who our superstiti n in those , in late unhappy
o o f o o rev luti ns, de aced such pictures, and br ke d wn
o u o had ff to such cr sses, as a th rity su ered remain
fo o Of entire, whilst it rbad the w rship them ; and was in so o o f that particular well beyed, that n ne o them ever knew one man of the co mmunion of the Church of England to have been prostrate before ” o and in h o to a e o to a cr ss, t at p sture h v sp ken it.
’ s Gothi A rc 0 B lox am c h. p. 3 5 . Alabaster carvings Of one ki nd or another are by no means uncommon in the Old C ornish churches} anddoubtless many m ore will be brought to light as the work of restoring our early ecclesi
ical o on ast structures g es . It is a little difficult to describe minutely those f a found in Cury. The r gments are so numerous and small that the attempt to j oin them into any
A few years since an alabaster group The Flaying of — B artho omew was foun in ostw th e Church. St. l d L i i l At Mabe a carved alabaster relic was di scov ered in a
- r in the chance re resent n the mart r built up aumb ey l, p i g y dom n a n i i B Of th s a ccou t s v en n N o. of an early ishop . i gi XI I I th Ro al I nstitution o Cornwa of the yournal of e y f ll. 24 THE CHU RCH . thing like the original form would appear from the
first hopeless .
r one of our o The p incipal head is Blessed L rd , about 2 } inches from the top Of the head to the
o of a out o f f om p int the beard , st nding in b ld relie r
o t a f in a flat backgr und qui e h l an ch in thickness .
The head is encircled with a twisted band, which
was a o once painted green the b ckgr und was red ,
f heard ffi nd . a the eatures, hair, and gilt Su cient
f m to O the pigment re ains trace this clearly, and
h o o to a of t e c l uring seems h ve been the richest. It is almost impossible to attem pt an identifi ca
o of fr of o so o n ti n the agments ther figures, br ke
f in s are they. The eet are nearly all a tanding
o o on o a to re re p siti n a green gr und , app rently p a o n sent gr ss, the gr u d being irregular and un
a of f dulating. M ny the aces are in such an f a n a upli ted attitude, th t they i dic te the figure Of our Lord to have been somewhat elevated above
a out has them , and this be rs what been suggested
o to o Of ab ve as the pr bable subject the piece. f o Of f a Judging r m the size the ragments, he ds, f and o was o a eet, legs, the wh le piece pr b bly about
2 f and Of o o o eet high, pr p rti nate width .
a on o of a L ter , in the unc vering the walls, nother doorway discovered itself on the so uth side of the
o o f one n church, immediately pp site the ormer , a d CU RY CH U RCH .
SOU TH DOORWAY .
C 2 THE HU RCH . 5 in curious combination with the hagioscope and l o ow side wind w. The presence of the latter is to be accounted for
Of - o by the existence in Old times Lazar h uses, but it is difficult to find a reason for two rood loft stair cases.
oo a In this case, the d rway, which is in the tr n s o not one a was ept, was bl cked up, by sl b as the
' o a o oo Opening in the n rth isle, but by rdinary l se r a o a S o to f ubble m s nry . The st irs turn h rt the le t,
n o Of o o and passi g ver the arch the hagi sc pe, emerge a in an Opening in the chancel wall, immedi tely w e o na oo here the scre n rigi lly st d .
r debris oo o On the stai s, buried in l sely thr wn in f o o of two skele r m ab ve, were the remains human
o o Of one Of h of t ns, the b nes t em being such immense dimensions as to warrant the inference that the ‘ in f Of a person li e must have been gig ntic stature . In the south d oorway Of the church we have preserved to us an exceedingly rich specimen Of
f o a o s N orman work . Whether r m a re s nable de ire to retain a remembrance of the piety of the original
fo orf o o o under, r m whatever cause it pr ceeds, it w uld would seem to have been usual with the architects
easur n the on s of the le the femurwas 20 nches M i g b e g, 5 i
on t ia 1 nches. l g , ib 7 i ’ I n Hals M SS. are several curious finds of bones recorded . 26 THE CHU RCH . who succeeded the Anglo-N ormans to preserve the doors and porches of those churches they rebuilt or
for o m oo a altered , as in this instance, N r an d rw ys
o o Of exist in many churches, the remaining p rti ns
o which were erected at a much later peri d .
' The variety Of N orman work on the portals Of the churches in C ornwall ranges from extreme
o Of o a o plainness to the utm st richness rn ment, th se
a o in the Lizard district being unusually h nds me . At Manaccan and Landewednack are beautiful
fa not one examples, and Cury lls whit behind them . The semicircular stone or tympanum at the head Of the N orman arch is often covered wi th symbolic l ’ in sculpture in ow relief. This Cury is exceed “ in l o on n of a of s g y curi us, c sisti g the ch in endle s ” - o of n rings, the well kn wn emblem eter ity ?
Ov r the south oorway of tsfor hurch N ortham e d Pi d C , p m at n w th th tonshire S . Geor e is r resente co e , g ep d b i g i Dra gon. The t m anum of north oorwa of reston hurch y p d y P C , oucestersh re has a ru e scu ture Of a am the A nus Gl i , d lp l b , g
Dei ear n a cross atee w th n a c rc e. On the south , b i g p i i i l oorwa of occas H erefor sh re is a tree on each s e of d y M , d i , , id it an an ma estro n a ch d resuma the two ears of i l d yi g il , p bly b — ’ 2 n s . 2 . B lox om s Gothic A reh. . 1 . Ki g ii 4 , p 9
' ' ’ l I n S . art n s Church anter ur there is a v er eau M i , C b y, y b t fu font wh ch is fu of scu ture ornamentat on—c rc es i l , i ll lp d i i l “ ” of en ess r n s. I t is ure in the A nti uarian I tinerar dl i g fig d g y,
V . ol. I
R 2 8 THE CHU CH . to Of a o e be the brightest slate th t can be pr cur d,
of o and, instead battlements, a st ne balustrade with
on rv vases placed it at inte als . “ o of o to The p rch brick , c urse, and enliven it,
oo to be a - i the d r p inted sky blue. Such a build ng will secure the churchwardens a reputatio n for taste
o and magnificence as l ng as the church remains, particularly as such zealous members of the co m
o s o a f munity are supp sed, in the accu t med be uti ul ,
o o a n to con m dest, and appr pri te ma ner, place in spicuous parts Of the building their names at full ” of length and the date the achievement . “ H ow to a a Hint . II . directs pl ce a pulpit in
o o o o suitable and c mm di us situati n . Let the pulpit be placed under the centre Of
a f o o the arch, which divides the ch ncel r m the b dy
f and o o be Of O the church , let its c nstructi n a nature to contrast it as much as possible with the
a if o to Of o i ch ncel, it sh uld happen be G th c archi tecture .
F or os s n a which purp e, let the ba e represe t
oo a o ou a Of d rw y, thr ugh which y may see the b ck
o of the stairs Of the pulpit . The b dy the pulpit
o n o o a h sh uld be hu g with crims n and g ld l ce, wit
‘ a a . o a to gilt ch ndeliers It sh uld h ve a b ck it, with two a a on a S a o o io sm ll pil sters e ch ide, and c mm d us
oo to w o o d r enter in at, ith a large s unding b ard and C RC THE HU H . 29 an at the to a o i m angel p, energetic lly bl w ng a tru pet
o of a to lerable size . All this sh uld appear to be suspended fro m the ceiling by a rich sky-blue chain
- fi la ree i o . on o and g r n work This c structi n, besides
o has a of its c ntrast, the peculiar dvantage hiding
n o no t to the east wi d w and altar, mention its
and o S a o of beauty c mmanding itu ti n, the back the pulpit being thus studiously and decorously placed ” o a f o o a t wards the e st, and its r nt t w rds the west .
T o e to o r turn Cury Church p rch . In following up a suspicion that in ancient times
o o a h ly water st up existed near this doorway, its
o o was not to u f o f exact p siti n easy g ess , r m the act that sometimes the aspersorium is found placed in
o o oo o the p rch, s metimes within the d r, s metimes ” f o o c . detached r m the wall , and utside the hurch
a f o o of A c re ul examinati n, h wever, the wall,
o fo o o which up n being struck gave rth a h llow s und,
’ I n the accounts of Sou s o le e Oxford in 1 8 All l C l g , , 4 5 there is a charge pro lapidibus ad aspersorium in introitu ” E ccles ae and its rema ns are st l to be seen but the i , i il , “ as ersor um was not on the stou but somet mes the p i ly p , i
s r n e ace in it. The Will o T. B eau ort Duke p i kl l d f f , of
E x eter 1 2 N icholls . 2 . , 4 , p 53
I n the w of T . H itton c er Se t. 2 8 1 2 8 he es res ill , l k, p , 4 , d i ‘ to be buried I n E cclesia-3 Conventuali Fratrum Predicatorum B everlaci mo cum nfraost umaustra e uxtale haliwater , di i i l , j
at Testamenta E boracensia ub. b the Surtees Soc et f , p y i y,
art. I . . 1 . P , p 4 5 C H 30 THE H U RC .
o to for the n but br ught light the niche basi , the ’ a f has a a o a at the o b sin itsel dis ppe red , pr b bly rest
o o o of o a a to rati n ab ve menti ned the N rm n rch, which it is in close proximity. It is curious to note that the stoup was not always a fixture ; but the term is also applied to the vessel used for carrying about holy water to sprinkle the
o o and fo a of c ngregati n , which rms a necessary p rt f the furniture o a Roman Catholic church .
o - o o ro H li water st ppe, de argent p aqua bene ” Will o Duke o dicta cum aspersorio de argento . f f
E x eter 1 26 . , 4 And in another sense Shakespeare makes the
H amlet sc 2 King say in , act v . . ” Set me stoups of wine upon that table.
fo of a o o The nt is pl in design , the b wl supp rted
fo f o by a central pillar and ur slender sha ts, riginally of o o of granite, but which in s me m dern time repair
a a fo Of o h ve been repl ced by ur p lished serpentine, while the granite castaways still remain in the
o o churchyard , in the sp t where they were pr bably
o o thr wn by the w rkmen . N ot the least interesting of the remains of bygone days is a quaint alms - box formed by an ingenious bit of a n oak a oo c rpe try in the bench end ne rest the d r.
a 1 2 8 o was As e rly as the year 7 , when a Syn d
r to ro held at Exeter, every pa ish was directed p R THE CHU CH . 31
“ vide cistam ad though long before that period most Of our venerable churches possessed a
or o box o chest str ng , wherein were dep sited the
s o acred vessels and vestments, t gether with what
f r a to c c ever o value pe t ined the hur h.
s a of the a or r Ancient writer spe k lmery aumb y, of which large churches very Often contained more ” an one Of th , and in the Ancient Rites Durham mention is frequently made Of aumbries for diffe
rent purposes .
a la in e Such chests, gener lly p ced the chancel, wer not always confined to their original uses ; but more than one instance is known of their having
o o - o been turned int m ney b xes .
’ In a Centenary of Ancient Terms in Blox am s ” 1 n Principles Of Architecture (p. 3 9) is give : “ A lmariol a o , Ambry, six great pl te l cks with
’ o for a certaI n armariol the keys, br ught in King s
‘ A D 1 6 an armariole f r . r o Chapel . 3 5 in the vest y ” keeping the vestments in .
ow not a c Here, h ever, we have, hurch chest
o - box o a oa adapted int an alms , but an rdin ry k
o a bench end , in all ther respects ex ctly like the
Of - o o rest the bench ends, c nverted int a receptacle
“ ” See an interesting paper on Church Chests in the
ourna of the B r t. rch. ssoc. Vol. XXV . . J l i A A , I I I , pp 22 5 . R 32 T HE CHU CH . for of the alms the worshippers, and that in a very o a o rigin l and curi us manner. A mortice has been cut in the top of the woo d
o our c o O f w rk, some f in hes in depth, the m uth this being protected with a thin plate of iron ; a
o on o r o n th e lid, m ving rdina y hinges, was placed to of o o n s p it, and, having a slit thr ugh it , the c i of the charitably-disposed passed into the recep
o tacle bel w.
F or safe keeping of the m oney so deposited,
f two fa o n the lid is urnished with hasps, which ll either side of the bench end into two locks pre
for ff so pared them, Opening with di erent keys,
o o t that, with this d uble precauti n, the money migh f f in primitive times be considered airly sa e . Per — — haps the custom was who knows forthe church
a to one a o o w rden have key, the p rs n the ther, rendering unanimity of mind and purpose between
to o o of them, necessary the pr per disp sal the
’ t oo church s alms o the p r.
- The tower, which is weather beaten and lichen
o e fo f o of o c ver d, rms, r m the height its situati n, a conspicuous landmark from the neighbouring hills ;
f om oa o f- o even r the r d at its base the W l r ck light ,
fo ma nearly rty miles distant, y be seen at night, flashi ng its red and white gleams in friendly warn
’ far o ing bey nd the Land s End . R S ORA I O THE E T T N . 33
r o a a Of Cu y t wer is pp rently two stages, built
f a an Of o n so a a O gr nite, m y the bl cks bei g l rge th t it is a matter of speculation with the beholder by what means in the early days of its erection such huge S labs were transported so long a distance (the nearest quarries are miles away) and raised to their
present position . al r oo . . a e Over the western d r the initi s I H . C cut
d o o in a shiel , and the t wer c ntains three bells, the
f 1 6 1 for oldest O which is dated 7 , and has its legend
N h R x r J esus de azaret e Judaeo um. Inscribed on the tenor is
to the church the liv n ca I i g ll,
And to the grav e do summon all. The parish registers go back as far as 1 690 for
and a s 1 6 1 for a baptisms buri l , 9 m rriages, and the
e on o a Oldest ntries are vellum , but the bo ks h ve a been mutil ted .
The same inscription is found on the tenor bell of S . ohn the B a t st B roadclist Devon wh ch has a so the J p i , , , i l n m f th f - m a e o e o ten e o e ma er homas B e A . D . pl y d k , T ilbi , ’ 1 68. N o ma er s name is nscr e on the e s at ur 7 k i ib d b ll C y, thou h the ma hav e een from th g y y b e same hand. CURY CROSS .
' lls at su lons crosses deck dli e i ols . Gospe perst , k d ’ V AN T . ol 1 . 1 . B RA N D S POP. . , , p 99
” s a e Relics of a rude but piou g . I SC RI PT I ON ON O O N N O B C OC CR SS .
ORN WA LL contains so many antiquities
of fo the Christian Church, that it rms a rich field for the researches of the
o o . o ro ecclesi l gist Its cr sses , which p
to 6 bably date back Athelstan in 93 , are very
o o on o of con numer us, th ugh liable, acc unt their v enient a to o a on size and sh pe, c nfisc ti by the f f r a - o f o . o armer service as g te p sts In spite this ,
to fo r — ia a d they are be und eve ywhere churchy r s ,
o of or on by the r adside, in the centre a village,
o oo and and the l nely m rland ; their use still is, m . a o will remain, a mystery They y have been b un
r - r a a or da y ma ks, sanctu ries, pr ying places, directing
o to r a o f o p sts pilgrims ; ce t inly s me, r m their very " o o S o a ur osef p siti n and ituati n, served the l st p p One of the tallest o f the ancient monoliths
- a on o o f stands at the entrance g te, the s uth side
Pradanack Cross wh ch ev ent o nte the wa to , i id ly p i d y
the chapels anciently exi sting at T renance and Clahar.
CU RY CROSS . C R R U Y C OSS . 35
C . ros f ury Church It is a granite c s, nine eet high ,
o o a o was fo and s me sc re years g it und, detached
f o on o r m its base, lying the gr und , and has been
in o o at a placed its present p siti n guess, its original
o n o . a o at situati n bei g unkn wn Very l tely, the cr ss Gunwalloe has been set up in the churchyard
o there, as being the best and m st likely spot to
a o secure its preserv tion , th ugh there is every reason to believe that its original position was by the side
O f. the small stream which runs through the cove
n o o w n w i t the sea, at the p int here it is o crossed G ” by unwalloe Bridge . Respecting the use and i ntroduction of these c of o rosses, which so many examples remain t this
o our wa day in C rnwall, in churchyards, by the y
in a - side, the m rket places, and even private gardens , it is pretty well acknowledged that the first Cor
o f o o nish missi naries came r m Ireland, where cr sses
no a o o o a were by me ns unc mm n, and it is m re th n probable that many of the crosses in this county
o a were erected at the peri d of its ev ngelization . It
o has been held that , as the Christian symb l , it
o o and if so o w uld c me with Christianity, , w uld be
to a o entitled a still earlier d te than named ab ve ,
A D . 6 o 0 . somewhere ab ut .
The Knights Templars, as well as the Knights
f o a o a and a o S . J hn, held l nds in C rnw ll , the peculi r
See unwal oe . 1 2 . G l , p 3 R 36 CU Y CROSS . form of their cross occurs in a few instances in the n cou ty . One of the indulgences afforded to the Crusaders was exemption fro m the usual feudal services of their lords and a practice arose of erecting crosses
on to a f o had their lands, indic te that the eudat ry
o o of o was bec me the s ldier the Cr ss, and exempt a t from the usu l services due o his superior. S ometimes these crosses marked the place Of ‘ not a SO a sepulture, but alw ys , even in churchy rds , where o ne was sometimes placed near thesouth or
f a to Of chie entr nce the church, suggestive due pre
paration previous to entering the sacred building .
o c o o a a on a and Fr m such r sses pr cl m ti s were m de, occasionally congregations were addressed from
’
o as o o at a o . the same sp t, was l ng d ne P ul s Cr ss Writing of one of the Old West Cornwall crosses
an ddin ' ' a no . . S e o t (S Lev ) Mr J . gl thinks th t it d ub a old a to was a m rks the p th the church, since it custom in mediaeval times to erect crosses at in
I n the B or er warfare rmstron of an erton hav n d , A g M g , i g een assass nate was ur e at Ettleton and a cross was b i d, b i d ,
s t ov er his rav e. Another cross ca e the an erton e g , ll d M g Cross rema ns to th s da at M illholm on the s ot where , i i y , p — the coffin rested prev iously to the interment B light ?
Crosses ntro . . v . , I d , p ' T o a s m ar use do the crosses at Wa tham Chan n and i il l , g, sewher ow the r re t E el e e i e c ion by dward I . ' ' l . N otes on S B ur an hurch. rans Ex. D rch . y C T . ioc. A
Soc. Vol. . art . , I I , P 3 C R CROSS U Y . 37
tervals on o to the r ad the church, beneath which,
a f o o od was in uneral pr cessi n, the b y set while the mourners rested on their way and said psalms and
o in prayers, a cust m which, the usual processional
- Cofnish f has f hymn singing at a uneral, le t its traces a to this d y. This accounts too for the presence of crosses or the fragments Of crosses in all sorts of out-of-the way and unexpected situations ; perhaps in the
o Of o Dir/ quaint w rds Wynken de W rde, in es and ” au er o p p , where he justifies their erecti n lit is nothing els but a hoke or a token to the letobe people for this reasone hen C rosses mane by the may that (t han folks passpnge see the C rease they shoulbe thpnfie on bpm that hath on the Orosse an!) morshhp ham ahobe
all thpng. ’ A nste s M unimenta A cademica In Mr. y there is the following from the last will and testament o f
M ertherderwa c o of S ' o o . Crid D ct r Reginald , re t r a.
ir a . 1 1 1 . V . g d te Feb , 44 7
I tem o o o sum tibus et ex en . V l qu d p meis p sis
ordinentur et o o eri antur o a r , de n v g , n v c uces de
la idibus uales habentur in Cor p , q illis partibus in
a inci iendo B eslasek nubi , p a Kayr usque ad Eccle
Camborn et onentur o s siam de , p in l cis ubi olebant corpora defunctoram portandorum ad sepulturam
o ro orationibus fundendis b et dep ni, p i idem allevia t ium tione por ant . THE RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH .
' E en such is time which takes in tru st Our ou th our o s andall we have y , j y , And a s us nou ht but a e and ust p y g g d , Which I n the ar andsilent rave d k g , When we hav e wandered all our ways Shuts u the stor ur a s —I W E o . S R A L I G H . p y d y . R
H E restoration of the chufch proved to
wo of a o far o be a rk time and l b ur, bey nd
was a what first anticip ted , and it will not be amiss to put on permanent record what has been done during the yea rs 1 873-4 I t may prove a stimulus to those who in succeeding years shall be moved to do something for the
o a house Of G d in that pl ce. The entire north wall of the church was found m out of e and any inches the perp ndicular, was supported by buttresses which had been increased
f To in number rom time to time. repair this was
o o o to o n imp ssible, the nly c urse open was take d w
o f o to and the wh le wall r m end end , underpin the
oof n in a fo the r while rebuildi g it its origin l rm . All R S ORA O THE E T TI N . 39
of e which are granite, being redress d and placed in
r o a o o thei rigin l p siti n. An old doorway and steps on the north side of the church was c ompletely useless owing to the
. banking up Of the earth outside and the lowness f O fo f . k the arch, which was but ur eet high The ban
was o out of o rw re pened , the jambs the d o ay,
o st red and lengthened with granite, and steps built
o ma utside the church, so that this entrance y be made available on occasions like harvest festivals when a large number of people would be gathered
in the building. The wall plate Of the roof of this north aisle was
fo to oak o und be carved , the rdinary rope and
af- a so o o o le p ttern c mm n in C rnwall, but buried
of a had no under three inches pl ster, it taken great
r harm . The t ansverse ribs of the waggon roof were
o f oak o a all , but the l ngitudin l had vanished, their
“ a e pl c s being filled with plaster andwhitewash . This
oof o f r of r has been repaired m st care ully, eve y bit
a o rv the c rved w rk prese ed wherever practicable, ribs placed through the whole length to match the
o s o cr ss ribs, thu rest ring the ancient waggon pat
n o and ter , the wh le being lined with pine varnished . There were evident traces of bosses having once
li o re been in existence re, th ugh there were no
a s Of an to foun munificence Of m in y be d . By the 40 THE RESTORATION
’ f o oof a private riend , the wh le r has been enriched
oak o no o with exquisitely carved b sses, which t nly
of oof o o enhance the beauty the r , but als give s me
to of o idea the mind, its riginal appearance. Each
' of o a~ o of f and the b sses is w rk art in itsel , they are executed with a skill one is unaccustomed to see in such wild and desolate districts its the Me
neage.
o n n of f o of Th se ble di gs ruits and fl wers, figures
o o o f of men and beasts, in w ndr us gr upings ull beauty ’ out of the carv ers us ra n All b y b i , were a fit offering of art for the H ouse of Him f o o flo f of and art and r m wh m ws first all gi ts skill , the power to work and fashion copies of the beau f a ’ ti ul in n ture s world . F or those whose interest may lead them deeper is appended a list in detail of the subjects of the
o m n f o o the . b sses, c m enci g r m East end h orn s a o f . n an k. m e C i gi t d a H ops. Colu bine oliag ’ B oars head and oak Cornish miner at
eav e . rts fo a e. l s work. Filbe li g Giant and columbine
nd har . Oak and fo a e. foliage. E agle a e li g
hese osses 2 in num er were all es ne from T b , 7 b , d ig d
nature and r nte b W. We ster E s . of B ac heath , p ese d y b , q , l k
and London .
4 2 THE RESTOR ATION
and varnished . On the ends of the sweeps small shields carved with sacred emblems andm onogram s
out o o rv o f o picked in c l ur, prese ed the wh le r m
a oa o o anything ppr ching t m notony .
o to o r Previ us this a hide us western galle y , which
o o om 1 f of bl cked up the t wer arch, and s e 5 eet the
o of o b dy the nave and aisle, had been rem ved, and
SO o fi ne o oo thr wing Open the Old t wer, a g d view was thus to be obtained of the whole length of the church from the western d oor in the tower the
oo wa was so far s o to be d r y recut, and re t red as
capable of use.
a oof a fa oo one! In the ch ncel , the r being irly g d
was not o SO far meddled with exteri rly, excepting as to make the lead gutters necessary for the proper
: protection of the whole in the rainy season . In teriorly it was made to match the nave by casing n a m and the pri cipals, and adding h mmer bea s king
o p sts . ” was o o B och m a and This als d ne with the y isle,
o of was so far oof thus the wh le the church , as r
o a oo oo to oo . was c ncerned, m de g d and g d l k at At the east end a very plain four light lancet
ow oo on o and wind , but in very g d c diti n, existed ,
The whole cost of the restoration Of the B ochym aisle was orne b the Dav e fam of B och m of whom see b y y ily y ,
p . 62 . F R O THE CHU C H . 4 3
o o wind ws, this was allowed to remain, and d es
remain; untilsome kind friend will embrace the
o of d s so pportunity placing staine gla s there, in
an b f o o fora o ow fitting d eauti ul p siti n mem rial wind .
of o Of On either side the wind w, in place two zinc
a now fo f plates p inted , are placed ur beauti ul poree lain tablets upon which are illumin ated in gold and
’ o o o and om c l ur The Creed , L rd s Prayer, Ten C
mandments. They were made expressly for Cury
- o a f M Church by the well kn wn m nu acturers, essrs .
a o f f o Copel nd and S ns, and were a gi t r m one of he ‘ t firm .
of o o They are m st delicate w rkmanship, and are a a of the most permanent ch r cter . The frames in
are of a oak cons ru which they placed are bl ck , f cted from the remains of so me of the old bench ends
n is o f in the church . The desig G thic, with tre oil
on to ornamentation . In additi these very handsome
o a t f Of and c stly t ble s, the same riend the author
a of o m on of gave set c m uni plate in silver, very
a o n o pl in w rkmanship, but exceedi gly appr priate,
of o and in keeping with the rest the app intments . The whole of the windows were recut and glazed
with cathedral glass supplied by Messrs . Clayton
o of two and Bell, with the excepti n , which were executed in Vitremanie and Diaphanie by the
. m H rtS. . Es Russe ar e W. . o e an F M C p l d , q , ll F , 44 THE RESTORATION
a o — o on a th uth r one in the western t wer, c t ining e
of o a s a a c figures the F ur Ev ngelist , e ch in ni he
o ano and surmounted by a G thic c py, a small window over the font (the cost of which was de
a o a fr f . o o rayed by Mrs T yl r, an ther pers n l iend) , the subject being appropriately the Infant Saviour
f r and the Adoration o the Shephe ds .
o of was not an s one The w rk draining ea y ,
n ff a a o not be but has bee e ectu lly cc mplished,
fo as be a o re needed , will ckn wledged when it is mentioned that the water before the restoratio n was commenced often welled up through the floors
of a and a on one o a o f n ra the se ts, th t , cc si n, a u e l was delayed in the church some minutes while the water was baled out of the grave in which the coflin
as o w t be placed . The o ld family pews and dens having being de
molished o of s a in anda , the wh le the e ts the nave isle
a o c of on and c h ve been c nstru ted Oreg pit h pine,
a a a o o and a a to v rnished n tur l c l ur, this dds gre tly
a ff of o the ple sing e ect the wh le .
oo a o work . after L king b ck up n the , being per
mitted to o o e a n see its c mpleti n , the writ r c n ot but be thankful at the results of what it would be false humility to deny has been an ardu ous task ; but the u nanimity and good feeling whi ch all those concerned in the work have evinced from begi nni ng OF TH E C U RC H H . 4 5 to has dffi end , made it less i cult than it might w a n and munificence of a few has ell h ve bee , the enabled those who were responsible for the work to carry it out in a way that but for such assistance ! n would have bee impossible .
' The church was re- opened by the bishop of the
o on 1 6 1 8 . di cese the th July, 74
a a o fitl a da at An e rly celebr ti n y beg n the y, and
con was c o o o the se d service, which h ral thr ugh ut , was a o o and not a few o f mustered str ng ch ir, the
A o o a neighbouring clergy. very cr wded c ngreg tion had gathered from all parts to hear the bishop — a c f o . 1 ; pre ch whi h he did r m Luke ii , 9
o fi ne old o of The service c ncluded , the h use
B ch m a and o o y , with its picturesque g rdens gr unds , became the centre of attraction to some hundreds o f people who had been drawn together by the
’ m n and of f day s event. A useme ts sale work or the
n of e o o n w on be efit the R st rati n Fu d, ere carried
to a o and few of who a l te h ur, very these were present will easily forget the Festival and all its f train o reminiscences.
The who e cost of the wor nc u n all fts wa l k, i l di g gi , s about £90 0 ; not one farthing of which was granted from an soc et or u c o anda reat ro ort on of it ra y i y p bli b dy, g p p i ised
by small sub scriptions. B OCHYM .
Q ui v eult ouyr nouv elles Etran es a com ter g p , e sca les non areilles J y p . u homme Q , ne scauroit chanter, E t toutes advenues e uis lon terns en a D p g 9 , e les a r J y etenues, ” E t s a mme - co nt il va. OLD RE N CH g y F SONG .
the very edge of the bare Goonhilly
in as of downs stands the p ri h Cury, amid
of fo a o a luxuriance li ge, all the m re beautiful because of the succeeding bar renness a n o and ano of B och m , the ncie t h use m r y “ o c o as more than n e qu ted , and that truly, the ” ’ n n o n first and last ge tlema s h use in E gland . It is a familiar object to those who pass along
a tr - — From La legende de M i e Pierre Faifeu. Fifteenth century.
hose who wish to hear a itt T d y, ’ F ill d with man a won rous thin y d g,
To my sonnet let them listen, h no other ar can sin Suc b d g. M an ears a o elieve me y y g , b , ’ Chanc d these won ers to efall d b , Yet the whole I well remem er , b , A int n to tell them all nd e d .
4 8 BOCHYM . the habits and usages of those who lived in times
of and o essentially legend traditi n .
' The Saxon Conquest of Cornwall by Athelstan
o a o dates 935 , th ugh th t the conquest was inc mplete is to be inferred from the struggles of the Britons
orm o r against the N ans a wh le centu y later . In 997 the whole of Cornwall was desolated by the of w o o o Danes, h se incursi ns, h wever, very
o 1 0 68 o and E scanty rec rds exist but, in , G dwin d
o of a o a o f o mund , s ns H r ld , c me ver r m Ireland and
o overran the wh le land . Then came the portion ‘ out of o a o a ing the D mesd y, when all C rnw ll was
o o la and divided am ng six l rds, three y three cleri
o a o o cal, besides the r y l p rti n .
Of o f o was o the lay l rds the most am us R bert,
Th s Domes a or Domus Dei B oo ca i d y, k, lled so as Stone asserts ecause e os te at Westm nsteror W nches r b d p i d i i te , was e un b or er of W am the on ueror in 1 b g y d illi C q 0 80 . The reason for th s surve has een ven that ev e i y b gi , ryman should be sat s e w th his own r ht and not um wi h i fi d i ig , l p t impunity what belonged to another but more probable than this (for there was already a survey in exi stence made by order of n fre those who ossesse an e st Ki g Al d) , p d l d d e ates became vassa s to the n and a him fee or h l ki g, p id omage in propor
tion to what they held. The surve was v er str ct andm nute so tha h y y i i , t t e S axon ” — Chronicle recor s there was not a s n e h e n r d i gl id , o one v r ate of an nor ev en an 0 x or a cow nor a sw ne i g L d, , , i , was eft that wa not s t own l s e d . BOCHYM . 4 9
o of M ortein o f C unt in N rmandy, hal brother to
’ on o to f William the C quer r, and him ell the lion s “ o B c share ; and, in the D mesday survey, u hent is included with Helston, and the surrounding
' manors in the Terrw Comitzs ’ To trace one s history back to the Norman Con
far o for o o B quest is en ugh m st pe ple, but uchent was taxed before the days of the Domesday B ook ; for in the time of Edward the Co nfessor one Bris “ tualdus o who held the man r, paid geld or tri bute to the amount of three shillings for an aggre of 2 0 s 20 of d gate 3 acres, be ides acres pasture, an
' ’ 20 of oo on fo bordarzt r acres w d, which the ur , o ‘ o who o c tters, tilled the s il were settled . This, of course, would not include any of the waste
of o ma a lands the man r, which y h ve been very
a o extensive, the l nd under cultivati n being alone
B ordar n or or ers were in a ess s ave- e c n , b d , l l lik o dition than the v illain of N orman times the name originated from the r v n in a cotta e on the or ers of the manor and i li i g g b d , he some an as the r own on con t on u they ld l d i , di i of s pplying w h ou tr or other art c es in n the lord it p l y i l ki d. But howev er the serf v a n and or erer m ht ff r , ill i , b d , ig di e in ther res ects ersons who were in these res ect v n o p , p p i e co ditions were so firmlyfixed to the land on which theywere born that they were not able by any act of their own to separate ' ' themse ves from it the were adlrcn tz leée as much in l ; y p g , th u ht as in erson and ro a nev er th u o g p , p b bly o ght or wi shed to change their place. 0 5 B OCH YM .
e and 2 f re d scribed , the 0 acres o wood probably fers to a certain portion of the manor in which the bordarii had the privilege of cutti ng fuel and B h m E u The name etymology of oc y . ” chent has been a matter of much speculatio n.
a o e o w Be uchamp (N rman Fr nch) , B chim (Hebre ,
o as o on weeping) , b th suggested c nnecti s, with s urely as little warrant in one case as the other.
B euch ham o s o o (cattle), (h use) , seem m re pr bable, but who shall decide ? As a recent writer has sug ‘ n wh f gested , let any o e o eels surprised at large
a o in s a alter ti ns name , especi lly in ancient names existing long before their owners could read or
a uastio n write, remember the vex ta q respecti g the
of h ks ear name Will S a p (e) . It may be taken for granted that the possessors of the manor took their name from the place where
o and if o a , they were b rn bred, and J hn beg t James and a a o as James beg t Ch rles, and CharlesbegatTh m , and Thomas wished to distinguish his name of Thomas from other Tho mases in the neighbour ’ oo a f o ae B och m fro h d, he c lled himsel Th mas y , m
f o the place o his birth, just as the gentleman ver ' ” ni hon the way called himself Thomas de Bo t .
a B uchent o n The n me , represents a s und aki
v m h . Ma . N o. 2 Re . Au . esso H eston ra . Sc g J p, l G g , , p . 57 r B OCHYM . 5
to Bokin Bokimt if one l for t or , and only rea izes a moment how diffi cult it is in the present day to
o o on write c rrectly a strange C rnish name, hearing
o o a o it first pr n unced , the mistakes and v ri us read ings of old documents will appear less remarkable
If a o o an this be t ken int acc unt, there is entry in the ” fines of King J ohn which may have reference to the
f of B och m amily y . At a court holden at Launceston in the third
of o and a year King J hn , Sybilla, Margaret, Julian , daughters of one William B au mn (Bociu) sold to one Roger some land which they possessed in
of unfor Penryn , the extent which and the price is tunately illegiblexj'
Boch ms o The de y , at any rate, held the man r in
. 1 o o re 54 9, at which time the then wner j ined the
o a n and belli n r ised by Humphrey Aru dell , being
’ ' f f o the de eated by the king s general at Cli t n, rebels were attainted and forfeited their lives to the
crown . The quaint historian Norden thus relates it
o o of re B chim, the h wse wherein that instrument
o W nslade e h belli n y dwelled , at the time wher in e vndertooke to be one of the leaders of the Cornish rebellious troupes in their commoti on in anno
r nte b the Recor omm ss on in 1 P i d y d C i i 835 . ‘l' S e n s R c. 1 1 6 n v e e i ha . l. i. o o . 2 . Fi , 7 , J , , p 35 2 B OCHYM 5 .
1 for atta nted ex e uuted 549 ; which being y and q ,
was a R na/dc M o/zzme the lande purch sed by ey ,
e o to r B illet Esquire, sinc wh se time it came M . ” by marriage . The circumstances which led to the outbreak
f to o n a here re erred are so much less kn w , th n
o o of m might be supp sed , that a sh rt account the
o o may be w rth rec rding here . The suppression o f the monasteries by Henry
r o n or VIII . created a ve y wide spread disc nte t, m e especially in rem ote districts where monks had been of o and io o had o s me use, the relig us h uses d ne
ea f o on n l st harm , and this eeling sm uldered u til
o of a to o the accessi n Edw rd VI . the thr ne, when it o o of 1 for t e nly needed the injuncti ns 549, the
o of f o to fan m val images r m the churches, the smoke into a flame. As the commissioners passed through Cornwall to r out o one of car y their instructi ns, them, Mr .
o n to o B dy, proceedi g this duty in Helst n Church , was b o stabbed y a priest, whereup n all the people flocked together in a rebellion headed by H um
’ hr o e of . . p y Arundell, S Michael s M unt
f o s a We learn r m Hal , that the princip ls in the nd m w a . of rn urder ere a priest a Mr Kilter, S . Keve e,
. o , on and that Mr B dy immediately being stabbed , f o o ell d wn dead in the church at Helst n, where the BOCHYM . 5 3
ro had o a o was o i t br ken out ; and, lth ugh justice d ne
o off a of up n the enders, yet m ny the landholders
o sympathized with the priests, and ejected m nks
who w f o f o o o . ere uri us, and the murder Mr B dy nly
o o o o o ff ccasi ned a cl ser uni n am ng the disa ected, ’ “ who the o of o a not , in w rds F xe, ce sed by all
’ and o sinister subtle means, first under G d s name
’ and o o of the king s, and under c l ur religion , to
o to to persuade the pe ple then gather sides, assem
Co a s ble in mpanies, and gather c ptains, and at la t to burst out in rank rebellion the
of o o a the number the wh le rebelli n, spe king with
l o o o east, am unted t little less than st ut ” o trait rs . Of those who were associated as leaderswith Hum
her u o B och m of p y Ar ndell in this rebellion, R bert y ,
B och m o o fo o y , and his br ther were am ng the rem st,
h of one o l m and wit the exception ther, Wi lia
W nslade of Tre arrick o y , g , were alm st the only
en of m respectability concerned in it. Of those rebels Hals has the following notice The manor of Mythian was for
the of of T re orick merly lands Winslade g , in
f K . S P l l . i ne o ee o whele v o . i 2 . fe and Ra , , p. 6 Li g g E war the S xt b Sir H a war d d i , y J . y d.
Boo of art rs v l. v . 0 . k M y , o , pp. 73 B CHYM 54 O .
F h r u of S lynt, an eredita y esq ire the white pur, who fo f r eited the same, with much other land ,
er f Edv ardi 6 o s o so o . S by attaind trea n, temp re
f ar o a that he himsel , or Queen M y, gave th se l nds
Mo of to Sir Reginald hun, Hall , Knight, or his
f who se e o ather, ttled th m up n his younger son
Boch m (Hals, p . Again he says y gave name and original to an old family of gentlemen sur m h B . w o och tem . named de y , p Henry VIII , were
of a o a o lords the m n r and b rt n, till such time as
ch m t Edw o o m . Bo e . e J hn y , p. VI , ntered int actual rebellion against that prince under the conduct of f a ’ . o o o . Humphrey Arundell, Esq , g vern r S Mich el s
' o o o fo o M unt, and thers ; wh se rce and p wer
o o lieute being suppressed by L rd J hn Russell,
- of at o nant general that prince, Ex n, and those
of r o a for rebels attainted t eas n, their l nds were n 6 feited to the crown . Whereupon Ki g Edward
a o and o to o g ve this bart n man r Reginald M hun, Esq . ,
ff of o 6th VI . who a sheri C rnwall, Edward , g ve this barton of B ochym to one of his daughters married f o now oss o o . o to Bell t, in p essi n there The man r of Bochym he settled upon his great grandson Wil
o . now o o h of liam M hun, Esq , in p ssessi n t ere .
a o B och m o n L stly, by this rebelli n, y l st ot only
a s fe a o a . his l nd but his li ls (H ls, p After the defeat and dispersion of the rebels
6 B 5 OCHYM . et bartonem Bo of o s de chim . One the b undarie “ ” and is the stream named as The Ribble, it ex “ ” r sicc tended as quandam a borem am. Apparently it was only the mansion with its gardens and
o o 0 0 of for 1 6 1 6 the gr unds, ab ut 3 acres land , in , manor passed from the possession of William Mo hun (to whom it had been willed by the Reginald
Mo o o of a hun , its first p ssess r th t name) into that of Renatus Bellott . Doubtless a family of Bellotts had in these years
o at Boch m a e gr wn up y , and it ppeared desirabl the owners of the mansion should possess also the “ o for 20 1 6 1 6 the man r ; , in a deed dated Dec. , , ” M anor o B oelz m alia B os m o to f y s y , is made ver
’ Renatus o o fo ranfathers Bell tt, in c n rmity with his g
for of 0 on o will, a payment 33 his part ; ddly
o o o of o en ugh, h wever, nly a part the original man r
— Landewednock oe is surrendered Cury, , Gunwall ,
Goonhill o B och m — and y, g ing with y and other
nit/zerto re uted arcel o parishes enumerated, p p f ' ' ” tire saza manor being retained by the Mohun f amily.
o of 1 6 1 6 B och m The cl se the year , thus sees y mansion and manor fairly settled in the hands of Renatus Bellott ; but an ominous sentence in ’ a of H ls writing meets us . He says This estate ’ B ellott s all o is spent by ri t and excess, and , as I BOCHYM . 57
os and take it, the name extinct in th e parts, this bar ” ton sold to Robinson .
o 1 1 0 Renatus o who This was ab ut 7 , the Bell tt last " fo e o wned it hav ing died the year be r . What the history of the family was during the century they
o f o a o p ssessed this manor, we learn r m n ther writer, and his record is well worth preserv ingsj'
Renatus o to o o This same Bell tt, wh m the Man r
f B och m to a o y was conveyed, seems h ve inherited
’ hi f f for oo s ore ather s talent making a g d match .
H e ar dau h m ried twice and well ; first, Philippa, g
f Pen elle f E . o s o . ter William Bear, q , g y, in S Neots ; s o of o f ec ndly, a sister General M nck a terwards
f lbe fo of Duke o A rmarle. The rmer these was an h a of eiress, and it is not likely th t a descendant the o ld N orman family of the M oncks of Potheridge
be a n would without a suit ble j oi ture. Of the six children bo rn to Renatus Bellott the e son not to Boch m ldest did succeed the y property,
to son r o which came the second Ch ist pher. n 1 666 A marriage settlement deed , u der date
o — Pendarves of Ros pr vides that William , Esquire,
' The Renatus Be ott who e of a fever in 1 0 e ll , di d 7 9, l ft a son of the same name who e when e ht ears old , di d ig y ,
u 1 1 1 1 2 . J ly , 7
' ' l Rev . u ustus esso . . Old Seats of A g J p, M A , Cornwall, in He r m ton a m . s ar Schoo Ma . 1 2 et se l G l g , p 7, q. M 5 8 B OCHY .
o o dau htev 1 0 0 0 as cr w, sh uld give his g Bridget J5 ,
a o o o o t her marri ge p rti n , while Christ pher Bell t
o for r his f sh uld , his pa t, give wi e, the said Bridget,
f o ano of B h m a li e interest in the h use and m r oc y .
to are n and The signatures this deed wanti g, from this it would appear that the marriage por
o not a on or f ti n was p id till ten years later, a ter
’ of f for 1 the death Bridget s ather, it was in 1 676 that a second deed was executed by Christopher Bellott according to the tenor of the first agree ment. During the comm otions caused by the civil war
o of Boch m o o of the wners y seem, with m st thers
o n r to ff o the C rnish ge t y, have su ered s mewhat — from the incursions of the belligerents friends and f a o o s a o . es It may be th t, in the tr ubl us time th t
o o B ellotts oo preceeded the C mm nwealth , the t k an active part : the old mansion would form a secure retreat and hiding place for any of the proscribed ” royalists fleeing before the victorious armies which penetrated even this extreme of Cornwall t/zen if n fo it may be, ever be re, the secret staircases and sliding panels in the wainscoat of the oak roo m
a o o and a for were c lled int requisiti n, g ve time flight
d af to o a f an s ety the r y list re ugee ; at any rate, we
’ may imagine that B ochym was on the king s side and 1n ur if was of that the j y, any, at the hands the BOCH YM . 59
en for rest r Parliam tarians, immediately on the o a ti on Christopher Bellott appears before the H ouse o f o o a e oth C mm ns as p titioner (3 July, though whether his prayer was granted or he bene
fi tted o not d es appear. In 1 692 his name appears as high sheriff of Corn wall .
of Boch m The next heir to the estates y , and the
s of B ellotts who osssssed Renatus la t the p them, is a
a on son of o e . gain, the ly Christ pher and Bridg t
B o bo was rought up with seven sisters, the nly y, he
S o a oo a f p iled, and in m nh d became spendthri t , bo o o a at rr wing, m rtgaging, and never p ying, till
’ o o 1 1 2 length Hals w rds rec rd the truth, and in 7 the e states are spent and the name extinct .
r as f o fo He mar ied, his grand ather had d ne be re
' him an ar S our or , heiress, M y p , Spur ; and , had he s f o a urvived his wi e, w uld h ve inherited the estate of Trebartha o ev o ; she, h w er, utlived him as well as her son r o , and mar ying again this pr perty passed a f r way o ever from the Bellott family. In 1 698 he is borrowing on Bochym and
o a not a off for the m rtgage ten years l ter was p id ,
f f o a Dolben of it was then trans erred r m Sir Willi m ,
to of o n the Inner Temple, William Pearce, Treg ni g, in the parish of Breage.
H ow o o the estate and thers, which bel nged to 6 M 0 BOC HY .
Renatus o Bell t, dwindled and melted away d oes
not r t anspire . Likely enough the task of embellish
old o out ing the mansi n, and laying the terraces a bu t and g rdens, was an expensive work ; t here must have been something m ore than this to make up “ ” o o n o f the s o a the ri t us livi g and excess hi t ri n . I f a fa ’ , as is s id, he never paid his ther s bequests
or own o f o his debts, and executed m rtgage a ter m rt
a to a not ffi to g ge the very l st, it is di cult under stand certain it is that in his will he directs that all his possessions in Devon and Cornwall are to be sold for the payment of his debts and his own
’ and fa ac ther s leg ies. A very few words tell the remainder of the family
R oo f fa or s n ena us . st y . The o t died s n a ter the ther 6 a at 1 1 1 . 1 o o In 7 , Sep , died L ved y Bell tt, Exeter,
of a ox 1 1 r off sm ll p ; which disease, in 7 7, ca ried
fo in 1 1 a her ur sisters, and 7 9 the l st remaining
e oo Bridget f ll a victim t .
and old Thus the hundred years are up , the mansion passed away into the hands of one after an for r o o is other till, a centu y m re, its hist ry little m ore than a mere list of names and purchase deeds . From the B ellotts B ochym passed to the Robin i son f one of o MP . for o n amily, wh m was Helst n
1 66 1 . BOCHYM 6 . 1
Of o of B och m o o the wners y , George R bins n,
f ansloe a o o E s . o N q , , there is a qu int st ry t ld by
a w on of o s H ls, hich is worth the attenti the curi u , his o of f a death and the m ral there , orm thrilling
f son and o Ed passage o romance . His success r m B och m o 1 2 und parted with the y pr perty, in 7 5 ,
F nnereau f r o o o . o t Th mas , Esq , He is famous as having built the lighthouses on the Lizard head in Having resided at B0
ch m no o f n y he, d ubt, care ully superinte ded the
o on an a constructi n in pers ; at y r te, he was near d 8 o a to o so. 1 0 o o en ugh at h nd 7 , h wever, br ught
o old o o ther changes to the C rnish man r, when it f o o o o . o came int the p ssessi n Mr Crist pher Wallis,
who ol to t again s d it Sir Harry Trelawney, Bar ,
1 in 785 .
of a o Boch m o Under the reign the b r net, y l st nothing of its olden splendour we may believe ;
Apropos of those Lizard lights a singular story is cur I h rent among the country folk. n t e days before 1 762 u e coa res were hte on the hea an wh ch were h g l fi lig d dl d, i n t and a aze create b the ac n e t co stan y o n , b y t o k p l g i g l . d i ’ I of huge bellows like those of a blacksmith s forge. t is re “ h corded in the Week at the Lizard (p. t at on one ccas on ur n war t me the fire was a owe to s n so low o i , d i g i , ll d i k that it was scarcely v isible ; a gov ernment steamer passing at the t me re at the ht and the s um er n watchman i fi d lig , l b i g was effectuall arouse b th annon a wh e ha no y d y e c b ll, il ppily ama d ge was done. 6 2 BOCHYM .
in of of f spite the eccentricities Sir Harry himsel , which find a record in the pages of m ore than
o a of o a son a w s one hist ri n C rnw ll, His , Willi m Le i
n to o o m Salisbury Trelaw ey, wh m the pr perty ca e f a n (as appears rom a mortgage deed in ag i ,
to of Pen uoit of parted with it a Mr. Graham, q ,
o o a wh m the remarkable rec rd rem ins , that the ancient tapestry hanging in Bochym was by him ” taken down to wrap his furniture in for removal .
o o Fr m him it came to Mr. Th mas Hartley, who,
’ t o o of a in his thir een years p ssessi n the est te, allowed things to run on their natural course of
to fa decay ; and this , added the ct that he let it
to f r —who of o oo a tenant a mer , c urse, t k the
’ f of the o armer s usual care all ancient relics ab ut, accounts for the dilapidated state of the mansion 1 8 2 when purchased by Stephen Davey , Esq . , in 5 . Under the hands of the Davey family B ochym ’ has become once more a gentleman s mansion the
of o an western wing the building, which is als the
o o o and o cient p rti n, has been rest red , c nsiderable
o to o additi ns made the main building, in acc rdance with some ancient plans and elevations which were
fo on of Boch m und am g the papers and archives y .
M r. esso in his a e a er fa s nto a m t J p, bl p p , ll i is ake in ma n M ki g r. Hartelythe culprit who removed the tapestry it was raham f P u G , o enq oit.
YM 64 BOCH .
o a a of The ancient tapestry, rem ved by Gr h m ,
Pen uoit a to a fi ne a q , is s id h ve been very and be u
f o o o f ti ul ; and traditi n has it, that it was the w rk
’ W nslade s f and to y wi e daughters , represent his
- leave taking and departure . ’ The stained glass survived until Mr. Hartley s ll Gr s . to . time ; it was given by him Mr y , at S
o s so o c of Ne t , and preci us were such reli s the past deemed in those days that it was carried loose in a frail (basket) by a man on horseback
o n a at into Helst n ; the natural result bei g th t, the
of o e no f a f end the j urney, there w re r gments le t large enough to be worth preserving Had the glass and tapestry fallen into the hands of such a friend to ancient relics as the present
a o f to ow . ner, Richard D vey, Esq , has pr ved himsel
o not to o be, we sh uld have had mourn their l ss
o and destructi n .
oak oo The r m , in which is the sliding panel and
of secret staircase in the thickness the wall , is lined
a o and a a o a with w insc t , there is tr diti n th t an under ’ ground passage exists from here which emerges at f o o one a . Mulli n C ve, and a h l mile distant Although there is every reason for believing
to a c on this be gentle fi ti , it is, nevertheless, true
s n a and that there is still exi ti g the secret stairc se,
o of w o an als a ladder, by means hich thr ugh B H M 6 OC Y . 5 aperture any part of the roof can easily be d reache .
was o e o a There nc a chapel at B sh m, dedi nd cated to . r a of S Ma y, the remnants its ruins
o of Clahar are in a pl t ground called , which is
o to o and o o cl se the h use, was und ubtedly nce a
' f N ot a f o portion o the estate. many y rds r m the front entrance are still to be seen the stone stiles which led across the field to the chapel from the
o ro of o t s at C neighb uring g up c t age ross Lanes,
es for stil which are remarkable alike their shape,
and an . solidity, tiquity AN CIENT STONE IMPLEMENTS FOUND B M AT OCHY .
H ow charming is Divine antiquitiy ! N ot harsh and cra e as ll fools su ose , bb d, du pp , ’ But musical as is ollo s lute , Ap , Anda er etual feast of nectare sweets p p d . Wh — ’ ere no cru e surfeit rei n M 1 LT 0 N 5 onws. d g s. C
HE old mansion and estate just described has a further interest for the archae ologist
a r for o and the ntiqua y, in the most unr
of on o mantic all places this ancient man r,
o r a to of da a st ne quar y, we h ve brought the light y memorials of the Celtic race that takes us back far
o d at of o of Boch m bey n the d e any written rec rd y .
1 86 few There existed, in 9, a hundred yards f o a w of o rom the h use, high all r ck, whether the
of or no result art nature, is by means certain . B of it ran y the side , in summer, a babbling
o o i i ifi oo . ns n br k ; in winter, a r aring t rrent No g
a f in o c nt eature the landscape at any time, alth ugh no t dignified with a name, as is its neighbour the
Ribble .
CELTIC REM AI NS 67
S o a o On this p t, in the ye r named , the r ck was being quarried and shortly after commencing the
o o o on a w rk, the men empl yed disc vered, lying
of o in a hole fo N os ledge the st ne, , the ur celts ( .
1 to 4 ) here described . They are of ironstone
f 1 n N o. or o ot o a o . greenst ne, equ l c arseness , is a of o to pparently much s ter than the thers, judge by the manner in which it is honeycombed with age or exposure ; while none of them bear the
f a of N of o o . o. traces any m unt wear 3, is a very
a o off or peculi r type, being r unded bent at the point in a mode rather m ore than accidental and it
a a of a r a o is in st te brilli nt prese v ti n , having quite an o o a or edge at its br ader end, with ut scratch
chip . Whether celts such as these are the ordinary
o oo of a o n w rking t ls their ncient w er, and were de
o - for r p sited in a hiding place security, o whether
a of o o they were the rms a warri r, and their cl se proximity to each other the result only of acci a a o . o dent, must rem in yet a pr blem We kn w th t
a of o oa of in the c se br nze implements, h rds them
fo o fo n and s have been und in N r lk, Ke t, el ewhere ’ in these islands ; and the conjectuI e is more than
o a a in a i and pr b ble, th t when qu nt ties like this ,
unused fo a a of o in of , they rm p rt the st ck trade the
s too o see to o for e i maker . Thi , , w uld m acc unt th r 68 CELTIC REMAINS .
b o o s as it and eing s metimes disc vered in set , were, “ f r o eve y variety shape and pattern .
o On the vexed questi ns , are they arms or
too ? h f llectanea A nti ua ls the aut or o the Co q (i,
. o t of p no mean auth ri y, writing those
s o o o o di c vered at Attleb r ugh, and c mmunicated to “ the Archaeological Association? observes : Some of them have been with reason supposed to
be o ffi to oo weap ns, a xed a short w den handle
for o f o cl se war are . Their connexion with g uges and other implements seems to render their ex clusiv e use for purposes of war at least question
' o o o able. F und in cl se company with g uges and
of o h a a implements d mestic use, t ey ppe r to be tools ; when discovered in juxtaposition with a ' o f to sw rd, urther evidence is still required settle ” o the questi n.
f w to o of It is but air, ith regard the questi n their
use to o . , mention the the ry, held by Mr Davey him
f o a for o sel , that they were pr b bly used d mestic pur
o u of a and p ses, and in partic lar that skinning nimals cutting up food and this is rather supported than otherwise by what we know of the primitive usages
of rude and uncivilised nations . Even the Esqui
’
A renaolo za v ol. xv . . 1 1 8 ournal B r t h g , , p y , i i sh Arc aeo
o ca ssoc at on . 1 1 1 . 8. l gi l A i i , i , pp 5 , 59 ; , pp 9, 5 'l' onrnal i. . 8. Y , , p 5
0 C C R MA 7 ELTI E IN S .
a of o e of with the materi l the b ss, within mil s
B och m no a an y , there is at gre t dist ce (six miles)
os o o a o a o acr s c untry, a R man c mp, and R m n c ins,
f i fo herea ter described , were turned up w thin ur m f iles o the spot .
6 Ca to a Fig. rries us back ancient d ys indeed . It is a round quoit - shaped stone of the hard green
oo serpentine rock found in the neighbourh d . A fanciful imagination has suggested that it is a
o d of qu it, and as such use in the early days its manufacture yet there can be little d oubt that
la a to and o it may y cl im greater antiquity, a m re f n in o for n t . use ul purp se, as an ancient muller gri di g We must go to the Phoenicians and Diodorus Siculus for not far from the place of the discovery l the of oo far- fa oo ies valley the L e, with its med L e
oo of a p l, and its bar s nd . T o this day the tin stream works flourish on the
f n o o oo hill side, and their re use ru s d wn int the L e, to o o o o fish and disc l ur its waters and p is n its , there,
on of in old o either side the valley, the w rkings, may
mullers of be still picked up like material with this, and still may be seen the flat blocks that formed
on and o was the nether mill st e, up n which the tin ! o pulverised in th se primitive times .
Two mullers exactly like this one were found in a
arrow at B olleit and are escr e b M r. E war s in his b , d ib d y d d ’ ”
E nd D str ct . 0 an s . L d i i , p 3 MA I CELTIC RE INS. 7
"l in one of o a few A writer the l c l papers, a years
a o r o of a of g , gives a ve y lucid acc unt the rem ins
o in the ancient tin w rkings the Looe Po ol valley. As might be expected fro m the extent and rich
of a a ness the lluvium, and the e se with which it
o o a o a may be wr ught, numer us tr ces are disc ver ble of the existence of tin works in this valley from a v o a ery rem te d te . Along its course are the sites of three or four an of cient entrenchments, dignified with the name ca o o a no o o n stles, th ugh pr b bly at time m re imp rta t
a w one of at a of th n earth orks, which the entr nce
o o a s L wert wn, C stle Teen Urn, till exhibits an
o a o o is l ted hill ck, surr unded by a circular encamp
m n v f o o o . e t, in a ery per ect c nditi n Fr m their situation it is difficult to conceive that they could be other than stations to receive the metallic
o of o on to pr duct the c untry, its transit the place of o o h embarkati n . The hill side, at the s ut ern ex tremit of bar t e y the , is deeply marked with the
of o a of a mains w rks pparently similar character,
o o to an of a f in cl se pr ximity the b ks the l ke itsel , and curious oven - like structures were explored f . . o o a n or no by Mr J J . R gers s me ye rs si ce, which
Vest es of nc ent Tin Wor n s in th ooe Va e ig A i ki g e L ll y,
C ornwa azette Se t. 1 1 86 . ll G , p 9, 7 72 CELTIC REMAIN S.
o n o o assignable bject was appare t, except in c nnexi n with a stati on permanently occupied in the way
o supp sed . “ of s Within a short distance Ca tle Teen Urn,
few f f of a eet beneath the sur ace, in the centre the v of o to o of illage L wer wn, are accumulati ns slag
a o o and c rb nace us matter, which, by their yielding
o of on the vanning sh vel particles metallic tin, are f evidently the remains o smelting operations .
a o o of Frequently, b ut this place, b ulders hard stone are found with the surfaces indented in deep
o o o had o h ll ws, where the tinst ne been rudely p unded
o to o fur into p wder, preparatory its reducti n in the
nace .
A t Trelnoons o , a sh rt distance up the valley, a portion of a machine of a much more effective de scription for the same purpose (very like that
at s o o Scilly de cribed bel w) was disc vered by Mr.
o s o o 1 8 2 J hn Chri t pher ab ut the year 5 , beneath the
’ fo n a o of old a a u d ti n an st mps w ll, which seemingly
f o had been built centuries be ore . This relic c nsists
of a o o f a a gr nite st ne, ab ut three eet di meter, the circumference very roughly shaped into a Circular
fo fo o o rm, and per rated in the centre by a h le ab ut
o s five inches diameter. The l wer ide is slightly
on and e a o n a c ical, dir ctly bene th the h le in the ce tre
o so to a of n clutch is r ughlycut, as dmit its bei g turned
C MA S 74 ELTIC RE IN .
' on account of the flourishing mills and stream
f o er e o of o C b o . w rks tin, in the valley the b l w
o o That the ancient Brit ns did use mullers, b th
a to f of o l rge and small, grind their ragments r ck
-ore f o o and tin , seems evident r m an elab rate de
o of one re scripti n in the Scilly Islands, the f mains o which are still visible . The whole pas
s age is worth transcribing, as given by Hitchins
2 o the to of (vol i, 49) Up n p the hill is a natu
ral o o o f f r ck, ab ut nine inches ab ve the sur ace o
o o o the gr und, with a r und h le in its centre, eight
a for an inches in di meter, supposed upright post to work round in and at the distance of two feet from this hole in the centre is a gutter cut round
o of so o fo in the r ck, out the lid st ne, urteen inches
foo o wide, and nearly a t deep, wherein a r und s o fo f in t ne, ur eet diameter and nine inches thick,
’ o o n o did g r u d up n its edge, like a tanner s bark
o o . o mill, which is w rked by a h rse The r und
o has o o o o st ne a r und h le thr ugh its centre, ab ut
eight inches in diameter. This is supposed to have been a mill for pulverising the tin - ore in ancient
and o or or fo times, w rked either by men a h se, be re stamping mills were known of the present con
on structi . Befo re leaving the group of celts there is another t n of o an or o be described, a specime m re adv ced w k M A CELTIC RE IN S . 75
n a e - of ma ship . It is an unfinished h mm r head
o one o o and greenst ne, weighing p und twelve unces
- a o the o three qu rters, p inted at the end, and l wer
ff The o . edge quite flat, while the upper is rounded
f of one ro o o entire ace side is g und d wn, pr bably by
to f o of the wear, a plane inclined sideways r m that
r f of o iginal sur ace. Nearly in the centre each side a h ole has been commenced for the insertion of a
ut o handle ; b the h le remains unfinished, and the f 1 8 1 fo o o . o per rati n is inc mplete This was und in 7 , of B urnow f a ro in a cr t at , a arm in this p rish , the p
f f o o o 0 e o . o . perty J hn J p R gers, Esq , Penr se It
of is a very rare type, and a similar example is shown in the Prehistoric and E tiznograp/zieal S eries of P/zotograplis issued by permission of the Trus f P 6 s o I. 1 tee the British Museum, , NO. 3. It would appear that of these celts discovered
a of o two in this p rt the c unty, there are distinct
. f a as o varieties The first, celts per ectly pl in, th se
of B och m and o to the y find, which w uld seem have been attached to their handle (if at all) much in the same way that our country smiths still use
for hot ro a or their Chisels cutting i n, with hazel
o o and ther stick twisted r und the implement , an iron ring or thong passed over the ends of the
to a stick m ke the grip firm . The second type would be those celts hav S 76 CELTIC REMAIN . ing a hole in the centre through which the han a dle was passed, just as at present . A be uti ful of n fo o i specimen this ki d , un rtunately br ken n f o of . . o . hal , is in the p ssession J J R gers, Esq It fo o ex hi was und at Sithney, near Helst n, and was bited by the writer at the March meeting of the
haolo oc a o o . A rc Brit g. Ass i ti n, t gether with the o o ther C rnish antiquities here described . Midway between these perfect specimens comes the incomplete and unfi nished implement as de
o h o to scribed ab ve, whic w uld appear have passed
’ out of to a o the maker s hands, and h ve been l st,
fo has be re it been brought to a finish . We can
no o on e for o make ther c j cture, it w uld be beside all reason to suppose that the perforation was not
n to o o n inte ded be c mplete. The cavity either
has no a side, as at present, me ning ; but when the
o a o a a h le is c rried thr ugh, its use is immedi tely p parent. Of bronze implements I know of none recently fo o oo f und in this neighb urh d, with the exception o one o not r , which was disc vered, indeed in Cu y,
o to t Penv ores o but Cl se it, a , in the adj ining parish of o man 1 8 1 Mawgan, where a lab uring in 7 , while
’ o a f o f w rking in a cl y pit, three eet bel w the sur ace, came upon an almost unique specimen of a double
oo a s a of o fo o l ped p l t ve br nze, weighing urteen unces
78 CELTIC REMAIN S.
’ r o f o o the veines in a man s b die, r m the depth
a o s r out whereof the m ine l ad , p eadeth his branches,
o v ntill they appr ach the Open ayre, yet they haue
two of o oa now kinds Tynne w rks, stream and l d for aforemencioned o a (say they) the fl ud, c rried
o o o so t gether with the m ued r ckes and earth, much of o and at the l ad as was inclosed therein, the
wa f s and ass ging, le t the ame scattered here there in the vallies and ryuers where it passed ; which
o a streamworke being s ught and digged , is c lled
o o oo workes under this title, they c mprise als the M re ,
o f o a gr wing r m the like occ sion . “ maintaine e workes to a They thes , h ue beene v erie n and o ancie t, first wr ught by the Iewes with
of o o - o pickaxes H lme, B xe, harts h rne ; they prooue this by the name of those places yet en
to Attall a a n I ewes during, wit S r zin, in E glish , the ” off o oo fo o cast, and by th se t les daily und am ngst
rk m the rubble of such wo es. And it ay well be
Akornes oo a fo that as made g d bre d, be re Ceres taught the v se of come ; and sharp stones serued
n for kniues v ntil a a o the I dians , the Sp ni rds br ught
o so infancie of o oo them ir n ; in the kn wledge, these p r
sf r of instrument o want better did supplie a turne.
are a o a v workes There ls t ken p in such , certaine
oo of o little t les heads Brasse, which s me terme C E C RE MA LTI INS. 79
- Thunder axes, but they make small shew of any
o ab v se pr fit le .
o o of Neither were the R manes ign rant this trade,
’ as may appear by a brasse coyne of Domitian s f in one of e workes f ound th se , and allen into my
a : and a v nder one of o F lauians h nds perh ps th se , ” I ewish o arriuall the w rkmen made here their first .
o a Time, which discovers m st things, will perh ps,
o o of o in due c urse, shed a flo d light up n these, and enable a more enlightened age to rightly read
s of b e one and interpret such relic y g days . B ON YTH ON .
nce more and et once more O , y , I gav e unto my harp a dark woven lay; I hear the waters roar d , I hear the floo a d d of ges pass away.
0 thou stern s irit wh w ll p , o dost d e I n thine etemal ll ce , otin re chronicler ! the ilent ears N g, g y s y ; I aw h — s t ee rise I saw the scroll complete, ’ hou s ak st and at th fee T p , y t The univ erse av e w g ay. G 0 0 C 0
EN RY K I RK WHI T E H .
o e of HERE is one ther old s at, that
o o o B nyth n, which claims a menti n in
o of of any rec rd the parish Cury, inasmuch as it was in the possession of an ancient family of the same name for so many
o f of centuries, with a hist ry as ull vicissitudes as its near neighbour Bochym but the materials for its story are far too scant and meagre to render a
o s continu u narrative p ossible. The scraps and j ottings when one has searched all that lay within reach am ounts to very little of what the whole history would be if it were possible to present it to the reader in all its romantic truth .
8 2 B ONYTHON .
. who a o C S . Gilbert, is a pretty reli ble auth rity, narrates that the family became extinct in the elder line on the death of Richard B onithon in the
r of a early pa t the l st century.
of o of f and One the y unger branches the amily, the o arclew m st wealthy, settled at C in the reign of one of Henry IV. , having made a marriage with
co— of Daun ers a the heiresses g , and there Rich rd
Bonithon 1 1 6 to died July 3 , 97, leaving the estates
o o o a an nly daughter, thr ugh wh m in m rriage they
a f r f o f p ssed away o ever r m the amily . It is said a younger branch of the B onithons of
Carcle w . were till lately residing at S Austell . In the 1 6th and 1 7th centuries they were a o f f o o one p wer ul amily . T nkin menti ns as a man f f o great repute in the reign o Henry V . ; and a search among county and other records establishes the fact that the B onithons figured conspicuously in the political events which occurred in the trou bl some of a e days the Stuart dyn sty.
of Among the papers James I . it is recorded .State that a grant was made to Nicholas Fortesque and M ichael Viv ian of £60 out of the goods of J ohn
onithon a forf out B , dece sed, which were eited by
his a to lawry, death h ving occurred just prior the n 1 60 grant, viz . , Ju e, 5 .
arms of the fam are ARG. a chevron etween The ily , b
- - ree fieurs de lis sa e. th , bl B O O NYTH N . 83
I n 1 60 a 1 60 o o h 3, and gain in 4 , the C mptr llers ip of the Stannaries in C ornwall and Devon was
a to a B onithon and a 1 60 gr nted Rich rd , gain in 5 Richard B onithon was appointed keeper of the
ao at o w a — in 1 g l L st ithiel . A little l ter the 7th
of a I A D 1 6 1 — Resk mer o o year J mes . , . . 9 y B nyth n ’ was Sheriff of Cornwall . Polwhele mentions a Thomas Bonython who was
' a captain in the Low C ountry wars . 1 And in 1 62 5 a J ohn B onithon was captain and serjeant - maj or of a regiment levied for the King in
o Dev nshire .
o o o one of A Richard B nyth n, d ubtless this
' o fa was o e of an C rnish mily , n the first emigr ts to a o in Americ , and settled at Sac , where he died His son J ohn died about
o o o of B on thon married Th mes B nyth n, y , Frances ,
of o of o o and the daughter Sir J hn Parker, L nd n , by f a was son olin B on thon who this m rriage there a , fi y ,
of o married Ann, daughter Hugh Trevani n, Esq . , of Trelo an g .
’ ert s aroch a H stor . 0 . Gilb P i l i y, p 3 3
Polwhele C v and tar H st. . 8 . 1 , i il Mili y i , p 7 ’ I J ohn Farmer s Genealogical Regi ster of the First Set ’ tlers of N ew E n an . 2 6 . . B . e t s gl d pp 3 , 3 , 337 J F l
E cc es ast ca H st. of N ew E n . I . 2 6 l i i l i g , 4 , 396. ’ B r f nd fo 1 0 . . F olsom s H st. o Saco a e 8 G i idd d, 3 ’ F olsom s H st. of Saco and B efor . 2 et se . i idd d, p 5 q B 84 ONYTHON .
This J ohn Bonython was the father of the cele brated e a a o o who an S rje nt Ch rles B nyth n, put
in of n end to himself a fit mad ess . “ ’ ” In Woolrych s Serjeants there is a m em oir
f on on who was a of o this Mr. Serjeant B yth , stew rd the Courts at Westminster from 1 683 to 1 70 5 . At that time this was a lucrative post ; but in the
oa o fo o a Sl ne MSS . ccurs the ll wing par graph ex
- f 1 8 f o o . tracted r m a news letter the day, Feb ,
nith n w for t 1 68 . B o o 7 Mr , ste ard Westmins er, ” f f n o o . w has been displaced in av ur Mr O e .
on on a the He, Charles B yth , m rried Mary, f a of a . o d ughter Lives y, Esq , Livesay, in
o o two o Linc lnshire, by wh m he had s ns, Richard
o and J hn, and a daughter.
e own of He di d by his hand, which event this — brief record is left Boynthon shot himself through the body with a
son was o to Richard, the eldest , als called the bar but he must have inherited his father’ s mad
for o o o of ness, he, having first s ld p rti ns his estate — — in parcels amongst others this bart on to one
. to o a Humphrey Carpenter, jun , c mplete the tr gedy,
’ to o first set fire his chambers in Linc ln s Inn, and a f burned his p pers, then stabbed himsel with his
’ N arcissus Luttrell s B rief H istorical Relation of State
ffa rs I ' 2 V A i , : 5 5 3 a 54 5 ; 5 55
86 BONYTHON .
Turbida majores dev olvent aequora fluctus.
Occidit et ae ae am ossederat h terr , qu j p Or em, Quantula pars est ipsa ? juv ant quid Sydera famaz
? o c se ulchro Terminus, imperii Oceanus jac t ec e p ,
ccidit et o m rcessit o O , tumul a gl ria mundi . Quid parvadixi demens includier Urna? I ngentem non terra capit ; Te lucida Coeli
en e . Expectant convexa, vias lumin signant
o on Hac Avus, hac Sor r, hac C jux, hac irrita Natus
Britonum o hesternadivulsa ue mo o Spes , S phia q rt
o te lo Clara diu Sophia in Terris , nunc gl ria C , E t Proavi Proav orum
debentur Pia M adem tae At Tibi laudes, ater, p
uo uo re nis Di nus succ ere ae Q Tibi, q g g ed t H res Curasti quae cauta ; Tua: crudelia mortis
ans Sic f instaur re endens. Sic damna , tristia ata p
Reddas Phce be ~diem rotrahis o , , ; dulces quid p h ras Caesare venturo Caesar cur Ipse moratur
o ? Adsis la sae atriae ue Gaudia n stra , p p q ruinas Sarcito ingentis rev oces in pectora vires Quas dolor ex hausit magnos hlc pace Triumphos
Dediscas hlc rmsenti firmes spes p lumine ,
ce tra O Pater, O Princeps sed te nec Regia S p
ae o uv ant remordet Nec Patri Te v ta j , Quem cura ,
a dolentem Quem rapt pia cura premit de Matre ,
o M TuaB ritonum ue dolentem C mmuni de atre, q , BONYTHON . 87
o o e lach mas C aabstersimus Hin erg , hin y de har
Anna,
U t no o luctus o flendi va scena su s , sua temp ra
Posceret ? male o ! f recamur 0 m rs victrix sed essa, p Jam tandem desiste Tibi qua funere acerbo
a So hiam a ua ue abstulit Atr dies p Patri , q q Annam , a a Plus dedit Imperii, quam cum per t di belli
innumeros a s ectacula o Stravisti , M rtis p , Gall s ;
‘ uerimur So hiam o o o unicus Nec q p , n bis d l r Anna
Viv it adhuc o a et artu o ful et. S phi , p sua gl ria g A lumn oh o o o . . J . B nyth n, C ll . Regal The elder branch of this family became extinct
wh 1 20 with the Richard o was laid in his grave in 7 , and the name of B onithon was thenceforth blotted out f o o f f r m the rec rd o human li e. Doubtless it would have remained in the oblivion to which it
o 1 8 6 , o 5 had already been c nsigned but that ab ut , on the death of an ancient maiden lady who resided
o n near St . Austell (in all likeliho d o e of the Carclew branch mentioned above) there was discovered
o ff C o old of o am ng her e ects a uri us jug st neware, ” which had no doubt been laid up in lavender for f years, and preserved in her amily as a precious
oo o a heirl m . In all pr b bility she was the last of
o her race at all events, her pr perty came into the
f a o o market, and the amily relic p ssed int ther hands .
of o of The cup is the peri d Queen Elizabeth, and it B 88 ONYTHON . is said to be unique of its kind the date ( 1 598) is in raised figures over the central compartment. It
of o o o of is br wn st neware, pr bably Dutch manu f on o of o acture, and the b dy the cup are three val h o o . t e medalli ns , filled with arm rial devices On central medallion the double imperial eagle is dis
o o played , surm unted by a cr wn, the shield having as supporters on either side coronetted lions in arabesque ; the neck - band is ornamented with
o - o f and ow own on o scr ll w rk in relie , l er d the sh ul ders of the jug are sc roll patterns in compart
b to o f ments . A la el is attached the handle the flagon with the following inscription Date of
1 8 . was at o o o ban this jug, 59 It used the c r nati n
of a and of o n one of quet J mes I . VI . Sc tla d, by the ” Boni hon f h ffi t w o o at a . amily, ciated the b nquet This curious historical relic is in excellent pre
on has a f servati , and evidently been c re ully treasured
fo o o o o o by its rmer p ssess rs thr ugh a l ng peri d , during which eleven ki ngs and queens occupied the
o f a thr ne o Engl nd . From these extracts it would appear that the — hero of the flagon most probably a J ohn Bonithon — and his descendants were residing periodically in
o o n and a e L nd n duri g successive reigns, th t th y
m ’ ent e an s a az ne for 1 868 . 1 an art c e G l M g i (pp 79 i l , ” B on tlz n F la y o gon .
B N H 90 O YT ON . many which in various parts of West Cornwal l
e mo or s d have be n, with re les certainty, predicte
r o to have been Druidic in their pu p ses . Both Toland and Borlase write of the fires
e one o wont to b kindled by the Druids, seas n for the lighting of which was on the eve of
N o e w the o o to vemb r, hen pe ple were c mpelled rekindle the private fires in the houses from the
of u o s consecrated fires the Dr ids, the d me tic fire in every house having been for that purpose first
f and r o o s care ully extinguished , cu i usly en ugh, thi is j ust the season when Cury parish feast is The C ornish Midsummer fires too will occur to those familiar with the county . H one says of them An immemorial and peculiar custom prevails on the sea - coast of the western extremity of Cornwall of kindling large bonfires on the ev e
2 o of June 4 . I cann t help thinking it the
a of an c f a a rem ins ancient Druidi al estiv l, celebr ted
- to o f ! on Midsummer day, impl re the riendly in
fluence of n on o ou Heave their fields, c mp nded
of of M a the u with that the first y, when Dr ids
le on t a kind d large fires all heir sacred pl ces, and
” An ccount of S . ust in enr th b Rev . ohn B ul er A J P i , y J l ,
. 8 . The ar sh feasts of 8 ust and S . orent n e n p 9 p i . J C i b i g he a out the same t me the resum t on res ect n these ld b i , p p i p i g fires put forward by the author holds equally respecting
Cury. B ONYTHON . 9 1
on o of o o of the t ps their cairns, in h n ur Bel , or
B elinus , the name by which they distinguished
t h e o o o sun, wh se rev lving c urse had again clothed th e ff o earth with beauty, and di used j y and glad ” n o ess thr ugh the creation . And this agrees
’ with Toland s remarks on these vestiges of ancient ” fi re- s fi worship . The e midsummer res, he says, were to obtain a blessing on the fruits of the
now o for r o earth , bec ming ready gathe ing, as th se
of of o the first May, that they might pr sperously grow ; and th ose of the last of October were a n ” thanksgivi g for finishing their harvest. “ ’ ' In the Land s E na District is a graphic description of one o f these festivals “ It is the I mmemorial usage in Penzance and the neighbouring towns and villages to kindle bon fi res and torches on Midsummer- eve ; and on Mid
- to o f on summer day h ld a air Penzance quay, where the countryfolk assemble from the adj oin ing parishes in great numbers to make excursions ’
n . n o the water. S Peter s Eve is disti guished by a
a of o o o similar displ y b nfires and t rches, alth ugh
‘ ’ f on - has the quay air S . Peter s day been discon f f tinned upwards o orty years .
h of tar- On t ese eves a line barrels, relieved
o an Vol. I . . . T l d, , p 7 3 ’ ' m The an s E nd D str ct b R. E on s nz n 1 L d i i , y d d , Pe a ce. B 92 ONYTHON .
o o e occasi nally by large b nfires , is seen in the centr
of of the of n each principal streets Penzance. O either side of this line young men and women pass
o o up and d wn, swinging r und their heads heavy torches made of large pieces of folded canvass
s and to of s teeped in tar, nailed the ends stick between three and four feet long ; the flames of
of t o ar- a some hese alm st equal those of the t b rrels .
o of o R ws lighted candles als , when the air is calm , are fixed outside the windows or along the sides of
’ o has the streets . On these nights M unt s Bay
a o i a o not a m st an mating appearance, lth ugh equ l to what was annually witnessed at the beginning
f r o o f om o the present centu y, when the wh le c ast, r
’ h to o or t e Land s End the Lizard, wherever a t wn
a o a o vill ge existed, was lighted up with th se st ti nary
or moving fires .
of In the early part the evening, children may — be seen wearing wreaths of flowers a custom in all probability o riginating from the ancient use o f those ornaments when they danced around the ” fires .
o of o e a At the cl se the firew rks in P nzance,
a of o of o f o m gre t number pers ns b th sexes, chiefly r
o oo of a a the neighb urh d the qu y, used alw ys, until w few a to o a ithin the last ye rs, j in hand in h nd, f o an o orming a l ng string, d run thr ugh the streets
OTHER ANTIQUITIES I N CUR Y
AN D GUNWALLOE.
We found the world barbarian : is it nought T where we tro arts s ran beneath our feet ? hat d, p g tales of virtue andof valour wrou ht The g , r l You children stil repeat.
5 Q Q l Q 0
r is asse awa . At ea of ni ht Ou race p d y d d g , s r l will The M a te cal ed us : andwe did H is . Ye who throu h wi enin avenues of li ht , g d g g , Are atherin nowle e still g g k dg ,
’ Who to the past s accumulated wealth da da fresh stores that onwar roll Add , y by y, d , The large experience that bringeth health Andwisdom to the souL
Learn et one thin . He who is wise a ove y g b , Leadeth in every age H is children home : And He ehol in somethin foun to love , b d g, g d " v n E e in Pagan Rome. ALL TH E EAR O UN D M a Y R , y
HERE are some spots in this land alm ost void of interest either historic or anti
ua i n o o r a . o q Fr m their is lati n, they have taken no great share in the events of the
o tr fo oh c un y, and there re, when perchance some ject which tells of past ages is turned up from f o below the tur , there is little to be said bey nd
of fo z the mere description its rm, si e, and pur ANTIQUITIES . 95
os so p e . Other districts there are rich in anti
uarian a o m f o q remains, th t v lu e a ter v lume has ’ been written concerning them ; and again one s
for one on f pen is tied, all that can say a resh
o r o of disc ve y, bey nd the details the find, is very f much what has been said be ore .
This is eminently the case of C ornwall . Its
u o a n tum li, cr mlechs, and kistv e s, have been well
of of dissected ; the vast number urns, implements
o o oa of o f o br nze and st ne, and h rds c ins, r m time
to o to if time br ught light, and apparently, we
a f o m yjudge r m recent researches, still unexhausted
and au e fo t for inexh stibl , have rmed the ext many
a o o . fo o t me, many a learned disquisiti n The li s o f intelligence that we have conc erning its early inhabitants and visitants carry us back to the days of Phoenicia ; and it is contended that the Phoenicians first discovered the Danmonium pro
mo or of M eneo ' or nt y, and gave it the name g
M e nea w to g, hich it bears this very day . This " a Ocrinum or Danmonium o o or of ncient , pr m nt y, Ptolemy presents a rich feast for the archaolo gist who has the time and freedom to visit and
e of xamine its multitude antiquities, whether
to em 1 1 . Aa vowov TO Kai O ov aK OV P l y, , 3 p p p .
lwh l Su l. 2 Po e e, pp , p. 5 . 6 9 ANTIQUIT I ES .
o m or a a w R man encamp ents sepulchr l b rro s, its
- ss or oo o m way side cro es m rland cr mlechs . Fro
' to m o w it o time ti e, h ever, happens s me memo
of a o rial past ages is picked up by the l b urer, and finding its way into the hands of private indi
v iduals or a n o , , what is still worse, the m ri e st re
or ot of o r melting p s me count y dealer, is there
o lost in oblivi n .
n fo A ything, there re, that rescues ancient relics from this fate will be welcomed by the true archao logist even the few objects of antiquarian interest
o f here described, c llected by the writer in that ar “ end of o o of West C rnwall, the st ny district the
to a o of o Lizard, may serve swell the cat l gue th se remains which will one day help to elucidate the
of history the past .
s of o o The re ults alm st all recent expl rations, as far as the tumuli and sepulchral memorials of West
o concerned hav e C rnwall are , recentlybeen published
o f . C. a o by Mr W. B rlase, the descend nt the great
N enia ornubia r antiquarian, in his C , and the e he names the kist v aens of this immediate neighbour
— if o to hood few of which, any, may be c nsidered
have contained coins . The few coins here described as coming from this immediate vicinity are unfortunately poor
o s in preservation, and but the w rst specimen ,
A U S 98 NTIQ ITIE .
o o o m re w rn, than th se which have been stumbled
o upon in h ards .
in o o o Here, C rnwall, vari us speculati ns have been raised as to the use such quantities of Roman copper
o o a m ney c uld have served , whether it was mer ' cantile or ar o a a ef milit y purp se th t required it , pe c ul
o or barter at the mines and in the harb urs, the wages of the soldiers under arms for the protection or sub
a o of rou or jug ti n the su r nding territ y.
' ’ . a a o L son s Be it as it m y, we h ve the rec rd in y
' ’ ’ M a na B ritania v ol ana B orlase s A n g ( iii, ccxxiv) t ui ies of o n f o iq t (p . c nstant fi ds o R man coins in the very neighbourhood where a century later
o o o fo th se in my p ssessi n were und . They both mention the discovery of 24 gallons of Roman money of the reign of C onstantine in a tenement called Condorah on the Helford river
one of n o and, in the creeks which run up i t the
of on n n on o S of parish C sta ti e the ther ide the river,
fo a 1 fo o were und, same d te 735 , rty c ins, including
o of o a a o s me D mitian, Tr jan, and Faustin juni r, in ” brass .
o or to a o In this exact sp t, very near it, lab urer, in
’ 1 8 1 was o n o of 7, pl ughi g in the c urse his day s
o a flat o o and w rk he turned up st ne with the pl ugh , disclosed a cavity containing an urn of common
’ o f om of o p tter s ware this he, a ter the wisd his s rt, AN U S TIQ ITIE . go
o in o to e a o e br ke in pieces, rder x mine its c nt nts
10 f out a o 20 0 o n he when there ell b ut c i s, these b o o ow of o and o r ught int the t n Helst n s ld, and they
o to o ne were gradually dispersed by the buyer, s me f o to a o a of r riend , s me n ther ; m ny the best we e given
a r and to . a e the few re the late Dr Ad m Cl k , that
n all n o m o s on the mai ed , eight in , came i t y p sse si in commencement of the present year
o on to me c was Fr m the descripti given , whi h fa n o a a to irly mi ute, they w uld ppe r have been
urn m ostly first brass . The in which they were
o was of o o o dep sited, c urse l st, its destructi n by the
of lo a o hands the p ughm n being c mplete. “ Chygarkie (in C ornish a fortified house the fi i o a o two eld n which they were lying, is nly b ut
f o a to a Ro miles r m Ge r, which seems have been
a on. no o o i man st ti This Gear is , d ubt, the r gi
of aer o for a and a nal C , C rnish c mp , is situ ted on one of a o of fo the he dm st creeks the Hel rd river,
a b a of a o e sily accessible y the sm ll ships th t peri d .
a oo a on The c mp is in g d preserv ti still , situated
on a and a a to f hill , there ppe rs be the remains o a
o covered way from it t the creek .
to Caerv allack Adjacent this is (query, is this a corruption of caer- vallnm where there are traces of deep fosses and banks while in the f n o a o . eighb uring p rish St Kevern, at a place I oo A S NTIQUITIE .
Bahow o a f o called , are s me ncient graves, r m which were taken relics decidedly pronou nced by
an to o ow tiquaries be R man. There was, we kn , a o a o f o Dnrnov aria or R m n r ad r m (D chester) , ' o M annnm o o or which, passing thr ugh ori (H nit n
o o h [ sea Seat n) , and stretching its length thr ug D nmnoniornm (Exeter) to the rich mining district
of far to the west, penetrated the very extremity
of o n o at o C r wall . It was pr bably here, C nstan
n on fo the tine the , the Hel rd Haven , that great
a o f o o eastern Rom n r ad r m Trur terminated .
was a - o There camp at Tre Gear, in B dmin parish , o o o R0 ccupied , as recent disc veries pr ve, by the m ans during some period from Vespasian to Tra
an o to a o T e- a j and cl se Cury we h ve als a r Ge r, and in its immediate vicinity a round field enclosed by high banks and ditch (very much like a Roman
a o a o a com c mp), utside which the l nd is m re th n ” mouly fertile. Of the coins (eight in number which I have from
Ch arkie o n o o . yg ) , n ne are in brillia t c nditi n I pre
N ot fifty years ago the father of the present tenant of this f un in n a ho e for a ate- ost some urnt farm o d, diggi g l g p , b unctuous earth and there is st extant the ha f a ashes and , ill l m tone wh ch was foun c ose to th s ace who e nether ills , i d l i pl , l ut be n carr e to the farm- ar in course of t me no care b , i g i d y d, i , of it was t in two eces the one of wh ch is being taken , Spli pi , i to be seen to thi s day.
1 0 2 A NTIQUITIES.
of M an M eneae parish awg in g , at no great dis tance from Chygarkie the fortified house where the coins just described were turned up in 1 8 1 7 .
o o of It is very similar, alm st the exact c unterpart one which was found at Gilton in Kent ; the only one of its kind among the numerous relics there F 6 d f u . aussett 1 0 an so u d g up by Mr , in 7 , beauti lly
I nventorinm S e nlcltrale . figured in the p (Plate v, fig It would seem to be composed of layers of
o u of a the coloured clays upon a holl w t be gl ss . In immediate centre of the bead its shape is roughly
o o e - to one r und, ab ut s ven eighths inch in diame ter ; but at each end it is tapered off to a hexa f on. o a o o o in g The uter l yer c l ur is blue, which turn is divided from a broad band of red by a thin
of o on f circle paque white ; and the inner sur ace,
c o again, is a white band whi h c vers the tube by w o n to hich the r ament is intended be strung. It is unlike the famous productions of the island of
a o n . o o or o to o Mur n F und am g cl se R man remains,
ho o ? cor the first t ught is, can it be R man The
o one at o was fo r resp nding Gilt n und in a g ave.
a no h Confi Here, in Mawg n , we have suc graves. dently pronounced by a very good judge to be
hoe n a a and o P nicia , and cert inly in m ke shape alt
to o n or a on to gether dissimilar R ma S x , I hesitate found a theory upon the si ngle specimen before AN S TIQUITIE . 1 0 3
. oe or or h me It may be Ph nician Druidical , bot ! in its origin . In any case a shrewd guess may be
of on o a given its use as a pers al rn ment or a charm ,
o a o o f pr bably the l tter ; w rn by the wner during li e,
' and buried with him I n the Kentish grave but
o on o oo to o l st the C rnish m rland, lie unn ticed
o on o of thr ugh l g peri ds succeeding ages, and turned
’ up at last by a rustic s boot in this nineteenth cen
o tury of ours . H wever unlike the bedes of which
our old o p ets, Chaucer and Spenser, sing, it may
o yet have served a kindred purp se. Chaucer tells of one maiden A pairof bedes eke she bere U on a ace all of wh te thr a p l , i e d, ” n wh th t sh r e O ich a e he oedes o de. And in the time of Herrick the mystic globules
o o or were p tent against the enemy, be it temp ral spiritual and he says
B r n the ho water h th r i g ly i e , Let us wash and ra to th r p y ge e . When our beads are thus un te i d, ” Then the foe will fly affrighted .
B eads of like form and make were discov ered a short nce in Russ a where in ma n excav at ons for a time si i , , ki g i wer at ew the wor men came u on an mmense it bre y Ki , k p i p , anin sev era thousan s ul s to ether w th ones of cont i g l d k l , g i b — the different sexes of all ages probably a place of massacre — near to the spot was one tomb containing but one skeleton
a heav iron roa swor afew eads ar n an acros . with y b d d, h , i , d s — g Lon A o . 2 1 . g g , p 1 0 A S 4 NTIQUITIE .
I f fo oe it be as be re hinted, that the Ph nicians in their visits to the Cassiterides and the adjacent
o r for tin did o c unt y , sail up the Lo e creek and Cobra river to the tin depots at the foot of the
H ellaz on t e o of o — to Hill , h s uth side Helst n , and
of o on o o of the east that t wn, the ther b rder the
o o o r fo Lizard pr m nt ry, the e is a (the Hel rd ' creek o too ow for o of on river) nce, , ren ned its st res tin, the shores of which we have at this day a Roman
o stati n , with nearly all its parts exceedingly well
of oe preserved, then the finding a bead Ph nician
o on of o o w rk the site a R man camp, and c ntigu o us to o o i o o no diffi R man c ins, w ll ccasi n great t f . o o h cul y They are independent each t er, the one of far m ore ancient deposit than the other ; and what at first sight would appear to be unaccount
o o f o a confi r ably mysteri us, really res lves itsel int mation and evidence of the truth of history that both the Phoenicians and the Romans visited the
of Danmonium for a peninsula , perhaps the very s me
o . to o o a purp se, viz , pr secute the very pr fitable tr de in the precious metal for which the whole of that
f M a na B ritannia was f region o g amous . It is cer tainly not a little strange that so few Phoenician remains have been brought to light in a country
so c n n ter which theyvisited o sta tly and unin ruptedly. The statement of Richard of Cirencester that 1 0 0 0 f B . C. o years is the date their first visit, must be
A 1 0 5 NTIQUITIES.
” One such relic of the past is the Chil of the
meneage district . — Forty years ago when the illumination of our
o was no t a now h uses the e sy matter it is , and lamps — were few and costly there was a primitive kind of
’ o il lamp used in the farm houses and fishermen s
h o as dwellings in the Lizard district, w ich m st suredly must have been formed upon the pattern of such lamps as would have been used by the Phoenician traders centuries before the Christian era.
o f o a e to fa to fa Handed d wn r m g age, mily mily, f to son o o n o ather , its c nstructi n had u derg ne but
o o the of little m dificati n , and even with advance me chamical skill it has retained the simple shape and
a of m ke primitive times .
o of n fo of A descripti n this a cient rm lamp, and f an o . engraving it, was given in a paper by Mr
o fo o o R bert Blight, read be re the R yal Instituti n of o a C rnwall in the present ye r. The Chi] there described as the workmanship of
a and a o the village bl cksmith c rpenter c mbined ,
o of o was fo s metimes the c ttagers themselves, rmed of an a o foo a o upright back b ut a t high, with h ri z ontal to n on two ho piece fitted it, resti g s rt legs,
af fa o of a a much ter the shi n ch ir. A small vessel ,
a of in a of o m de a th pl te ir n , with edges turned u and e na in a or ea some a p, t rmi ting lip b k, wh t E 1 0 ANTIQUITI S. 7
he a of o t sh pe the rdinary Tuscan lamp , was used for oil oo to the the and wick, and was h ked upright
ma o n o by a s ll handle, which c ntriva ce all wed it
to o for an n or n easily be rem ved cle i g replenishi g,
o o t/ze seat of On the h riz ntal part, the chair as it
‘ a small a so to h were, s ucer was placed as catc any
o oil that might drip from the dish ab ve .
or The wick, which was kindled in the lip beak,
a f o o a was usu lly o c tt n, but ret ined its ancient — name Purvan a Celtic word meaning rushes in f o the absence o ther material , a wick, called a
B ooba — o a few of , was used n thing more th n a strips
o linen plaited t gether.
a o Mr. Blight remarks, th t hist ry attributes the
' o of a inventi n the lamp to the Egyptians, and th t f om m as to o r the it p sed the Greeks and R mans .
’ Skulls of animals and sea shells were the earliest and simplest forms in which animal fat was kindled by
of a c for of means wi k med any vegetable fibre .
c of M ened ' not o in The hil the g, nly resembles
of not shape the skull animals, but is at all unlike lamps from the excavations of Herculaneum and
o o o u P mpeii, thus strengthening the pini n that s ch articles of d omestic use were brought to these shores
ar o by the e ly traders, and may be classed am ng the few vestiges that we have of the Phoe nicians in
Cornwall . C URY GREAT TREE.
v en ash l thee do luc E , p k
HOping thus to meet good luck. I f no luc I et from thee k g ,
I shall wish thee on the tree .
- if the H E ash tree, not as venerable as
oak , is scarcely less remarkable , and has ever held a conspicu ous place alike
a h s or o o . in n ture, i t y , and myth l gy Under its mystic shade the gods held their assem ’ o o o fort a o blies, H mer s her es g h with we p ns made
f ash o o o e o , and Di sc rides, the physician, w uld cur the: bite of a serpent with the juice of the sacred tree . Though every village has not its row of pollard ash trees like that of Selborne immo rtalized by
ro a Gilbert White, th ugh which, when s plings, chil dren were passed for cricks and ricks and all the ills that flesh is heir to (in its infancy ?) yet many an one has its great tree of some historic interest and o o o ra wh lesale superstiti ns, under wh se b nches generations have passed successively the old tree looked on while the ‘ whole parish has been born
C R R A U Y G E T TREE . 1 0 9
and s a and lived and died , perchance will till rem in
to a o o n of an n f see n ther r u d hum desti ies ulfilled . Perhaps the memory of the tree has outlived its
f or old a low venerable sel , accident age has l id it , while its very departure has freshened up the re
membrances of s o for the pa t, and stere typed them
c years to ome . i had C . It is thus w th ury Cury its great tree, — till late years the pride of the whole district in
fo o s c a of rmer days, perhaps, the c n ulting h mber
of o the pr oundly wise medicine men, when credul us “ ’ m others brought their children that wouldn t ” oo or to a o g de thrive, h ve them drawn thr ugh its cleft or in later times the trysting- place of rustic lovers whose vows were witnessed only by the f spreading branches o the ancient ash .
Where the wee n ash-tree roo s pi g d p , ’ ’ Tis the spell d and gifted hour
When the faeri es range their troops. W th ar erect and search n e e i e , i g y , ’ wenwait their j ocund company And mark ourselv es the while unseen — Their reyels on the green S medley. What a story of romance entwines itself ro und
The ass n of ch ren throu h ho es in the earth p i g ild g l , roc s or trees once an esta she r te is st ract se in k , bli d i , ill p i d
ar us arts of ornwa . W th us o s are cure v io p C ll i , b il d by creeping on the hands and knees beneath a bramble which has grown into the soil at both ends. Children affected with I I O CU RY GREAT TREE . t l o o o a o hat o d h ll w tree . Superstiti n p id venerati n to it smugglers made it a hiding- place the “ fierce sounds of mortal blows have risen from
now beneath its branches . But the tree has dis a o a o to ppeared alt gether, and all th t can be d ne is
— ho f o gather up its mem ories t se that are le t t us . There seems to be no chance of ascertaining now whether in its young and flexible days it had been
f o a o a cle t, as p pul r superstiti n s ys, but it was a very
a a o remark ble tree, the largest in the Liz rd c untry, or n o all o and i deed alm st in West C rnwall, seemed to be second only to the great ash of Woburn de n a scribed by Strutt in the Sylva Britan ic . It stood on a triangular patch of ground at the
o of a a r - o a juncti n l ne in Cury, with the Liza d r d ,
t a l a o to oo a place ca led Tre se, cl se the little br k which divides the parish of Cury from that of n "E Mawga . hernia are still passed through a slit in an ash sapling before sunr se fast n after wh ch the s t ort ons are oun u i , i g i li p i b d p, and as they unite so the malady is cured . The ash is indeed a tree of many v irtues v enomous rep t es are nev er nown to rest un er its sha ow and a s n il k d d , i gle blow from an ash stick is instant death to an adder struck a ou h of an other tree the re t e is sa o r n by b g y , p il id t etai marks of life until the sun goes down. The antipathy of the serpent to the ash is av ery old pOpu — ’ lar fa lac Plin H ist. M nnai . xv i. l y y, , lib
See ustrat ons . 1 0 andfront s ec . r or of ill i , pp 9 i pi e A ec d
1 1 2 CU RY GREAT TREE .
w to u ou ash - of and Ma gan C ry, fl rished an tree
magnificent dimensions .
of o o o The peculiarity its p siti n , t gether with its of a unusual size, in the midst district singu
larl of n fa o h o y destitute trees, re dered it m us t r ugh out the surrounding neighbourhood and in desig
o r f nating a special l cality, e erence was , and still
o to to a c ntinues be , made Cury Great Tree as
o o f p sition generally kn wn . During the last fi ty
has u a and years the tree been grad ally dec ying, at
o or o of o o n a n present nly a p ti n the h ll w tru k rem i s, ? which is rapidly disappeari ng It stands about half- way U p a gentle rise faci ng the north and in
n o oa o n o a of passi g ver the r d , the c u try pe ple spe k a dim tradition of a time when the road ran with
o bl od .
“ o o of h a o fo o The ccasi n t is , which is lm st rg tten , was a faction fight on a large scale between the
of of o ha men the parishes Wendr n and Breage, p
o one pening ab ut hundred years since. A wreck
oo o t k place near the Lizard, and the Wendr n men
oo on o o o a being nearest, were s n the sp t t appr pri te whatever flotsam or jetsam might come in their
. a o re way Returning l den with their sp ils, they we
o a men enc untered at the Great Tree by the Bre ge ,
S nce th s was wr tten the tree is ato ether one it was i i i l g g , remov ed in 1 862 th e ranches hav n fa en a few ears , b i g ll y rev ous in 1 8 p i , 57 . A R CU RY GRE T T EE . 1 1 3
errrnd as a bound on a similar , and a fight, a m tter
f n was o o fol o course, e sued , which pr l nged till the lowing day. The contest is said to have been a most terrible m one a b a . , e ch party eing ar ed with st ves The savage nature of the fight may be inferred from
fo o f - A on marf n the ll wing act Wendr , amed
Glu as a a on to y , h ving been dis bled , was put the p of o out of the melee the r adside hedge, , when he was seen by a Breage termagant known as Prudy ” a o the Wicked , and by her quickly dr gged int the
’ ’ roa a Ef artn t d , Prudy excl iming thee ded , I d ” a make thee l suiting the action to the word by . striking Gluyas with her patten - iron until he was
’ o o of n dead . There is s me acc unt Prudy s havi g “ fo o not been taken be re the Justice, but she d es
a be appe r to have been punished . These fights tween parishes were so common in those days that any death occurring in the fray was quietly passed o of o oo fo o ver as a thing c urse and s n rg tten, and ,
So a n adds Mr. Hunt, late as thirty ye rs si ce it was unsafe to venture alone through the streets of the lower part of Helston after nightfall on a ma - da o to f of B rea e Wen rket y wing the rays the g ,
o So f dr n, and Sithney men . writes a riend residing ” o in Helst n .
th s as far as it oes is con rmator f h All i , g , fi y o t e possible ’ truth of the ta e to db erem ah ose s ran o h r l l yJ i J g dm t e (p . 1 1 A 4 com GRE T TREE .
The custom of passing the body of a cripple
- through a cleft ash tree is not essentially C ornish .
o o o a r the It is c mm n am ng the Wiltshire pe sant y , rites and cerem onies pertaining thereto being iden
t o of ical with th se the west .
fo e The Rev. A. C . Smith , in a paper read be r
the A rchaolo ical o Wiltshire g S ciety, adduces a
s had bo of o ca e which he seen, when a y, a lab urer
s s plitting a apling at early dawn with many rites, and after passing the body of a suffering infant
o o o thr ugh, he b und up the tree with m istened clay, in the full belief that if the tree recovered the child
o o a if w uld als , and, vice vers , the tree died , so
wo uld the child . A curious incident in connection with Cury Great “ was t to o a o Tree narra ed me a sh rt time g , which is worth transcribing
f a o o a f Quite fi ty years g J hn B rtlett, a armer, living on the bou ndary line which divides Cury
and a fo fo ow old M wgan, und the ll ing in an almanack Lost where it was dropped on Saturday night
ba was last, an empty g with a cheese in it, the bag marked with a D but the letters were worn out
I n the front s ece the roo v es the two ar shes i pi b k di id p i , and the h ouse on the left was occupied by the late J ohn B art ett who narrate his own stor the s te of Cur reat l , d y, i y G
T ree not being more than 1 60 yards from the spot.
SAINT
How many hearts have here grown cold That sleep these mouldering stones among ! How many heads have here been told I How many matins here been sung l
’ N the value of benefices towards the Pope s Annates made by the Bishops of Lin
o and 1 2 c ln Winchester, 94 , Ecclesia
a Winwalli ie of S ncti , the Church the
o o o or Co o decanatu H ly, Vict ri us, nquering Wall , in ' K err er was at iiil s 1 1 1 a de y r ed j uj j . ’ 1 2 1 Wolse s o o In 5 , y Inquisiti n, it g es by the
f a f n anton ie. con o o W n . name the Vicar ge y , , the
or c o o o to f to quering vi t ri us t wn , all intended re er
ll or Dunw llo the conquests of King Gunwa o a . So says quaint Hals ; but Whitaker has a note on
here is a M S. fe of th s Sa nt in the Cotton an rar T li i i i Lib y, andin the Acta Sanctorum of the B o an sts rd arch ll di , 3 M , th r are severa one sa to hav e e n f m h e e l, id b e copied ro t e hartu ar of Landev enac and to hav e een the wor of a C l y , b k h a am di . . v mon of t at e n e Gur stan A D 8 0 . h Re . k bb y d , 7 T e
. ams the author of sev era a ers in the ourna Ro a J Ad , l p p J l y l “ ” I nst. Corn. Churches of the Corn sh Sa nts contr ute , . i i , ib d at the ast meet n in 1 8 a s etch of h l i g 74 k t is Saint. 1 1 SAINT WINWALOE . 7
’ M r this passage in Hals SS . in which he asse ts the much more probable derivation of the name from the o Winwolaus or o patr n saint, , Winwal e, the
o of Taur m acu a . Abb t in Britt ny The G . and W. at the beginning of Celtic names often change
o . places mysteri usly In Picardy, where this saint
wa o into Vi en is much esteemed, Win l e is changed g v Walov a Gui nole aley and y ; in Bretagne, into g and ennole oGuni l is V ; and othes places int ga o . There are two churches I n the Lizard district
to n dedicated this Saint, Landewed ack and Gun wa o f of o ll , and the parish easts b th these places
are on . the same day, March 3 “ F racan or B r chan f of , y , ather this saint, was
Cathoun one of or nearly related to , the Kings
of had f e Princes Wales, and by his wi e, Gwen, thre
Thi s B rychan has been confounded by mediaval writers with B rychan of B recknock ; but there were three Welsh
Ch efta ns of th s name two in VI . centur one in VI I . and i i i , y, all had children who founded churches and were reputed
Sa nts. The ear wr ters su os n th m all to be ch re i ly i , pp i g e ild n of the B rec noc B r chan attr ute to him a too ar e k k y , ib d l g
amily for credit. I n the Chartu ar of Landewennec now in the L rar at l y , ib y
u m er and uote b Rev . . ams there is a tra t on Q i p , q d y J Ad , di i ’ that a th r reast was v ouchsafe to F racan s w fe wen i d b d i G , wherew th to nour sh her th r son so she is ca e wen i i i d , ll d G
T eirbron i. e. wen w th th ree reasts and a cor e in an , , G i b , b l old cha e of Gwennoc her e est son ten m es fro p l ( ld ), il m
u m er so re resents her. Q i p , p SAINT WIN WALOE .
o —Guethenoc of s ns , Jacut . and Winwaloe, the last whom they bound themselves by vow to consecrate
o G f o u t od r m his birth, beca se he was their third
son.
o of The invasi ns the Saxons, and a deadly pesti
f o a lence, which soon a ter verwhelmed his n tive
o o f c untry, bliged him to seek a re uge where he might serve God in peace . Riwald of fo f o , with a little band llowers r m
fo t i r o Wales, had be re his ret red to A m rica, where h F racan they had been kindly received , and thit er went with all his family about the middle of the
s a l a f V. century, and ettled at p ace c lled a ter him to a -fra an fracani on this d y Plou g (Plebs ) , the
of o oo . banks the river G uet, which signifies bl d o a n Though the two elder sons were b rn in Brit i ,
o o s Creiroic Winwal e, the y unge t, and his sister , were born in Armorica. All the childre n were trained and nurtured in the fear of God ; but it was not until he grew through boyhood to youth, that his parents placed our Saint Winwaloe in the f “ o o . o f m nastery S Bud c, in the Isle o Laurels
S . B u oc was an a ot in reat B r ta n em nent for d bb G i i , i et and earn n and fl n from the swor s of the Saxons pi y l i g, , yi g d , too refu e amon his countr men in rmor ca and in th s k g g y A i , i little i sland assembled several monks and opened a famous school for youth.
I 20 SAI N T WI N WALOE .
It appears to have been a dreary and desolate
o o to r o f sp t, pen eve y wind and st rm , and a ter three
’ a a o com ye rs patient endurance S . Winw l e and his panions betook themselves to the other side of the
to of Landev enich not far bay, the little valley , f o a r m Brest. It is s id a path was supernaturally o for o e o pened them thr ugh the wat r, al ng which
- in- they are described as walking hand hand, chant
o of ing a s ng praise.
o Here they built a m nastery, aided by the bene
fi cence of Grallo o of ornonailles for a , C unt C , he g ve the land and bore the expense of maintaining the "i mo m nastic brethren . The buildings raised by the afterwards grew into the famous Abbey of Landa v iniec o of a , s metimes called the Cradle Christi nity
o o f o in Arm rica . It is pr bable that r m there the
o o n and a ‘ Saint migrated int C r wall ( perh ps Wales) ,1 and established churches at Landewednack and
o Gunwall e.
’
. a o f o f f S Winw l e, r m the time he le t his ather s
o o an o ar a h use, never w re y ther g ments but wh t
a of of oa and were m de the skins g ts , under these and n a hair shirt ; day night, wi ter and summer,
v na A M SS . of the XI . The Chartulary of Lande en c. century is said to contain copies of the original grants. ' ' h l H e is said to be Patron Saint of two or three churc es. a s in W le . A VVI VVAL E I 2 S INT N O . I h is n clothi g was the same. In his monastery n either wheat- bread nor wine was used but for
o a f a N o o the H ly S crifice o the M ss . ther drink was o to o a all wed the c mmunity but w ter, which was sometimes boiled with a small decoction of c o on oa ertain wild herbs . The m nks ate ly c rse b - o oo or a arley bread, b iled herbs, and r ts, b rley m a on a a e l and herbs mixed, except S turd ys and
S on o undays, which they were all wed cheese and sh - fi sh of ell , but these the Saint never tasted him
oa - a s elf. His c rse barley bre d he always mingled w a o ith ashes, and their qu ntity he d ubled in Lent,
o r al th ugh even then it must have been ve y sm l , o nly to serve for mortification and an emblem of
a oo f o pen nce . In Lent he t k his re reshment nly twice a week his bed was composed of the rough
of or of a o for bark trees, s nd, with a st ne his
o o f pillow. Fr m the relaxati n in the rule o absti nence on a a i a S turd ys, it s evident that this mon s n tic rule, which was the same in substa ce with
a o h o and th t received in t er British, Sc ttish, Irish monasteries, was chiefly borrowed fro m Oriental
- a a - fas da a o n to rules, S turd y being a t y cc rdi g the discipline of theRoman Church . This rule was
at Landev enech le o a e observed , till Lewis Deb nn ir ,
f for a f r o o . fo the sake uni mity, c used that S Bene
o e 8 1 8 o se dict to be intr duc d there in . This h u W 1 22 SAIN T WIN ALOE .
of M o o o . was ad pted int the congregati n St aur, in 1 6 6 o 3 . S . Winwal e was sensible that the spirit of o of r o and the prayer is the s ul a eligi us state, comfort and support of all those who are eu
to f r gaged in it . As himsel , his p ayer, either m was o fer ental or vocal, alm st continual, and so
h fo i vent, that e seemed to rget that he l ved in a m t o of or al body. Fr m twenty years age till his death, he never sat in the church, but always
o prayed either kneeling or standing unm ved , in the l f to same posture, with his hands i ted up
o o ro heaven, and his wh le exterior besp ke the p found veneration with which he was penetrated .
on rd of He died the 3 March, about the year
2 o 5 9, in a very advanced age. His b dy was
in own u he of buried his ch rch, which had built
oo on the o u o a w d , sp t p n which the abbati l house now o stands . These relics were translated int the new c hurch when it was built , but during the ravages of the Normans they were removed to s a o ever l places in France, and at length int
f o Flanders. At present the chie p rtions are pre
’ s at Blandin er . b erved S Peter s, at g, at Ghent, and
o o of at M ntreuil in L wer Picardy, which he is
o titular patr n . His name occurs in the English
of Mabillon. Litany the seventh age, published by
f in l e ro o . Gu uao He is titular Saint S g , a P i ry at
E GUNWA LLO C HURC H .
The l r of a b i in i a e and in that ee sense of g o y uilding s ts g , d p v oicefulness of stem watchin of m sterious s m ath na ev en of , g, y y p y, y, approv al or condemnation which we feel in walls that have long been ”- m washe b the waves of humanit . K usx . d y y. J
’ of o Ba N the eastern side M unt s y, nestled
ff o behind a cli , by which it is pr tected
f o a o r m the r ging waves, stands Gunwall e
C one of o o a . hurch, the ldest in C rnw ll
to It is believed have been erected in the XIII .
a a a fu off of o fo century, s gr te l ering its pi us under, who fro o So was saved m shipwreck on the sp t . says tradition . The tower was apparently once much higher
a now a fro a - th n , and is det ched m the m in building,
of fo f a n a distance urteen eet sep rati g them . A local account of the tradition gives as the reason
two sisters who f that the , were saved here rom a
o on o and who ow t f vessel l st these r cks , v ed hat i
d o a on spare they w uld build church the spot,
o not as to and at c uld agree the site, they length settled their differences by one of them choosing
1 26 N GU WALLOE CHU RCH . — which a few panelled paintings and carved
r — f r o as trace y have been, o preservati n, fitted
oo a 1 2 8 inner d rs to each of the entrances . On p ge
on of ne f oo w l is an illustrati o o these d rs, and it il be seen immediately that the tracery is very hand so of f of h me. Each the panels ( our them in eac portion of the screen) contains a painting of one of i the Apostles , each with h s appropriate emblem,
. M o s as e z . tt w o . o , ,g, S a he h lding the axe S J hn h ld
a s a chalice with a serpent issuing from it S . J me
ff & no o c. the Great with sta and scrip, These, d ubt, originally formed the lower part of the rood s creen .
o of o and The uter arch the p rch is panelled, there exist the stone fragments of a handsome old stone window (for an illustration of this see
far s o to of o p . uperi r in its tracery any th se inserted during the restoration of the church.
fo o —a f r The nt is m dern plain octagon o g anite .
old bo fo The wl, which was rmerly lying in the
now h churchyard , is placed inside the c urch, under
o 1 o the west wind w (see p . It is an alm st unique s of a o o a f pecimen the e rly N rman peri d, be uti ully
u o and o sc lptured in Pentewan st ne, bears in b ld relief the well-known emblem mark of the Trinity
o o o one of H use, the br ad arr w A the earliest
no of o no k wn emblems the H ly Trinity, and is by 2 GUNWALLOE CHU RCH . 1 7
‘ means the least curi ous and interesting relic of the
i u of w o o rig nal ch rch Win al e .
a a o o o Singul r in its situ ti n, it is still m re curi us " to notice that the tower and church are built on
l ff o fa ines at di erent angles, the t wer cing more to
the southward than the nave and aisles . The solid rock out of which the belfry tower is
out fo o e o of rms the s uth, w st, and n rth walls the
s of two on e tructure, which is stages, and thes three sides the masonry of the tower only extends from
roof to the pyramidal the first stage .
old oof The r having been struck by lightning, the present one was placed there in 1 868 by the
lo of o o of the rd the man r and patr n living.
b of ff There are three ells, apparently di erent
d o or s out of o o one ates, and all m re les c nditi n,
o being cracked . They bear inscripti ns
v va d ll neta n c v a 1 . Voce mea i epe o cu o i . l h M y living v oice dispels al hurtful t ings. m I ois au t ut nec ta se ns au . 2 . hs pl di pi dit
wh n m vo c i h e us is ra se e e s ear . J s p i d, y i d
This has been read also as
m a soe i Omnis sic plaudit qui e t m p us audit.
There are but six churches in Cornwall that hav e a cam il as here se arate from the ma n u n and these pan e , p i b ildi g,
t in a ee v a e . The six are S . eoc are usually situa ed d p ll y F k, m rra or Gwenna unwa oe a o n and etland. S . Myl , p , G ll , L , J WA O CH RC GUN LL E U H .
t rni ann onat cam ana oann s 3. E e s is res p J i
Let the hell of J ohn for ever resound .
It is but a year or twosince the restoration of
was o if ma of the church c mpleted, and we y judge its former state by the amount of work a nd money
on it t o expended it, mus have been alm st a r uin. From the autumn of 1 869 to the summer of 1 87 1
o the w rk was in hand , and in that time, in this out-of- - o of o the way c rner the world, wing chiefly to of o o the energies the restorati n c mmittee, the sum (a very large one when the surroundings and population of Gunwalloe are considered) of
1 and on 54 7 4s . was raised expended the build
o an ing. Fr m entry in the parish register, the details appear to have been , N ew oof o o n r thr ugh ut the church, retaini g the
oak o a carved in the s uth aisle. The ch ncel was
a wo f rebuilt and extended e stward t eet. The west "E wall of nave rebuilt and a new window inserted
one a (as also in ch ncel) . A new window in west
of o and o - o of end n rth aisle, the st ne w rk all the
w o o h remaining ind ws rest red, and the churc re a seated . Paving the passages with Bridgew ter
N ot one of these windows is comparable to the remains f h or na the fra ments of on wh h o t e igi l, g e of i c are now placed o ether a a nst the west wal of th chu h t g g i l e rc yard . S ee Illus — tra i n . 1 2 8 . t o , p 9
WA R GUN LLOE C H U CH . 1 29
“ t i oo of o iles, wh ch t k the place the previ us lime a h ” s .
The church was opened with a festival on sth ' 1 8 1 s o of o June, 7 , at which the Bi h p the Di cese preached to a crowded congregation of some hun
f o of o to dreds, gathered r m all parts West C rnwall
o o of o o this r mantic sp t by the interest the ccasi n, for it is seldom that a church whose foundations are o - m o o just ab ve high water ark, ver wh se walls a r the salt sea spray d shes summer and winte , is
o o o on of ffi in c nsidered, in its r cky is lati , su cient terest or worth to make so large an outlay as was
o if required here pr bable, even possible. The registers of Gunwalloe (those remaining) are no of 1 1 6 o ne them ancient , the earliest being 7 m re on ancient es, which doubtless existed, have dis
a o appeared . Th t such oldbooks contained m re than
of a o the mere register names and d tes is well kn wn, and many a curious custom orcircumstance owes its
o o f rec rd t the vellum page o the parish register. Searching for curious documents of all kinds in
’ old o o o the ir n parish chest, I came up n a sext n s bill for work in connection with the church in days
o on o g ne by, and am g ther items there appeared
n x d. Killi g 3 Fo es 7 s. 6
I n the adj oining parish of M ullyon such entries are com m n - o as late as 1 8 56 7 . WA H RC I 30 GU N LLOE C U H .
Again
Killing i F ox 2 5 . 6d.
What would fox -hunters say to this
o o I n other c unties, h wever, sextons have been ' paid for work quite as unsex ton- like as killing the noble Reynard ; for in the pages of Long Ago ’ is the copy of an entry in an old town s- book at
A D 8 as fo r f co . . 1 1 o C o t, in Lin lnshire, 7 , ll ws
16
As sexton
’ F or dogs whipping Dressing the Church F or oyle (oil) F or ringing the bell at 8 and4
0 4 0 1 1 0
o o fo B th these specimens pale, h wever, be re the charge made in the last century by a London sexton on the Churchwardens for
B u he s of D rt 6d. 3 s l i 4 5 . Dirt must indeed have been dear in his days ! It has been said that there once existed in the churchyard a stone with the curious epitaph We shall die all Shall die all wee Die all we shall All we sha di ll e.
The discontinuance of thispublication must be a matter f reat re ret to v er man overs of the cur u o g g y y l io s.
NWA O C R 1 32 GU LL E HU CH . have been even quoted as monuments of Christianity
o to o n previ us the Sax n rule, and to have been sa c
tuaries s of a , place public preaching or prayer, perh ps
r of o d of the ecord s me dee battle or murder, ever pointing the pilgrim to the adjacent chapel and r orato y or the distant church .
c o of Such a r ss may that Gunwalloe have been .
I f o o on was ro we may c njecture its p siti , it . p bably by the side of the pathway which led the wayfarer across the little stream that here
o - an meanders thr ugh the sand banks, at y rate somewhere near the church formerly stood a
o o a st ne cross, which is menti ned by sever l writers
f r o o as being o ve y early w rkmanship . It was thr wn
o was or two a o down l ng since, and said , a year g , to be lying at the bottom of the stream which
f o empties itsel int the sea. f r i A ter very diligent inqui y, however, the wr ter
fo stone o b und that a cr ss and base had been, in y
o f o o to os g ne years, taken r m Gunwall e Penr e, the f o . . o . for f o seat J J R gers, Esq , sa ety, and this cr ss has now been placed in the angle of the south-east
o n of o not c r er the chancel wall at Gunwall e, by
o a o any means its rigin l p sition, but at any rate
for f f f o where, the uture, it may be sa e r m mu tila
o or r ti n dest uction . WRECKS .
M T — TRA OR RA. ALI ES I N BRYTHON . T .
Wi e as he rit d t seathe B ish name extends.
’ Tis night ! upon the Cornish coast ull lou the rea ers roar F d b k , Andhelplessly yon gallant barque Drifts on the dark lee shore ; And quickly now the signal guns m hi h v l Boo g abo e the ga e. 0 many a dark-eyed Cornish girl At that wil s u r ws ale d o nd g o p .
’ ’ The Life-boat mann smndclear ahea ! s d, d ’ There s eath u n the ale d po g , heer u ear lass one artin kiss C p, d , p g
Your lips look cold and pale . ’ ’ The Life- oat s mann stan clear ahea I b d, d d N time si f r h m o to gh o o e. Hurrah the gallant Life-boat Swee s throu h the seethin f p g g oam.
en bol l to our tas brave hearts B d d y y k, , I t is aglorious strife ’ On ev ry oar-blade flashing high ’ h r han m l v T e e gs so e o ed one s life. A cheer so faint omes own th win c d e d, All hands we yet may save N ow lift our gallant Life-boat ’ Like lightning o er the wave.
THE e E - OAT B .
HERE seems to be no reason to doubt the story tradition gives us of the found
ing of Gunwalloe Church . That in days of yore some pi ous indi
to e vidual clinging his shattered v ssel, as she bumped WR C 1 34 E KS.
. o o of C a and gr und up n the rocks the astle he dland, seeing his comrades one after another swallowed up
ss o a by the seething relentle waves, sh uld register v ow if f o tlzere on h that, saved r m death, , t at very ’ o o s to o o o is sp t, w uld he rai e a building G d s h n ur, far more probable than many of the wild things o ne s in of o all h meet with the villages C rnw , and whic ’ form the raison detre of this or that curiosity of antiquity .
o s Indeed, except in some such way as traditi n say it is difficult to account forthe presence of a church
the a in in such a place , where sea spr y sprinkles it
m and o at su mer, in winter st rms the waves be
f c an ull against the hurchyard wall, at times making
o pen breach. It is almost impossible for those who have never
’ witnessed the effects of a winter s gale on ourrocky
o to or a the c ast, realize what the scene is like, wh t magnitude and force of the wild tearing waves will d o.
o o f o o l o Sh uld a gale be bl wing r m a s uther y p int,
fo a o to a and a vessel be un rtun te en ugh get emb yed,
o o e unless the weatherm derate, it is alm st impossibl
o her o t prevent l ss .
a o f o f o k H ppily, since the erecti n o the W l R c
’ Lighthouse off the dangerous corner of the Land s nd e o h E , th number f wrecks between Plym out
1 6 W 3 RECKS.
while endeavouring to rescue one of the crew of a Hambu rgh vessel wrecked near
oo d the L e Bar, in which attempt he succee ed,
o o ofhis own f th ugh with the l ss li e. Thevessel was bound from Oporto to London with
and was os to t of wine, l t a little the wes the
bar. 7 April .
o n he 1 . o t o . A body. F und sh re 5 Feb
Two o . o on sea o b dies F und the sh re, sup posed to have been the remains of two sea
men of the Clio sloop wrecked on the bar.
1 7 and 1 8 Aug.
rs o Seven bodies. These nine sailo were dr wned
on o of om a this c ast, seven wh were w shed
on o one the sh re in this parish, in Sithney,
no fo h others t und . The vessel was t e French
’ L amec illemie f o H on . Gu brig , Capt , r m Mar
to s d seilles Havre de Grace. The even burie in this churchyard could not be recognized;
on 2 rd 2 the vessel was stranded the 3 . 5 Jan .
’ o o o f o to Sail r s b dy, supp sed r m his dress be
f o a o on 2 th an of icer . This b dy, washed sh re 5 , was supposed to have belonged to a French
o o not o Chasse Maree, l st on the c ast ( a s ul
2 26 an. saved) , Jan . 4 J
’ o o on f Sail r s b dy, with three stars his le t
o n hand and ther marks o his right . Washed WR C S 1 E K . 37
26 o n o . o to o sh re, Jan , supp sed have bel nged
f . 2 to the a oresaid Chasse Maree 9 Jan.
’ Sailor s body very much mangled . Washed
o . o to o to ash re Feb 5 , supp sed have bel nged
Chasse Maree 2 2 Feb.
e Pen bri oo o of o P ter y g. Sl p D ve, Dartm uth,
o f o to l o on b und r m Neath P ym uth, wrecked
oe o 8 1 o Gunwall C ve, Master Williams, t ns,
laden with culm . 3 July .
. t o o o William Gay Di t ditt ditt . 3 July
o o . 1 0 A b dy. Washed ash re Dec .
’ o o r o Sail r s b dy ve y much mangled . Supp sed
to o to n o have bel nged the brig Mi t , wrecked
o o o o . in March in this c ve, the nlysail r dr wned 24 April
o h o to the Three sail rs . These t ree bel nged
a of o o Swedish ketch Icl , St ckh lm, Master
o o J . C . H ltz , which was stranded near P rth men a o o leven. These were w shed verb ard just before the vessel struck ; there was an other man also drowned belonging to the 8 same ship . Feb.
’
o . o A man s b dy Unkn wn, washed in under
Z hron ff 1 e . Hal p cli . Mar
o . o o on A sail r F und dr wned, marked the fi M . arm with the letters G . F. , then the gure
of . . 2 a heart, and the letters F P 4 Nov. 1 8 WR C S 3 E K .
Two od o b ies . Supp sed to belong to a vessel
o . wrecked at Mulli n 7 July. f o A emale child. F und on the high seas,
ou o o 1 2 br ght ash re at Gunwall e . June .
’
o . s o 6 A lad s b dy Washed a h re, Oct. , very
much mangled . 7 Oct . f Ce f Three men. O the r w o the Elizabeth of
o o Bergen, in N rway, wrecked at Gunwall e,
20 f s “ Nov. (fi teen hand saved by a rope)
2 N o 3 v .
o of of Five b dies . Late the crew the barque
of w Isis, Russian Finland, laden ith corn,
Pol ew on of 1 wrecked at j , the night Oct . 0
fo o (the captain, mate and ur seamen, nly
. 1 were saved) 4 Oct.
o A b dy very much mangled . Supposed to
o to 1 8 have bel nged the Isis. Oct.
o o Three b dies much mangled . Supp sed part
of of oo the crew the Windrush sch ner, wrecked on Poljew side of Gunwalloe Church
N o 2 . 1 o v . 0 c ve, 9 Dec f A o . one o w b dy Washed in Dec . 9 the cre 6 of a o . 1 the b ve Dec.
F or his rav er on th s occas on Henr uttanee a Gun b y i i y C , walloe man was resente w th a s ver cu b the in of , p d i il p y K g
N a . a orw y S ee p ge 1 4 5 .
1 0 WR C 4 E KS.
posed to have belonged to a party of twenty
one f the a in men who le t Calcutt Indiaman,
’ the s f - was n o d ship li e boat, when she aba d ne
n of . at the e trance the English Channel, Feb
8 on her e B w c , voyag to ombay ith electri
r f - f e teleg aph cable. The li e boat itsel cam
s e M . a hor empty at ullion, Feb 9. The ship
f s was a terward brought into Plymouth. 8 May
- Nov . 2 oon n 3. Sch er Lochleve Flower, being
o was embayed all hands took the b ats, one swamped at sea ; other was mashed as they
o l she touched shore at Looe Bar. Every s u
o drowned . The vessel came ash re at Halze
‘ phron, and went to pieces immediately .
8 to . 1 o Dec . The body of a sailor bel nging
o d o e the C quette, wrecke at Gunwall e thre
weeks ago.
2 f 2 was . he o t o . Dec 7 . On m rning Dec 7, brought to me a scrap of paper with some
o w rds almost illegible, scribbled in pencil, which had been washed ashore in a bottle at n Gunwalloe. The writing was at le gth de
Zibriea o f ciphered , on b ard, but well, ear ” ful o o a da S i nature st rm, pr b bly the last y. ( g
le ible a f ed il g . ) This p per was at once orward
on to F . ox and Co. Messrs , at the Lizard
W 1 4 2 RECKS.
c 2 1 B . O t. arque Achilles Capt . David K in
n Polurrian ear, at ; all hands saved by life
boat and rocket apparatus.
° 1 868 . 2 2 . o of P ow Jan Smack Maria L uisa, adst ,
s on o o . truck Mulli n Island and sank . l st 3 f 1 o S . S 86 . . . 9 Feb 9 The boat the Calcutta, , which had been in collision with the barque Emma
of fo o in the Bay Biscay, und ash re near
Polurrain o to r , supp sed have st uck on Mul
o . o 2 2 li n Island l st . B h r 1 2 . o . ouc a April Sch oner Remedy, Capt , struck near Hugo Down and soon went to w pieces all saved in o n boat .
8 1 . 1 on o 1 7 Feb 4 . French lugger struck Mulli n
Island, the captain and crew deserted the vessel and landed in their own boat at K y
oo o nance ; the vessel s n br ke up .
1 8 Mar. 1 . o 73 Barque B yne, Wheelan master , struck under cliffs on Merries Ledges at — not discovered for an hour or m ore Three men and a lad saved in their own
o o boat . All the thers dr wned in spite of utmost exertions of life - boat crew and rocket 1 apparatus . lost 5
of if not e one of Most these wrecks, ev ry them, are remembered by two old inhabitants of the
of a oe f o o parish Gunw ll , r m wh m much valuable WR ECKS. info o o rmati n has been received, and their testim ny b eing most thoroughly independent every corrobora
n n t o tive i cide t adds weight o the wh le. The following entry in one of the Gunwalloe r r a egisters is interesting, and the same pa ticul rs
h a n a to s . ve bee , since rel ted the pre ent writer by Mr
who o . C rnish, is still alive
n N ov 1 8 fo O . 0 o 4 , 7 , the Friday be re Mulli n
a of 8 2 . o Feast, Mr Edw rd C rnish, this parish ( years
f to of o how o age), related the then vicar Gunwall e
on s - he remembered that thi day, sixty three years ' a o 1 80 o g , in 7, the transp rt Susan and Rebecca
- z n ff was wrecked under Hal ephro Cli s . That there
o 1 80 o on o were ab ut s uls b ard , all except the crew,
o n to th a oo who re bel ngi g the 7 Light Dr g ns, were
f o o to o un turning r m the expediti n Buen s Ayres,
der r o 2 8 o 1 0 Gene al Whitel ck. That h rsemen,
o o the sail rs, and 3 children were dr wned, but
o 8 w men, in number, were saved, and that all might have been easily landed but for their reluctance to “ ” a n of le ve the ship, which co tained lots plunder . The ship came on shore about 1 0 at night and
to 1 went pieces about 1 next day. He remem bered the wreck of the Anson frigate on the Looe
in 1 80 a fo Bar the same year, 7, three d ys be re new
’ o year s day, being present at b th wrecks, the cir
c umstances on were impressed his mind . 1 WR 44 ECKS.
The whole of this is corroborated by Henry e who Cuttan e, relates that the Anson left Fal mouth on Christmas eve ; he saw her then as she was being towed out of harbour by her own boats
—afew f o her a days a ter she l st maintopm st, became
d o G o disable , and came ash re at unwall e . a In the same year the Despatch, C pt . George w Fen ick, was wrecked at Coverack and only
oo of w s o seven saved, and a sl p war a l st on the — — Manacles only one man being saved all the bodies K r o re ev eme. ec vered we buried at St. He well remembered the wreck of the Susan
and fo f and Rebecca, the circumstance that rty o those then drowned were buried in one grave
-ze hron ff o to on Hal p Cli s. Previ us this date it was the custom to bury all bodies cast up by
fo or the sea just where they were und, in the near
o o o was est c nvenient sp t ; this, h wever, the last instance of the kind ; the feeling excited on this
so o occasion being str ng, that the late Mr. Davies Gilbert obtained an Act of Parliament sanction ing the burial of shipwrecked bodies in conse
o so 1 80 8 o crated gr und, that since the m re happy practice has been continu ously observed of giving f them a resting place beneath the churchyard tur .
old e a This veteran, Cuttan e, must h ve been pre sent at nearly all the wrecks upon the coast for
1 46 WRECKS .
wreck which occurred in the same place forty years
fo o in a be re he wr te, which inst nce the yeomanry
to were called in request prevent depredations. and
ffl oo a miner was killed in the scu e that t k place .
o on to o of at He g es relate the st ry a wreck,
old e o o which Cuttan e was the her , and thr ugh whose instrumentality mainly the three survivors were
saved .
o The vessel was a N rwegian, laden with Indian
co o on o to rn, and came ash re right a large r ck the
f o no oo westward o the c ve . She had s ner struck
o of w than she went t pieces . Three her cre were
of ff washed by the waves against the base the cli ,
foo o a to a and gaining th ld , they m naged sc le the
o and of r cks, wandered inland in search help . At
of to a for com dawn day, returning se rch their
o who a o rades, th se came b ck with them , saw s me
a f of o ou dark object in cle t the r ck , which turned t
o o so h t be three men huddled t gether, and ex austed as to be incapable of any exertion or effort to save
themselves .
of a o By the skill and daring the vill gers, am ng “ ” whom the old smuggler (as the author of the
a e cons i Week at the Lizard c lls Cuttan e), was p cuous o was e o to , a small c rd at l ngth thr wn them which the poor fellows managed to make fast ’ and by it hot coffee and bread and butte r R 1 W ECKS. 4 7
f and were sent over to them . Re reshed strength ened they aided new endeavours to establish com munication o and few o with the sh re, in a h urs this was accomplished much after the fashion of the
o o r cket apparatus, by a rude chair sliding ver a
o o w one str ng r pe, and in this manner they ere by
’ o ne brought safe to land after ten hours exposure to the gale and a sea which dashed over them the f greater part o the time .
a of The rem inder the crew, six in number, were
an o for o n a fo o d . l st ; , says Mr J hns, m re tha rt night the shore was crowded by poor people fi sh in a o o n for g up the d maged c rn, which, th ugh u fit
foo fo o o human d, und ready purchasers am ng th se
ho o a a of or w kept pigs . Pe ple c me a dist nce ten
to of twelve miles visit the scene the wreck, and the various roads to the spot were a long time sprinkled with Indian corn which fell from their carts and bags . One of the most interesting narratives of modern ” a of o an shipwreck is th t the J nkheer Meester, and
o of o fo acc unt it w uld have und a place here, but the
o a auth r learnt, while these p ges were in the press,
a a of o o th t the respected vic r Mulli n, in wh se parish
o o to in the wreck ccurred , is ab ut publish it his ” M ull onania r fo e y , and it is the e re here suppr ssed . OF TH E WRECK COQUETTE.
The hu e wav g es raise theirangry crests on high I nto the tem est-clou that lurs the sk p d b y, ol in rou h alliance with the fitb t H d g g d blas , Whose stifl reath whistlin shrill b , g , Pierces with deadly chill ” The wet crcw fee l clin in t t , b y g g o heir shattere d mast.
N ov 26 1 8 o e N Wednesday night, . , 73, v r the whole of our western coast there
f o s blew a gale r m the S W. Dark a pitch the pitiless wind howled and
o o in l whistled r und the h uses, which even their she tered oo a o not s n ks inl nd , c uld yet hide themselve f o o r m the raging st rm . The author was busy preparing the foregoing
on s o and mo sheets, the wreck at Gunwall e, at the ment a loudet and stronger blast than usual thundered
ow o oo o I f s d n up n and sh k the h use, remarked thi ” o o gale h lds till m rning we shall have a wreck . At an early hour next day a messenger arrived with the intelligence that a ship had gone ashore at
a o one oo f o o Gunw ll e in the night, and p r ell w dr wned . The French schooner Coquette was on her v oy age from Bordeaux to Swansea when the fearful
a of f f o oo d rkness that ate ul night vert k her.
1 50 WRECK OF THE COQU ETTE .
But the perilous work of saving his fellow sea men was not yet accomplished ; drawing a rope a o f to o one one sh re, and making it ast a b ulder, by the rest scrambled across it hand over hand ; be n f o umbed , exhausted, hal dr wned, they came all
one. oo f o but He , p r ell w, paused midway, and
f f or a o whether rom ear numbness rel xed his h ld,
s dropped into the foam and disappeared . Three week
f o o d a terwards his b dy came ash re, and we lai
o so in the little churchyard, which c ntains many ’ of o é the seaman s graves, all that remained N y , ” ” bo of o y, the C quette. The wonder was how the first man accomplished
his desperate feat. To accomplish it in daylight
o o o b t for a r w uld be extra rdinary en ugh, u a str nge
to and attempt it in the darkness, succeed is little
o of a o o sh rt the mir cul us . Pr videntially the vessel
a o o o ff c me int the nly pening in the cli , where such a thing could possibly be done ; nowhere east orwest
of t o o h hat very sp t , w uld there have been even t e one chance out of the hundred for the desperate
who o swimmer sh uld risk it. The escape of the survivors was a matter of
o to a o r ast nishment m ny, and the wh le occu rence n a at was well described in the ewsp pers the time, one of which contained the following r THE C E E 1 1 WRECK o OQU TT . 5
' A A R I N M BAY F T L W ECK OUNT S .
P T XP A DES ERA E E LOIT .
Early on Wednesday a small schooner was ob
’ r in Mo and se ved beating unt s Bay, apparently f making very little progress . The wind was shi t
f m W N . . W S . ing ro . to , and it was evident that unless she cleared the Mullion land before nightfall
her o o o o a p siti n would be precari us . The r cket p
f o or a of o s paratus r m P thleven, in ch rge the c a t
offi cers on the guard , who were look out, was
to fo e s taken Gunwalloe. and be r midnight the ves el
Halz e hron o o f struck at p , a little c ve ab ut hal a
f om o ff are mile r Gunwall e Church . The cli s here
mo o 2 0 0 f the st precipit us, and nearly eet high ; and
n a of o ight was dark, with a g le wind bl wing, and
o a very heavy sea running. The c ast guard were
o o not certain the ship was ash re, but c uld see her
n . s out disti ctly At la t they made her , and as she rose and fell with the waves they fired a rocket from
to of ff the p the cli s . Whether the line crossed the
o not f . oo the ship is unkn wn, but it was made ast S n after the rocket was fired the Mullion coastguards
men with their apparatus arrived . As the tide was ebbing the officers got down the dangerous
d o track to the beach, and there, huddle t gether in WR C OF TH E 1 5 2 E K COQU ETTE .
ft of the o fo oon a cle r ck, were ur men . It was s found that the captain and his crew had all left the
o o inev it wreck . Seeing that t tal destructi n was
if one of w off to able they waited , the cre ered swim
and the of ashore, in darkness midnight , with the
o surging water raging all ar und, and the tempest
o o f ow o o o h wling, the n ble ell b ldly plunged verb ard
. o s o with a line The peril u task acc mplished , he managed to make fast the rope to a projecting
-o - the one crag, and hand ver hand captain and sailor landed safely. The third to go over the side was a boy between sixteen and seventeen years of
o age, but quite a man in stature, and either thr ugh
’ f o o f om i be ear, or m re pr bably r his hands be ng
m o o f o nu bed, he let g his h ld, ell int the raging
a no o sea, and was swept aw y and seen m re. The remaining sailor then swung off and j oined the
r o N ot a d s . v an u viv rs an rticle was sa ed, there the poor fellows lay shivering with cold with satu
of o ff i m rated clothes . The ficers t ok o the r war to o o to p c ats, and did all they c uld alleviate their
ff a a o . h in su erings . The c pt in sp ke Englis , and fo o of rmed them that his vessel was the C quette,
ourr rense f o o fi ft - o D p y, r m B rdeaux, y nine t ns regis
o for o of woo for ter, b und Swansea, with a carg pit d
o a ow r an . é d c al mines C ptain Le Sign was ne , f a o on le t F r nce nly Tuesday. He evidently was
1 WR C or TH E CO E 54 E K QU TTE .
made as comfortable as possible till they could
r o to o be em ved their h mes. The place were this wreck took place is within a few yards of the spot on which the Lochleven Flower was so fatally stranded last N ovember ; ’ oo o H alze hron s o and l king d wn p r cky sides, where
ff o o the cli s are alm st perpendicular, and wh se n the f sc of ame signifies in ernal heights, the e ape
of o o o the crew the C quette seemed alm st miracul us .
oa In br d daylight, and with aid at hand, such an adventure as the French sailor undertook would
f o to f be raught with danger and hazard us li e. \ During Wednesday night there was a good deal
’ of lightning over the Land s End district from W S . a the . , and the sky was exceedingly d rk in that
o . o o directi n The wh le was exceedingly st rmy, and it is to be feared that many m ore wrecks will be
o o o to an heard f. The C quette was th ught be at
o and o o o o ot ch r, the M useh le pil t b ats might have g to if o n o her they had kn w she was in tr uble . Very seldom is it that the ideal of the poet could be realized in all its fullness on that rugged shore ; though nothing can exceed the loveliness of
’ a calm summer s day in an about those limpid pools and rocky coves that startle one into admi
r ration at eve y turn . THE DOLLAR WRECK .
F ar as the e e can eer y p , The waters roll ivinel lue andclear , d y b , ’ ‘Vith white sails flashin in th sunli ht s ra g e g y, Of countl ess vessels, near andfar away;
ere the wil - l w breast H d seagull p umes her sno y , h T en skims the wave or perches on the crest Of some ma jestic cairn, or cromlech where Lon at es ast the rui s nelt in ra er g p D d k p y , Till with stretche win she cleaves the fiel s of blue , d g d , Di ’ s neath the Atlantic and is l t t view. p , os o
MO G o of N the st ries the many wrecks, which in themselves add to the weird in
terest of of o this rugged bit c ast, is that of one which has been the cause of much
s a o o o ro pecul ti n and adventure. M re m ney has p bably been spent in the endeavour to recover the lost treasure than the v essel was wo rth when she sailed
out of o f on o p rt with her rich reight b ard .
- a o on o Eighty eight years g , a st rmy night, a
' Spanish vessel came ashore on the point of clifl
of o which shelters the little church S . Winwal e ; just on the outside of a ledge of rocks she struck
and went to pieces nothing of her was saved . She
on o of o had b ard a large quantity specie, vari usly 1 6 W 5 THE DOLLAR RECK .
s o to estimated, but generally upp sed _ have been f ‘ about seventeen to nineteen tons weight o dollars . There must have been avery considerable quantity f o f f o to c on r m the act that, r m time time, ever since, i r l I s de ab e numbers have been picked up . have e n a o o ve heard that, years g , the b ys on the neigh bouring farms used to go during their dinner time
o to o low d wn the r cks, laid bare at tide, and there
- f pick them up in pails and buckets . The pails ull ma ex a erations ffi fo y be g , but su cient have been und to prove that a very large quantity were on board the vessel .
N o ow on a for re measures, h ever, a l rge scale,
o o o c vering the preci us metal, were ad pted till the
1 8 o e to ea year 4 5 , when pe ple w re startled h r that a party of adventurers were going to sink a dollar
had o to mine in the sea . The vessel g ne pieces between two rocks at a short distance from the
of ff o o to con base the cli , and here it was pr p sed
' of or cofi er- f om struct a kind breakwater dam , r
to out the which the water was be pumped , and
o at d llars picked up leisure .
f of ff on A path was cut in the ace the cli , and ir
o o o n r ds were fixed in the r cks . The w rk was begu
The Parochial H i story of Cornwall says two and a-half tons but th s is farto sma c n r n the num ers wh ch , i o ll o side i g b i a no h v re k wn to a e been recovered from time to time.
R C r5 8 THE DOLLAR W E K .
the place where the dollars were supposed to be
fo one o lying. Un rtunately day the water burst int
wo oo to the rkings, the miners t k their heels and saved
not oo . themselves, but their t ls
o ffo to The last, and m st interesting e rt reach t e o o s 1 8 2 n o o h se l st d llar , was in 7 , whe a L nd n
’ o o o clergyman, pr jecting a summer s h liday, lit up n - the novel expedient Of passing a few weeks at Gun walloe out on ff , camping the cli , and making an
to attempt pump up the sand , and then get at the
o c in with a diver. — It was a capitally original idea and as thorough arelaxation from the brain wearingwork and anx ie~ ties Of an East London parish as could well be — imagined the Only regret felt by all who witnessed the most interesting operations Of theworking party
o fo o was, that their lab urs were iled by c ntinued rough weather and their enterprise was not re
r o r f wa ded by the rec ve y O the treasure . Itwill bewell perhaps to tell the story Of The DOI ” lar Mine in the very words Of the narrative written
o o f o o during the pr gress, and sh rtly a ter the c mpleti n ” Of for B the venture, The ritish Juvenile .
TH E D OLLAR MINE .
I .
A few weeks ago I took a tramp in dear Old
” The B r t sh uven e Vol. 8 . i i J il , pp. and 2 3 O WR C 1 THE D LLAR E K . 59
’ a to o . C rnwall I w nted much see the Land s End , for Often and Often I had stood and looked at the
i ma Of a our oo - oo won b g p Engl nd in sch l r m, and
a o oo a f dered wh t the c ast must l k like, in th t unny
’ o O f our a o a toe little c rner isl nd, the Old W m n s , as to a for o a wa we used c ll it , we b ys l ys had a notion that on the map England and Scotland
oo Old o o l ked like an w man sitting d wn , nursing a
on Of o baby her lap . The baby c urse is Wales .
far it Well, I went by the train , as as could take me for , and then I started my tramp , and I walked the Old ground right round the coast that our f o a fo athers, the ancient Brit ns, y, and men be re
a o o them, w lked ver and ver again .
saw f ll to o I , in act, a there was see and w nder l fu sights they were. Druidical stones and Old
d ff N O an . churches granite quarries, and such cli s
Of o a where have I ever seen such piles st nes, m ny
Of oo o one them as big as a g d sized c ttage, piled on to Of o if e a p an ther, just as they had b en l id
a o f o ow one Of there by a m s n r m t n, and yet every these rocks so heavy no machinery man ever made
would move it. And then I stood on the very tip and edge Of
’ oo s a f Land s End and l ked out to e . I elt as I
f t fo a t Of o never el be re, the m jes y the cean, the
o Of God o o f mighty p wer , and the infinite wisd m
o his w rks . 1 THE W E 60 DOLLAR R CK .
As I stood and watched at the roaring waves which dashed their spray over the lighthouse in the
out no distance at sea, and yet made visible impres
o on o f o si n the black r cks at my eet, I th ught, sup posing these rocks had been anything but granite — granite hard as adamant the sea would soon have
ow o o the hills d n , and make sh rt w rk with the cliffs
at e f o th ir eet, but granite stands, hard and c ld, and
Old o o o o r the sea cann t kn ck it ver, cann t make ve y
’ much impression and thus the Land s End pre serves its pointed form from generation to genera
o or o a on ti n, with little change alterati n, as the se s s
o O c me and g . In the course Of my walking I saw plenty O f
m r one ining, and tin mines eve ywhere ; but little
o o scene will l ng remain with me, and the D llar Mine Of Gunwalloe be a pleasant memory with me for many a long day.
ou o h for Well, y will say, I kn w t ey dig deep tin
’ o l o o ow for dOl and c pper, but sure y they d n t g d n
o . lars, and find ready m ade c ins in the mines S O I must explain what the villagers and fi sher
a o men called d llar mine.
one o oa In my walk day al ng the c st, I ascended
ff o w the cli higher and higher, the r ad inding first one o e to way then an ther, until I reach d the p, and
o o fo sea then I saw a l vely pr spect be re me. The
1 62 WR DOLLAR ECK .
a o on o Spanish vessel came sh re the p int there,
o Of o u o j ust utside the ledge r cks , str ck, went d wn,
o n thing saved .
to a Ol She went pieces, laden with Sp nish d lars ; and strange to relate very few Of the d ollars
' o F w or/ aratzve l o . e c were washed ash re w b . Fr m
to o o N ow time time s me d zens were picked up . the boys would find a few in dinner time ; then a chance comer would pick up one or m ore ; but the general belief was that she struck on the
o o o on er l uter r ck , and heeling ver h side, tumb ed all the dollars out into a sort Of natural basin in the
o k . r c , and that there they have been ever since “ Many years ago a company was started to
o f get the d llars up . They sunk a sha t in the
o o o f o a o s lid r ck, and dr ve r m that a p ssage al ng
o for f r one under the sh re many eet, t ying first plan and then another to get at the places where they
o o o one h ped the d llars w uld be, until unlucky day
he o m o t water burst int their mine. The iners t ok
to not their heels and saved themselves , but their
oo f oo o s t ls . These were le t, and the water t k p
session Of the rock once more. Another adventurer was struck with the idea that he could build a breakwater just outside the cove and set to work in lovely weather to do it
— a the indeed he ne rly succeeded, but just as
a o o e and bre kwater was complete a st rm ar s , WR 1 6 DOLLAR ECK . 3
no a a a k cked it and all his m chinery w y, annihilating in a o Of w and on a single night the l b ur eeks m ths . “ N ow o are r o dif , h wever, they t ying s mething ” e are o to a n o . fere t. Th y g ing pump the d ll rs up Pump them up from the bottom of the sea said I .
A Old . ot y, said the man They have g a
’ ’ and can and pump , they pump em maybe they ll
o a have the d ll rs yet . Such was the story I heard that night before I
to : na o f o to a f went bed y, m re, the Old ell w, s tis y
o o o o my l nging curi sity, pr duced a d llar which he had a picked up l st summer in the cove, jammed tight between two rocks . Here was proof positive
a do a e o . o o was th t ll rs w re ab ut N thing m re needed .
oo m for and a I engaged my r a week, m de up my a mind to j oin the dollar p rty.
a a : It cert inly was pretty sight the tents, the
N O f a a . o no n he dl nd, and the sea h use, li e prese t,
o a on o e but urselves . We made lively party the wh l , though my work the week through was chiefly look
on now ing , and lending a hand and then ,
We — for f so o , I elt deep an interest in the pr ceed
n to f f o i gs, as identi y mysel with the wh le thing,
e o Of o Of r w had a c uple engineers, a c uple mine s, a
of o a o to oo pr essi nal diver and his m te, a sail r c k,
or fo to oo on two o three ur l k and lend a hand, d gs 1 64 DOLLAR WRECK .
to and o one o os keep guard , n thing that any c uld p ibl a s y carry aw y.
f Of one com In the sha t the mine, the that the
fo a o pany rmed years g , we fixed the pump, a huge
' a ir a to out fla ltogether. The diver had clear this
f Of -fi v e f o sha t, first all, and there, twenty eet bel w
fa Of fo n oo the sur ce the sea , he und the mini g t ls the
men f for f had le t behind when they ran li e, a quar
ter Of o a century ag .
—~ i At length the pump is fixed now to drive t. This must be done with the agricultural engine Of a
t n - o s m hrashing machi e, and the r ck ust be blasted a nd cut away so as to allow the driving-bands Of
i - o ndia rubber t run freely.
At length all is prepared . Pipes are laid and
Of f fixed in the passages the mine and sha t, which
o f a o Of pr tects the r mew rk the pump, and prevents
awa and now o to do it being washed y, n thing but to blow up the end Of the mine into the sea and pump away : and if the dollars are anywhere about
o o the c ve, up they must c me .
o not o But all this preparati n was c mpleted in a.
or ut minute a day. My week lengthened itself o for there were days when the sea was so rough
the o not o o men c uld w rk at all , thers when the diver could only go down in his queer looking dress
for o o a ab ut an h ur, and then the w ves rose too high.
S O a f o to end th t, a ter all, my h liday came an
WR C 1 66 DOLLAR E K .
a an d to see end Of the o aw y, I wanted the D llar
m ow n Mine, and watch , with y n eyes, the shini g
o f o out c ins, as I pictured them to mysel , c ming up
Of the sea .
r on Of o not Tu ning my back the busy hum t wns, many hours Of travel brought me to the end Of Eng
l f o Of f o m and, and a ter a tedi us drive many miles r
a on fo f o the ne rest stati , I und mysel standing nce
' mo on rass headland oo n out to sea re the little g y , l ki g ,
o f air and o enj ying the resh breeze and pure , anxi usly “ a f o inquiring all the l test news r m the venturers ,
who o o not this time welc med me am ngst them, as f a . a str nger, but rather as an Old riend
N o f ne N O do o ot O o . llars yet, th ugh a shad w The weather had been too rough and many a day
o oo out awa did the little c mpany l k se rd, watching
a a Of as the we ther, taking the me sure the sky we called it ; hoping every turn Of the wind would
bring the favou rable calm . Determined nowto watch the D ollar Operations
to o d a m the end, I gladly j ine the party, and m de y
a out c to first ess y in camping , whi h needs be ex
erienced to aw p be described , and is , with all its dr
f o f a . backs, pleasant change r m city li e
a s o o Of our e Oh, what hi t ry I c uld write littl
a f ! H ow for Of a we m keshi ts , want washing b sins ,
oo f our used the g d Old sea himsel , taking dip every
o n as oo - man m rni g, s n as day break warned every O WR CK 1 6 D LLAR E . 7 to out our turn and roll up his blankets . And then
a o Of coo our w shing day, and epis des king, little
o a to fo our affi j urneys inl nd rage, and tr c with the
oo natives, all would fill a b k .
w o to Of ff Our tents ere pitched up n the p the cli , not a f f o hot m ny eet r m the edge, and in and sunny w a o fo a e ther were extremely c m rt ble, and always co i o to o nven ent, being so cl se the w rk but in windy
o for to o n weather it made sharp w rk us all h ld o . One tent was used by the manager Of the enter
fo o s who prise, his reman, and any visit r might wish — “ to stay a night ortwo as his guests at the A tlan ” tic H otel it— for one o , as we named might alm st as well be out on the Atlantic itself as within fortyfeet
f n o O o . o it, a st rmy night in a tent In the ther tent,
one e and m two o a large , liv d the diver his ate, C rn
a o to oo for a d ish miners, a s il r c k the party, n a
o Of o to oo c uple lab urers, besides the engineers l k after the machinery.
o One night, when the sea was r aring and the wind
o so o a o r one Of bl wing r ughly that, lth ugh eve y us w our o not one ere in blankets snug en ugh , yet Of us
o was c uld sleep, suddenly there a rent, and a gust,
o and o that made a n ise like a gun, in a m ment all
as f o a h q w bustle and con usi n in the d rkness . The ur ricane had lifted one of the peg ropes that held
o the fo one d wn tent, and be re any could lend a
to Of hand secure it, away went the flap the tent, 1 68 DOLLAR WR ECK .
and away went blankets and clothes and everything
not or too to o that was secured , heavy be bl wn
w or n was o in a ay . F tu ately, the wind bl wing
f o andnot Off or n r m the sea, the land, else everythi g
t to o o ou . w uld have g ne the waves As it was, there
s one was a general stampede in the darkne s, every
for f o f o himsel ; s me hal dressed, and s me trying
to o to a dress, but all hurrying d wn the hill c tch the
runaway goods .
os o With all the agility the party p sessed , s me O f the things were not to be found till day-light — came and disclosed their hidingplaces behind a big
o abank or st ne, hitched in , hidden away in a ditch .
N O m for Of ore sleep that night any us, and
f r f to “ our f n a ter that , we were ca e ul see that aste
ings were all secure, when the wind blew more hard
than usual . And then the way we amateurs did work ! A t the very edge Of the cliff a sort Of platform had to
o to e be cleared, where n the engine might stand driv
- the pump bands . This huge machine must be held back from top ‘ o o o aflix ed to o k pling ver, by str ng r pes p sts sun deep into the ground and to dig the holes for
no a o for o fa these was trifling l b ur, bel w the sur ce of about six inches Of earth there was nothing but solid rock that would only yield to a crowbar or a
heavy pick.
1 7O DOLLAR WRECK .
f o l of oo his eet , utside this, a arge pair large b ts,
with lead attached to make him sink well .
s Of n a La t all , when every thi g else is re dy, we
on o ca for fix his helmet , a large heavy r und brass p
o one his head, with little wind ws in it , and at side
- one n o an india rubber pipe fixed , end i t the helmet, h t e other to the air machine . A little hole is left open for him to breathe the outer air till the last
o n o m ment , and then, as this is bei g cl sed up, and
‘ for o at the secured tight, the signal is given th se
to n apparatus begin pumping, and as they tur their
o and o so fo intO handles r und r und, the air is rced
’ a to the diver s dress, en bling him breathe wherever
o o Of I f he may be, even at the b tt m the sea . they
r to o n man o . we e st p pumpi g, the w uld die
A nd now r a for the interest is ve y gre t, the diver is going down to send up some sand andsee ifthere are o w a o . o any d llars ab ut Very sl ly he w lks, led by each hand to the edge where the ladder is and as
o o o he g es d wn, step by step , sl w yet sure, it seems as if he never will be able to co me up again with
Of a — a Of all the weight le d he carries, huge pl tes
on o oo lead his sh ulders, and lead in his b ts .
o rO e R und his waist is fixed a p , which he will
' if a a or if an to o pull d nger rises, he w ts c me up ; and his mate stands by with this rope in o ne
a air o and a h nd , and the pipe in the ther, he p ys
out o o o b th as the diver descends l wer and l wer, WR K DOLLAR EC . 1 7 1
until at length a jerk on the rope tells he has
o o reached the b tt m .
a o to Minutes p ss and n thing is be heard or seen .
a o Of All stand by, watching the puls ti n the pipe as a the air p sses along it the waves as they come in,
ro o one f o : Of o lling sl wly a ter an ther the line r pe, the slightest jerk Of which would denote some sig
n l Of a the diver.
a for Presently the, signal is m de a bucket , and
o o o o o sl wly an ir n bucket is thr wn ver the r ck, and
' o to o o O f let d wn by a rope the b tt m the sea . A
a f ll o no jerk, and away we haul ; c re u y th ugh , t to
o an Of o . o and l se y the d llars Up it c mes, alas
s contains n othing but sand . And o we go on for two o or afte h urs, more, basket r basket, and nothing
but stones and sand .
the to o o Then tide begins c me over the r ck, and the signal is made for the diver to ascend and by
ot the time we have undressed him , and g all the; tOOls and pails and ladders and apparatus out Of
Of ff o Of the reach the waves up the cli , m st us are wet through with the spray which has been dashing
f r a f- o over us o the l st hal h ur. Never mind our sailor cook has something sa
ur for ot on we v o y us in his p the fire, and away go
ur so e o to o supper, with appetites k en, we w nder whether we shall ever be satisfied more than ever 1 2 WR 7 DOLLAR ECK .
inclined to believe in the heathen philosopher and ” o who : p et, said Hunger is the best sauce . This diving is a fair sample Of many days at the
o o no Of d llar w rk ; but success came it all , and at a and last there came an end . P tient persevering as
to all had been , and deserving as they did find the treasure that undoubtedly lies hidden in this corner
f o O sea . adven the , the truth must be t ld The turers ot Of o no g tired spending m ney with result, for was no n to all it little expe se keep these men, only able to work at times when wind and tide and
a wo S O a we ther uld permit . at l st it was determined to o o o Of o a bl w up the b tt m the sea, where the d ll rs were supposed to be. Three holes were bored by the miners in the
Of af of as end the Old sh t, the level which w about
f fo f out f o three eet under the waves , rty eet r m the rock .
no o With little tr uble the mine is laid . N O gun
o u n o o o h p wder sed , but dy amite, a c mp siti n muc stronger than gunpowder and employed on ac f . a h count Of its sa ety The l st day as come . Ever since daybreak the two miners have been at wo rk
o n a o w - e f c mpleti g their prep rati ns . T enty thre eet of f f to f e n sa ety use, which will burn twelve fi t e ” m fo a o s two inutes, be re it re ches the h les, give the
to to to Of ff w f men time get the p the cli ith sa ety,
C 1 74 DOLLAR WRE K .
not ho The wind did subside, wever, and our
o not n o sea so diver c uld descend i t the Open , we were forced to leave without being able to dis cover the whereabo uts Of the d ollar bags after
few o u one o all . A m re days in packing p, m re Sunday in the quiet little church that stands at
a to o one o o on the entr nce the c ve, m re str ll al g
a and to o o the be ch, then away again w rk and t il
Of a very dilferent sort .
a f of our t We h ve le t behind evidences visi . Pipes and po les and barrels mark the spot where our camp was pitched ; all that was worth taking
oo no f to the away we t k, but there is e ugh le t mark spot for many a long day to come and Gunwalloe
f o o o who has le t its impressi n up n its visit rs, will not easily forget the many pleasant andhappy hours spent upon its shore in the fruitless search after the "F ll rs lost and buried do a .
o o of 1 8 2 not Oddly en ugh, th ugh the party 7 did . succeed in recovering even a single specimen Of
o o oof o a are dol the l st d llars, pr p sitive th t there lars somewhere about the spot is afforded by the fa a a few o af f ct th t , m nths ter they had le t, the
here is a tra t on that the notor ous a t. v er T di i i C p A y,
’ as he is cal e secrete a ar e uant t Of treasure in h l d , d l g q i y t e san an s Of unwa oe but th s is eneral e eve to d b k G ll , i g l y b li d b e a m sta e and that the oca t was K ennack ov e on i k , l li y C the other s e Of the zar H ea . At an rate a out th id Li d d y , b e year 1 0 a rant Of treasure trov e wa O a n M s t e b . 77 , g b i d y r J ohn m a v h K n a co ector Of custo s t S . es w o s ent s ill, ll I , p ome r h moneyin a f uitless searc .
W 1 76 DO LLAR RECK .
o v e a H we er, determin d on the thing, she s id
o O r n she w uld take Jerry with her and g , j er y bei g lad a t . w her son, a at that time At d yligh they ent
o o ot to o and, sure en ugh, as so n as they g the c ve,
Of o s o to f she saw the bag d llar , well kn wn her rom
on . o her dream . lying the sand While empl yed
for was Of con ripping it up, the bag leather, and
in 1 f so ta ed o cwt. o ab ut silver, me miners espied
o ow o her fo her, and , c ming d n up n , rced the prize ro m f to on her, and ultimately ell am g themselves
. oo n fighting over it Bl d was shed, and duri g the
e o o mel e, the tide c ming in rapidly as it d es here, the waves scattered the pieces in the sand and car
w Of was ried the bag a ay, and the end it that nei
n r o a ther she o they had the d ll rs .
o as to a It must be b rne in mind, the latter p rt
Of a o w had not c the story, th t C rnish recking eased
a o a to da O f eighty years g , and th t this y the miners
B a o f o h are to re ge and Germ e, r m whence t ese said
o o a r o Off o have c me, are pr verbi lly ave y r ugh set ell ws . That they were so then is readily to be believed
o a o Of o or and in c nfirm ti n the ab ve st y, which else
o Of might sav ur the incredible , there are plenty Of traditions as to the battles which used to take place between rival bodies Of men in search Of loot and
' a o f o f s n plunder. One h nded d wn r m ather tO o in
f r a amily at Cu y is narrated at page 1 1 1 . In the
Of a M o latter part the l st century a r. Knill (pr bably WRECKS. 1 77
. o ffi . the Mr Knill, Cust m H ouse O cer at St Ives procured leave to search for treasure trove along the coast in 1 770 ) put forth a curious proposal for
s for o Of cheme the preventi n wrecking, which is “ o w rth a perusal.
Of ll o how The march inte ect and civilizati n have,
ou in a ever, happily br ght their train better state
Of fo o o a things, and the ll wing sh ws that thirty ye rs
ff f n o has since a di erent eeli g was abr ad , which
far I n or Of spread and wide, till, even the c ners
r f - o o - West Barba y, the li e b at and r cket line have taken the place Of the false beacon and treacherous
- signal light . It was in 1 84 5 that a French ship was driven
o l Of a - ash re within twe ve miles the Liz rd head, and
of o the inhabitants P rthleven, the village just by
oo to the L e Bar, rendered every assistance the
u for of o . n tunate crew, all wh m were saved The
so on o o vessel was driven high sh re, that she c uld not ot Off was Of t o as be g , and necessi y s ld she
oo on . a o o st d the beach Gre tly to their h n ur, the
A v ery curious paper came into my hands some time s nce and from ev ence s nce a uce it wou a ear to i , id i dd d ld pp nt one a ov e as a be the production of a M r. Knill me i d b
v . I nt t e A ur ous Custom H ouse offi cer at St. I es t is e i l d C i ” Scheme for the rev ent on Of Wrec n and was wr tten in P i ki g, i the end of the past or beginning of the present century. I t wou be worth re ro u n but wou ma e th s oo too ld p d ci g, ld k i b k large and bulky. 1 78 WRECKS .
o fi who o Of r po r shermen , had best wed much thei
o on r a o Of time and lab ur the p eserv ti n the vessel,
e o one o d clined any remunerati n, and , with s litary
x a a o e ception , begged th t the salv ge m ney might
be o to a was paid ver the houseless str ngers, which a ‘ ccordingly done .
o o of a Of o Apr p s dre ms, in this part the c untry,
fo o Carew, in his Survey, has the ll wing
o fo - workes Of a vallew S me have und tynne gre t ,
o no a ex traordinairie thr ugh means less str nge then ,
‘ r es a ix d eam . S ts to wit, by As in Edw rd the time,
o b to one Tresculierd f a gentlew man, eire , and wi e
' to Lanine a Of seemel , dre med that a man y per
sona e o how Of a g t ld her , in such a tenement l nd , shee should find so great store Of tynne as would
to inrich o herselfe and osteritie serue b th her p . This
s reuealed to a hee her husb nd , and hee, putting the
triall fo aworke fo eer same in , und , which in ure y es was o welneere so o a o w rth him many th us nd p unds .
Moreouer one Ta rel liuin , p , lately g, and dwell
’ i Of the Of call d h the parish hundred West, S .
o dreame Of th N i t , by a like his daughter (see e
Of o a w lucke w men) m de the like assay, met ith
ff fa worke Of v nwittin o the e ect , rmed the the g L rde
f o w to oo a Of a o the S yle, and gre thereby g d st te we lth . The same report passeth as currant touching
. A . ohns. orest r C J F T ees Of B ritain.
1 80 WRECK S.
had l ff large ship, which been driven under the c i s,
o t n was kn wn o be lost. S uch an i cident on that coast was by no means un usual but in the morn ing the people assembled on the D owns to look if any remains Of the vessel were fl oating on the
s o a n o and d wave , were sh cked by he ri g l ud unite cries and groans from persons below the cliff.
om fro o ca They knew that these must c e m s me ve, to which the shipwrecked people had fou nd means to a for f no a and n w att in, the tide le t be ch, they k e too o Of n as no o the imp ssibility helpi g them , b at a ff o in a c . c uld venture, such we ther, under su h cli
r o o n The c ies, h wever, c nti uing, they tried, by let
o a o n ff r n ac to ting d wn b skets with r pes i di e e t pl es,
ffo o f for o - n a rd s me relie , but in vain, the ver hangi g cliff p revented the sufferers from reaching what was n r f I n s o r n e fo . i tended their relie h rt, du i g thre days the same mournful noise was heard it grew
n a r b and fa e the we ke y degrees, till hunger tigu
an Of th probably closed the wretched scene. M y e seal - holes were afterwards searched fo r these hap
in n rf had ro a s a . le s mariners, but v i The su p b bly
r n washed away and dispersed thei remai s . That eighty years ago wrecking had not entirely
e on oa Of o n a ma e c ased the c sts C r w ll, we y believ from the fact that it was only a few years previous that a scheme had been seriously propou nded fo r
en n f he e l the prev ti o O t vi . 1 1 WRECKS . 8
a o o a e Of There is st ry, let us h pe ex gg rated, the
who o a o ff c Of wrecker , pr wling l ng the cli in sear h
ca o a o n n prey, me up n y u g girl cli ging with dying grasp to the rocks with a hand that bore a ring on o ne O f n and in a o out its fi gers, m ment he had his
f and r wa a o o f f kni e cut the ing a y. It is lm st t o ear ul
a cr n Of a o f o but s uti y these tr diti ns, it is eared, w uld only prove that the C ornish wreckers did not come
o by their reputation without reas n. Cyrus Redding relates—and the story is taken up and echoed by other writers pretty numerously ‘ that in the last century one Of the f unscrupulous
Of an tied up the leg . ass at night, hung a lantern
o n and o f lo r u d its neck, dr ve it himsel a ng the edge ' Of ff w so a the cli here he lived, that the h lting motion Of the animal might imitate the plunging Of a to vessel under sail, and thus tempt the seamen run in n was Of oo n , imagi ing there plenty r m , certai destructi on being Of course the only and looked- for result .
a a o H ppily, in these d ys, humanity has pr mpted the nobler instincts Of our nature to do and dare to not to o and n an save, destr y ; ma y are the inst ces
o a o o a on sea rec rded , in lm st every C rnish p rish the
oa Of ro c e b if - o and c st , he i d eds y the l e b at crew the fishermen Of the cove in their efforts to save the
w f - f s cre s o the ill ated ve sels dashedupon their shore . H G N THE OLY WELL AT U WALLOE .
A well there is In the west countr y. A " nd a clearer one never was seen .
' Sou runv .
’ I s t true the springs In rocks hereby
' ’ Doth tidemse ebb and flowe 1
me sa it be it a s soe. F y , ” Camis/c Wonder ean er Gl .
to u o a f LOSE the ch rch p rch, only ew
f o o o eet ver the precipit us r ck, which inpart forms a breakwater and protection from
a of o the w ves, are the remains the H ly
o ort fo of an Well, d ubtless the res in rmer days m y
a lad and maiden .
The spring that once bubbled up in its rocky, basin is no longer there ; sand and stones fill up
o o a on the well at each high tide, and th ugh cc si ally
’ cleaned out for the satisfaction Of the wayfarer s curiosity is yet only an imperfect semblance of its
former self. In heathen times springs and fountains were Oh
ects Of on o to o o j venerati , the g ds delighting h n r
a o Of A a o them, Di na presided ver that rethus , p ets
1 84 TH E HOLY WELL AT GUN WALLOE .
’ Ma s o s o of Madderne s ny are the t rie t ld S . cures, and many are the v irtues ascribed to the waters Of these venerated springs. On the; first three Wednesdays in May mothers would walk from farand near to dip their weak and
o to rickety children in the h ly well, which pertained
t o the healing quali ies, and menti n is made by a writer of a very famous well (the spring Of A lsia) where on one occasion the mother-pilgrims were a a a att cked by the vill gers, who caught the str ngers
‘ dipping their precious weaklings in the enclosed
f or part o the well, the place whence they drew their water.
' T o drop pins lnto the well for the cure Of warts
o a c is a comm n pr cti e even at the present day. To these springs were attributed not only medi
o r n o o cinal pr pe ties, but under certai c nditi ns much f and more wonder ul mysterious influences .
Water water te me trul , , ll y, I s the man I lov e duly n the Earth or un r th o O , de e s d, — Sick or welL in the name of God?
B o o o of y the credul us, Hydr mancy, the divinati n the future by the appearance and m ovement Of the
was o —a waters in the well, c mmonly practised n remnant Of the early creeds of the world . I their
f a of th simple aith, the m idens e village have THE HOLY WELL AT GUNWALLOE. 1 8 5
f a o o O ten g thered r und the h ly well , and in the still
Of o ness the summer evening, dr pped their pebbles and o a to pins int the w ter, eager see what sweet
ar o who a and he ts w uld be united and p rted, great
to a i was the skill required re d ar ght the omens .
I f o o the the pins, when dr pped int wishing well
or s a f remained united epar ted, such was the ate fo o for o of ret ld the l vers. The number bubbles
a fo o of r ised [in the water ret ld the number years,
n to o . etc . , etc . , in a swer the questi n Sometimes the sacred bramble leaves were used sometimes the waters themselves were supposed to - o a o answer the all imp rt nt questi ns, and many are the stories on record concerning their good or evil portent . That Gunwalloe was considered by the country folk a well of some importance there can be little
o for one in d ubt, day the year, which was called
Gunwalloe Da a for out y, was set part cleaning this — holy well it was quite at a different time of year — to this parish feast and now only remembered by two Old men out Of the whole population of the "E lace p .
Th ar h f a t i n th t n A r I n th e p i s e s s o e las Su day in p il . e a in all Rom n Calendar S . W w oe is honoured on the 3 March but these two old men fix unwal oe in Ma month ecause G l , y , b it was the time of tilling barley. 86 THE HO Y W 1 L ELL AT GUNWALLOE .
They fix the time in their memories as the
o of for a on peri d tilling barley, they recollect th t this Gunwalloe Day it was the custom for the men to mend all the cliff roads (doubtless these were use ful in days of smuggling when a successful run was
a n and so was desirable thi g), that strictly it kept if f that, any were ound labouring in the fields, a
o fo s party would g and take them by rce, and pres
o Of a who them int the service the holiday m kers, , having mended the roads and cleared the holy well
at e n Gunwallo , wound up the day with merrime t
and revelry.
f s oo a O tentime , close to the well, there st d
o a o h ly cross, and these would disappe r nly when the wells themselves began to lose their
sa ma cred character. At the present time there y often be seen near by the once sacred spring or
the s o the f of oss well, ba e int which sha t the cr
was fixed .
one o There is at Gunwalloe, cl se to the
of a . o e side the churchyard wall, immedi tely ab v
o the well, and pr bably by the very path which was once commonly used to descend to the rocky
on o basin the sh re.
s o of o isafair These t nes, which the one ab ve named — specimen are generally flat stones of about three f a soffi r Of to eet square , with t in the cent e the size
THE CA E RTH
F O CAMDEN .
And after that came woful melie , E , With fi re in han as was that time the ise d, g , To d n th m o e o ce of funeral service . l CH A UCER The Knightes Tae.
i um autem B rittanni v ocant uum s lvas im editas vallo Opp d , q y p ’ rs munierun uo v e atque fo a t q , incursionis hostium vitanda cauée , con ” — nire oonsuev erunt. D l v a! sar e e lo Gall. 1 . C , B . 7
0 much has been written on the rude me
’ morlals ‘ O f o a ar an s C rnw ll s e ly inhabit t , that it would seem alm ost impossible to
add n a no a . o a ything Dr. B rl se, t bly having exhau sted the whole subject Of C ornish an tiquities so far as they had been brought to light
Ms da r o o or on c in y, whethe m n liths, st e cir les,
o s n or o . tumuli, cr mlech , impleme ts c ins
N O new n a as thi g is ttempted here ; but, in the
a Of c o o r e on n a o Da c se the Old ust ms bse v d Gu w ll e y,
r two old and o n they we e remembered by men,
a h or at os few ars o their de t , m t in a ye , w uld
n for o n so r in have been e tirely g tte , the e is Gun walloe Of so n r a O f the site me very interesti g em ins, AERT H F THE C O CAM DEN . 1 89 which there is no written record to fix the exact
o n to the Of o in sp t, and Ope peril Oblivi n , which
ma o this case, we y h pe , is timely averted . ” a o inhis r a a n r C mden menti ns B it nni , that ea to “ a Ocrinnm of o is a fortifica the Liz rd , the Pt lemy, " o a e a fo Of s on w ti n c ll d E rth, rmed t es, filled up ith out an e in a a c of c o y cem nt l rge cir le , whi h s rt are
n o s o e o o o ma y m re di p s d ab ut the c untry, I supp se a ” c st up in the wars with the Danes .
S ammes fr u n o e r a , eq e tly qu t d by the histo i n
Polwhele a o Of n of an an , m kes menti n the remai s cient fortification that in his days existed in the
n Of LOO oo a o c vici ity the P l, ne r Helst n, whi h he supposed to be Phoenician of this ancient for “ c no v est e at resent re tress , Hit hens writes, ig p ” mains Polwhele e wor ar . giv s the d E th a deri “ ” onf o r a o and r a vati r m A th, high, b ve, ce t inly that accords with the site Of the circle lately iden tified w c on a o , hi h is a hill , between Gunw ll e and
B r a h i n n Dr. o se b Vo . ar not me t o e b l. 1 2 . E t s , p 4 i d y l y that name ; but it may be one Of the sev en in a tract Of eight miles in the narrowest and westernmost part Of the county ma e b Dan sh nv a ers and therefore art of the d tch or d y i i d , p i v a um is un n she and the hav e B r t sh names from some ll fi i d, y i i I n acc r an e w th th s the Corn sh memorable exploit. o d c i i i ” v a ers ca them fortifications — much more ro a ill g ll , p b bly,
h owev er the hav e een use for se u ture. , y b d p l T 1 90 THE CAER H OF CAMDEN .
P l m o ew s tlz i. e a e C ve Caer . c j o , , stl , or hill city, see s m to be uch nearer the mark . There seems little reason to doubt the accuracy of o for o the identificati n , the auth r having hunted f s and o o a and ruitle sly up d wn the c ast line, e st
w of Loo oo on one of est the e P l, at length lighted
the old villagers in Gunwalloe ninety years Of age, and from whom so much that is of interest has been a if g thered since, and asking him he remembered a place called Earth the old man immediately de
o Crickabella scribed the sp t at , adding that there
no o now for a o are st nes there , many years g
o v f o (near ab ut se enty) the armer, h lding the land
f of Gw lls o n and arm y , carted away the m u d, which ” for re was a large one, dressing the land . He f membered this per ectly .
o of o out On an examinati n the site p inted , there are clear traces in a circle of large stones having
o o a o been there nce, and pr bably c nsiderable
o fa has a m und, as the sur ce all the irregul r appear ance of a place dug out in the hap -hazard manner
f r a o of a country a m l b urer. S o farit is probable that to the retentive memory ofthe old Cornish man above named we owe the pre
’ servation of the site o f Camden s Earth Then
o fo o c mes the query, was it a rtification pr perly
1 92 THE CAERTH OF CAMDEN .
i a A n rowse two rows v nex t h ll t g , bar ha e been a b W. o o o ene . p d and described y C pel nd B rlase , Esq
in his N oenia Corunbim and of m , in each the
fo s and o s o were und urn , ashes, human b ne . An ther
at Pradanack o b 1 8 1 was pened y him in 7 , and
found also to contain a vessel filled with bones .
Clahar a o B och m At G rden, nce in y , and where
oo an to c o at st d ancient chapel , whi h the cr ss Pra
danack o l o wa a a pr bab y p inted the y, there was l rge barrow ; this also was found to contain several urns
h and flints o n was re wit ashes , when the m u d “ moved by the tenant farmer f or agriculturalpur
It seems more than probable that we have here
ke to o n c ar ow the y the wh le thi g. Sepul hral b r s
o on ff Of a of o Ba and ab und the cli s th t side M unts y, nothing more likely than that the farmer should per ceiv e a c o a Of c that the d rk un tu us e rth , whi h the
o co o o r m unds were mp sed, w uld be very fit d essing r fo the land . Why not this circle Of Earth It was a mound was carted away by the farmer for an and o a had n o en b the l d, pr b bly it bee p ed y ” r o Of N oenia o a or an the lea ned auth r C rnubi , y o ar f a a the n ther discreet and c e ul antiqu ri n, cha ces are it would have been found to contain an urn o r
a o o urns, standing in the bl ck unctu us m uld which
a f f c a m rked the uneral pile O the an ient de d . THE AERTH or CAMD N 1 C E . 93
“ A French writer despairingly asks Que de
ont o r ont été buttes Celtiques disparu, d nt les te res po rtées dans les champs pour y nourrir les blés ? Ne voyons- nous pas tous les j o urs encore les cultiva ’ Locmara uer et -cc teur fouiller les buttes de q , n est
o a ! o é a uf‘ pas acette c utume, hel s tr p r p ndue q
’ l On doit découverte de la grotte du Mané- Lud This is what happens on the south coast Of Brit tany ; this is what is continually happening on our own o — o o to a u our c ast the barr ws g m n re land, the
' crosses to form our gate postsrl
one o fo There is curi sity which, und near the cross
o Pradanack o o and barr w at , ab ve menti ned, is
r o o no o wo th rec rding, th ugh it has real c nnecti on with the two parishes which are subject o f this
“ ” d s our st s ans l or ou uet u e e e e han. F q , G id T i d M bi p . 6 1 2 .
Th is is what happened with the stone in Men -Perhen of B or ase in onstant ne—A stone 20 feet a ov e the roun l C i b g d, and ur feet in it ar e enou h to ma e more than 20 s fo , l g g k tone gate — f r the farmer who estro e it. B or ase A osts o nt . p d y d l iq , p .
. a r on in 1 8 in th sam 1 6 e t 1 . te 6 e e ar s 5 , di 754 L , 9, p i h, the ma n cent o men or aen Roc was destro e the g ifi T l ( M k) y d, gra nite rocks on whi ch it had rested for years being blown u w th un ow er and so th s monument of ant u t fe p i g p d , i iq i y ll, c r remar s u as a chron e o rna Ro a nst. of Cornwa i l k (J l y l I ll, f th t f I o. e ore e cu o the X Xth c nt N b pidi y e ury.
Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacrafames 1 94 THE CAERT E OF CAM DEN .
f o . o al w rk It is a matrix an antique Christian se ,
ot r r s already n iced by the write , in the B iti h Ar
ae o o o for 1 8 ch l gical J urnal 74 , and derives its main interest from the surroundings Of the place wherein it was discovered .
fo Of on o h It is rmed br ze, and is very rude and r ug
o o of r f e th in w rkmanship, pr bably the ea ly fi te n
r o a fo r centu y, th ugh it may be l te urteenth centu y date . It has in the centre a cross standing on an apex formed by two lines with the letters I HC at th e
a o n the a are o VANPI ES b se . R u d se l the w rds
TOI n n o , and the lege d a d m nogram together will
a I . H . C. VANGI ES TOI f re d , , (Jesus avenge thysel ) .
PRADAN ACK ROSS M U LLYON . C ,
H ht et inches bread”: 2 eet 1 inc/l. On tile ev eig 5 fe 3 , f r erse
is earand in relie a lain Latin oss side f p cr . CAERTH OF C AMD 1 THE EN . 95
’ fo 1 8 8 or 6 f 6 . . o It was und in 9 by Mr J Thomas, M ull on on ownf who w o y , his arm, thus rites c ncerning it I accidentally discovered it near the edge of
ff on own fa at a Men the cli my rm, a pl ce called ” P d c o o o ra ana k . tikel P int, c mm nly called Head At the time I was crouching under a large rock to
f o o Of ai shelter r m a heavy sh wer r n, and picked up
s a f o the e l at my eet, the place having been tr dden ” r o bare by the sheep getting unde the r ck . The bare hill on which it had laid so long gives us no assistance in discovering to whom it could
a o or how or wh fo h ve bel nged, the y it und its way to its hiding place that it is a seal of a pri v n and a ate i dividual seems evident, there are a gre t ma Of ff ny similar character, but bearing di erent
f sh n o o O . lege ds, in the c llecti n the Briti Museum “ N ot very far from M entikel is another relic o f the Christian faith from time immemorial a Latin cross has stood there close to the site of an
a to a o ancient ch pel, which in d ys g ne by it was d oubtless the guide like the. oratory itself it may “ have been erected by some pious individual pro ” é for of o anim , the sake his s ul
Sto wear r m sto and ra p , y Pilg i , p p y, F or the kind soul of Sybil Grey ” Who built this cross andwell . S TT; S1 R W. CO 1 6 TH E CAERTH OF AM D 9 C EN .
’ t e o the a Whe h r, however, the cr ss, and ch pel at
Clahar a Trenance hard by, and another at , ne r
Boch m an o y , have yconnecti n with the seal in ques
for of t tion must remain still a mystery, hem in their
f re ancient condition there is no record . The act mains that they all bear upon and around them the
of f of at emblems the ancient aith, which they are
o d once the mem rials an witnesses.
Th s cross wh ch is scu ture on oth s es is ured i , i lp d b id , fig ’ " f in J . T . Blight s Ancient Crosses and other Antiquities o ” ornwal ate 8 in the e t o s to enzance 1 8 6 and C l, Pl 4 di i n 4 , P , 5 ,
v ol. 1 8 8 . ii, 5
1 98 REM INISCENCES OF THE
f o and o was that o their native t ngue, this pr bably
o f a o the surest meth d o suppressing its use lt gether,
and rendering it in the end extinct while, in Wales,
r r was a o and has o the cont a y system d pted , it pr ved ’ f e an ua the preservation o th ir l g ge .
o n of n o has Dr. M rema , Vicar Menhe i t , the credit of being the first to teach his people to say the
’ o a Lord s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten C mm nd
o and a ments in the English t ngue, he did te ch
-: and catechise them thereon 1
a 1 60 2 a o and C rew, in , says, the princip l l ve f a a K n o o . e nall kn wledge the l ngu ge lived in Dr ,
l eth for the civilian, and with him y buried , the Eng
o oac o and a h lish speech d th still encr h up n it, h t
w ’ W . S ca en s reat e o th C orn sh an a T i s n e i L gu ge. ' ' M r man is me t on d in th t n r l Thi s Dr. o e n i e e pe itio p esented
to E dward VI . by the Cornwall and Dev on insurgents in fav our of the old form Of worship We will not receiv e th e n w r a e se vi ce bec use it is but like a Christmas game. We w hav e our old serv ce of M at ns ass E v enson and ill i i , M , g, rocess on as it was efore and we the Corn sh whereo P i b ; , i , f certain o us understand no E n lis/z do utter refuse the new f g , ly ” v T h 1 1 th f hes famou 1 art c i r ser ice. e o t e s 5 i les s cu ious ‘ W . e w hav e Dr M oreman and Dr. Cr s n wh ch ill i pi , i ho d our o n ons to be safe sent unto us and to them w l pi i , ly e ’ re u re the n s M a est to v e some certa n v n s to q i Ki g j y gi i li i g , ” reach amon us our Catho c fa th . I f th s be the D r p g li i i , M oreman Of M enheniot it is strange that h e sh ould be among
the first to teach his people the E nglish serv i ce. COR S A A NI H L NGU GE. 1 99
driven the same into the uttermost skirts of the s o Of hire. M st the inhabitants can speak no word of
o r few are o of C rnish, but ve y ign rant the English , and yet some so affect their own as to a stranger they will not speak it for if meeting them by
ou or an chance y inquire the way y such matter,
o a nav idra cow y ur answer shall be, Mee za Sawz ”
. no ax ona e neck (I can speak S g . ) In 1 663 only one person is said to have been
fo who o o und c uld write the C rnish language, but
1 6 8 o o h in 7 a serm n was preached in C rnis by Rev.
o o o of n Mr. R bins n, Rect r La dewednack, and this is said to have been the last occasion on which that , language was used in the public service of the “ m o . F or o naries or church s e time, h wever, the g ,
o to o miracle plays , c ntinued be acted in C rnish.
o v N rden , in his Sur ey, gives this quaint account of the language The Cornish people for the moste parte are
n of o o desce ded British st cke, th ugh muche mixed
a o o bloude nu since with the S x n and N rman , but til! of late years retayned the British speache un f a F corrupted as theirs o W les is . or the South
a man understandeth not f o W les per ectly the N rth .
a man and o a s man of W les , the N rth W le but little a man o o . the C rnish, but the S uth W les much The
ronounciation Of to n d ff the p the gue i ers in all, but 20 0 REMINISCENCES OF THE
o far the e s to o C rnish is a ier be pr nounced . But of late the Cornish men have conformed them s the use of o and elves to the English t ngue, their
is to a th e English equal the best, especi lly in Eastern parts ; even from Truro eastward is in a manner wholly English . In the weste parte Of the
o Of K errier c unty, as in the hundreds Penwith and ,
Cornishe o the tongue is m stly in use, and yet it is to a o f be marvelled th t th ugh husband and wi e ,
’ a a do e p rents and children, master and serv untes,
o a ua mutually c mmunicate in their native l ng ge, yet there is none of them but in manner is able to converse with a stranger in the English tongue un less it be some obscure persons that seldom con
o v erse with the better s rt. In the time Of the Civil War ( 1 644 ) there is an entry in the diary of one of the Royalist soldiers to the effect that The language is spoken alto
Goonhill M a not far f o gether at y (in ene ge, r m the
’ o a Lizard), and ab ut Pendennis and the L nd s End n n they speak o E glish . All beyond Truro they a ” speak the Cornish l nguage. Lh d 1 0 . . u of In 7 7, Dr Ed y gives a list parishes
u o n and in which the lang age was then sp ke , this
a o not and a list includes Gunw ll e but Cury, he dds that many of the inha itants of these parishes b ,
do not tlz especially the gentry, understand it, ere
REMINI SCENCES OF THE
o unhiled His h wse were , f ” And ull i yvel dight . ’ ke tale o Game n ( Co s f ly .
to . To hell the building is cover it, slate it in “ K eenl — f y Having a avourable appearance. A ” o brave keenly cr p .
um— of o o Pl S t. D ugh is said t be plum when raised with yeast. ’ f ho to A armer near the Lizard , w was confined
and o of o his bed by illness, c mplained a distensi n of t to o o his s omach, heard his h rr r that a pitcher of yeast had been accidentally upset into the well f o a r m which came the w ter he had drank. Then, “ a — ’ he cried, that expl ins my complaint I m plum ” ming .
Tlte Piskies or are o fo a , Pixies, a C rnish lk peculi r
o o ff in themselves, nly n ticed here, as the indi erent pronunciation of the word is analogous to that of f “ h ad” o o os e . h gshead, as ten used g One Old fisher
a how o a Of explained , when sked many h gshe ds
’ pilchards the catch contained Tedna hogshead
’ ’ ’ hos ed Who h r c . ee d o I tell c . Tes a g ever tell a ’ ’ ” h ed pig s head full of pilchards Tes a osg .
Related by Thomas Garland in a paper contained in the ” ourna of the Ro a nst tution of ornwa Vol. I . A r J l y l I i C ll, , p il,
1 86 . 1 . 5 , p 5 CORN S A I H L NGUAGE . 20 3
cat— or to S Split burst ; hence scat, or be bankrupt .
l — o f Wis zt o o . 0 Melanch ly, rl rn N English syno nym is expressive enough for the meaning of this word .
a on cd. . L timer uses it (Serm s, Parker , p
o o o And when they perceived that S l m n, by
a of f was no the dvice his ather, a inted King, by and — all o by there was all whisht, their go d cheer ” n was do e. A person looking ill and sorrowful is said to be
looking wisht . n and A miner killed by accide t, having a large “ ” f o n . amily, w uld be a wisht thi g One correspondent suggests as the equivalent the desiderium grief for a lost friend of H orace Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus Tam cari capitis ?
Wislet All this is included in , but that is not ” fo and enough r this expressive simple term . lip - raising - Applied to thanksgiving in the
“ ” ournal Ro a I nst. ornwa M arch 1 86 . 2 . J y l , C ll, , 4 , p 5 A
” ' st of O so ete Wor s b T . . Couch wh ch howevei Li b l d , y Q , i , , are not all o so ete as man of th e a ov e st are nc u e in b l , y b li i l d d his cata o ue and these are all common enou h st in West l g , g ill w Corn all. 20 4 REM 1 N 1 scEN CEs OF THE
“ u f o ch rching o w men . To go to be churched “ ” - is to be up raised . A plum pudding or plum cake is changed into fi ggy pudding or cake, and in the same manner “ ” raisins are called figs. Every one of these words mentioned are as com
mon as possible in the Lizard district . The well-known couplet of the old writers runs
B P0 1 y Tre, , and Pen
You h o s all kn w the Cornish men . And certainly there are no lack of places and
f : - - avethan names to veri y it Tre gear, Tre g , Tre
- idean o o - i- a widden, Tre g , pr n unced Treg gi n, and “ ’ meaning a giant s dwelling the famous Tre
ea le - woofe - lissick - reiffe Pol- g g , Tre , Tre , Tre , wyn ,
Pol-withan Pol- - wor ie Pol- z e Po l- ri ons , tre g , py , g gg ,
- - - allinick or Pen and Pen alverne, Pen braze, Pen c ,
k f r hallin . o o y These are but specimens, in a gl ssary of Cornish names before me at the time of writing
o 2 0 this I c unt names beginning with Tre, 4 1 0 n P0 . beginni g with , and 35 beginning with Pen
Tre signifies ahouse or dwelling. What is usually called in Cornwall a town -place is a farm -house
and now a or and its outbuildings , even the vill ge
o few or o c ttages, many, gathered r und the church , goes by the name of Church - town ; so that none
o of of w uld ever speak the village Cury, but
- Cury Church town .
20 6 R EM1 N 1 SCEN CEs OF THE
f e for o oo ow a avourite plac c ursing hence G n, a d n ;
b to — o and . ellia, hunt Hunting d wn These are curious in their pronu nciations and
o now meanings, and their connecti n with a dead language ; but what shall be said of the cu riosity of a pronunciation such as belongs to a farm in
r Millewarne o one Cu y, named , pr nounced by and
ellorian all B . The antiquity of the Tre P0 1 and Pen is to be
’ ” seen in Andrew Borde s Book of Knowledge in a few O f the Cornish proverbs
bedav er w l to o o to tr - law My y L nd n y the , To sue Tre P0 1 and Pen fo r wagging Of a a str w.
a o h Better cl ut t an a hole out.
o o o M re rain m re rest, m re water will suit the ” ducks best .
o a o r da C rnw ll will bear a sh wer eve y y, and ” o on a tw Sund y.
o a and a a a Cr ss style, g te h rd by,
’ o a w ow fo ou Y u ll be id be re y die . A Saturday or a Su nday moo n
o n C mes once i seven years too soon .
one ou ma a w two ou With child y y w lk, ith y may ride
When you have three at home you must bide .
o o o lann and o Th se that cann t w rk must p y, th se COR S A A 20 NI H L NGU GE . 7 that cannot planny must lowster hard manual labour) .
and ma ome to It will amuse y interest s readers, see a good specimen of the C ornish language at
ff o and a a f o di erent peri ds, that ppended is t ken r m a a b r n fo p per read y Hen y Jen er, Esq. , be re the Philological Society in 1 873 SPE CI M E N S OF T H E COR N I S H LAN GUAG E AT
VARI OUS P E R I ODS .
1 t]: centur tlze end o tlze la Ort aM an i s y ( f p y, g d ). Y v ennath theugh yn tyen H is blessing to you wholly K effrys gorryth ha benen As well to men and women Flogholeth (And to) children An uare u due l mm n The a is o ne now g y y y pl y d , H a the welas an passyon And to see the passion A Jhesus hep gorholeth Of J esus without delay A worthev ys Crys ragon Which Christ suffered for us: A v orowe deug a dermyn TO- morrow come in time
Hag eus pub dre Andgo all (of you) home. ’ A a h an Tas M nstr la as I n the name of the ather b rt , e e r F , m nstre s ra P u h har . ebo g w e i l , I p y,
Pipe at once. ’ E arly 1 7t/z century (tlze end of 7 ardan s Creation Dewh a v r w a rm n ome to- morrow in t me e o o e de y C i , Whyaweallmatters purv ras You shall see matters v ery H a redempcon grauntys great Der v erey a Thew an Tase Andredemption granted Tha sawya neb es kellys Through the mercy of God M enstrels row h thou e a the ather , g g yp b F
M ay hallan warbarthe down T o sav e him who is lost. stre s do to us e ssya Min l , pip , ’ hat we ma to ether ance Dell ew an v anar han T y g d , s is the manner and the geys. A
sport (guise) . 20 8 REMI N ISCEN CES OF THE
Ciro. 1 0 0 ( rom a Cornish stor iv en b Lhu d andPr ce 7 f yg y y y ) , Ha pa tera diuadan vledan And when the year was e vester a dis uedaz daedo an one his master sh w q d , e ed to ” ua him h t tre ens. Mir Dzh n t e hree oun s. See i p , , p d , med e vester bma de u ohn sa his master here , y g J , id , ber ; bez mar menta rei dem is thy pay ; but if thou wilt arta me adeskadiz ken o nta ve it to me a a n w , p i gi g i , I ill ” ki n Dreu hedna med teach thee a o nt of wis s a s. , p i ” ” “ m e v es dom. B r i h r Dzhuan. N a ed n t e e sa , i g , id ” ter rei dem ha me a v edn ohn. N o sa his master , , J , id , ” ” r dan v e it o m lav eral diz. Keme en t e and w te , gi , I ill ll ” ” ” m h . a i med Dzhuan. N anna ed t ee e t to thee sa , T k , id ” e v ester amer w th na re ohn. hen sa his mas , K i y J T , id ara an v or oth ra an v or ter ta e care not to eav e g g g , k l ” h i v a h l a noweth. E nna ds e a r t e o d ro d for the new ” h n a gidniaz rag bledan moy rag road. T e they b rgained f pokar guber. or a year more for the same a p y. m 1 776 (the Letter of Willia B odenor) . B luth v ee ewe try egance My age iS ‘ threescore and ha ein Theatra v ee ean fi v e I am a oor sherman p p d , p fi , I adack an oseas me ri earn orn sh wh n s bo j p , g did l C i e I wa n a deskys Cornouack terme me boy. I was at sea with my M v e de more fa er and fiv m n mor n a v ee maw. e e th e e e i
en cara vee a cm ean oat scarce h ear on g p p d b , I did ly e mo en coc me ri scant wor of E n sh s en in the y k, g d gli pok w r c owes e en er Sows oat for a w lo e l d g b eek together. I nack cowes en cock rag sythen hav e not ev er seen a Cornish
N ri av i ath . war bar. 0 g ee b sc book I learnt Cornish going
wellas ev er Cornua k . M o a w th l g l c e t se i o d folk. There deskey C ornouack mous da are not more than four or fi v e mor gen tees coath . N ag es in our town can speak Corni sh mo v el a er e em en now old eo e of fours r y p g p p p , p pl co e r an n ll a d e ye e classi Corni sh years. Cornish is all forgot ben l oa h a le ob e c t ere ance ten oun o e. ,p p g g by y g pe pl blouth . Cornouack ewe all neceaves v en o k p ble younc . z io REMINISCEN CES OF TH E
weth s ennab s ricar n cef e a mar el tra g y y y , p ll ( p l clap an terminnyowma han wlas dyrrya) an eof kemmys es pernys theworthan ny han curyn ny gans an Pow na boz tennys m eas than ffleghes es tha denethy. Reys yn gwent milchamath ny yn Castell Sudley yn dek v as dyth mys Heddra in blethan myll whegh cans dewghans ha r t y.
E R R N LIT AL T A SLATI ON .
The good regard shewn to the county of Cornwall by his M aj esty the first King Charles maybe read in the declaration that is here o ow n v e cet f ll i g, id li
har C les King. We are so highly taken with the more than great things r r moi h v el mear eth w ta en towar s us ou [o de , g p y ] k d by r count of ornwa the ov e of them to uar our erson y C ll, l g d p , and the true fitness of our Crown (at a time [when] we could r n so tt e to our safet or the r he at a t me when no b i g li l y i lp, i t an rewar m ht be seen but tter reat an ers s o e y d ig , bi g d g p k harsh wor s a a nst o e ence and o a hearts the r reat d g i b di l y l ), i g andhigh courage and their patience without weariness in so
reat wor a a nst so stron enem es tus adrok lit. eo e g k g i g i [ , p pl of ev ac e b so the Corn sh wor is e e towns il], b k d y [ i d ill gibl ] , f eo e and so fa r urn h w th wea ons li fu o f s e t. ll p pl i ly i d i p ( , swor s mone s ace lit. conv en ence of ac n and d ), y, p ( , i pl i g) , ever sort of t h n to be eaten andb the won erfu sav n y ( i g) , y d l i g of the will of God Almighty (but with the loss Of high people of worth who will not ev er be by us forgotten) to reward their loyal hearts and their patience with manywonderful victories l ws a wrest n term v er n m s to h m and u it. thro o e e e t e s ( , , li g ) i , in spite of all probability of the sons of men and Of all the ev il that could be imagined that as we cannot forget so r at ans so we cannot but hav e oo w to s ea we o g e p i , g d ill p k ll f th m to the wor and to remem er in all t me the r ood e ld, b i i g wor s and the oo rece t on of us o them An for tha k , g d p i t d t end we do ma e our ro a honour to that count w th the ( ) k y l y, i COR S A A NI H L NGU GE. 2 1 I
highest v oice and in the way that can most endure that we n w d r can find good. A d e o make wo d how the reason and matters of this be written with Oil-iron printed) and sent a roa and rea in ev er church and cha e that is th r b d d y p l e e, and be e t there for a recor of the same tha s k p d , t ( o long as the report of these times and country endure) the remem brance of how much is held towards us and our Crown by that county may be held good to the children that are to be
born to posterity). Giv en at our camp of war in Castle Sudley the roth day
of the month of October in the year 1 64 3.
N OTE S .
a e 20 ne 1 1 . Ytho n shou be than n . Th s i P g 9, li y ld y y i s an O form foun in the orn sh Dramas but wh ch ou ld , d C i , i w ld hav een in u as at as th 1 th c r hardly e b se l e e 7 entu y. — m of also th m ne 1 . A l a a ate for e utat on of alse Li 4 g , l ( i g , — a al a n we were a e. The is soft so it shou hav e g y bl g , ld l been written aj a. — f rm f n 1 . Gan a ate o o a an our . Li e 4 , l g ( ) — w res or w r n 1 . we thas for e e as W h w r e G r e s a ed . Li 5 , g , g ( l , g ) This insertion of th occurs again in the case of merthus n 2 2 for r (li e ) me ys. — ne 1 6. Pero has for ero las We sh er l at n Li g , p g ( l , p yg L i
periculum). — n 1 i . Th u a C rn f m i n e 8. S n thder e su o sh or s s thens Li o l i q y , but the translator seems to hav e taken the B reton shniz der
t f B r an s ni pronounced in some parts o itt y o dhder) . — r f rm f m c ne 1 . S cooth es a a t c e o e ro s outh Com. Li 9 y , p i ipl d (
Voca . 1 81h cent. a shou er hence e u v a ent to b , , ld ; q i l ” h E n h c hav e nev er met w th the v erb e s t e glis ba ked . I i l e where.
ne 2 0 . Tehl s ro a from tahel a th n or instru Li y , p b bly , i g “ ment hence furn she does not occur e sewhere. , i d l wo h f v . l z f m from al es rt o a u ne 2 a v a or e t v e . Li 4 T g , d ( , l ) T is soft oes not occur e sewhere the usua v er n he g ; d l , l b bei g 0 taly or dill. 2 1 2 REM INISCENCES OF TH E
- — ne 2 8. Perrico for erth co r m Li fi p y f to hold e embrance. — nes 0 and 2 . Thoren for deren a ate form of th Li 3 3 , l e
resent 1 st ers. . of urthil to do or na wr n p ( p pl ) g , ; igi lly g e ’ b mutat on wren w th the w har hear w th the in n ( y i , i dly d), i te v si e prefix do. n 2 — e f m e . M 2 or as or . mad as in B reton oo . Li 3 , ( ig , ), g d I n the date the translator has used Gwent milchamath ” lit. a n of war to s n f cam andfor some unaccount ( pl i ) ig i y p, a e reason ro a from a va ue ea a out Phe nicians bl , p b bly g id b , has intro uce the H e rew wor milchamath as d d b d n?) ”bu( ), ” an e u v a ent for war thou h he hadit v er oo orn s q i l , g y g d C i h e wor cas. We sh cad r sh rea to han . As t d ( l , ; I i , CAT) dy d h ’ co of th s etter in the useum M S. is in Kei win s han py i l M g d, and he accor n to his e ta h com ose b W l am , di g pi p , p d y il i ’ Gwavas u she in B or ase s H stor was a H r (p bli d l i y, eb ew scho ar the resence of th s wor in a ece of orn sh is l , p i d pi C i not of the smallest v alue in support of either the Phoenician theory or of the J ewi sh one (founded on an erroneous et mo o or araz on for in common w th most y l gy M i , , i Ce h o o ers of his ate he was ro a nfecte w th ltic p il l g d , p b bly i d i one orboth of these crazes.
MAR RE KS.
This translation of the letter of King Charles the Martyr to the people of Cornwall is written (very
dof o K ei win man illegibly) in the han J hn g , a well known to all students of Cornish as the translator ’ “ ” of Jordan s play Of The Creation of the World
of Old 1 th o of o and the s century p em the Passi n . The language used is the vulgar Cornish of the 1 7th
1 8 is so and th century, but it much diversified with forms of an earlier date that it is very doubtful if
2 1 O S A A 4 C RNI H L NGU GE .
a of o time, and indeed e rlier, had been s tened int h or o a o . , dr pped lt gether The initial mutations are for the most part
or o an a disregarded , else used with ut y gr m matical o a a of un reas n, and there is a gre t de l
o o decidedness ab ut spelling, which, h wever, was
’ often visible in K eigwin s English (see his trans l ti a ons) . THE WEST COUNTRY FOLKS
AN D R R THEI CU IOSITIES.
I n wi ’ nters tedious nights sit by the fire With oo oldfol s andlet them tell h l g d k , t e ta es Of woful a es lon a b i — o et . K G . R1CHARD 1 1 g g g d .
T is far from improbable that in ancient days the pemnsula of the M enedg was a well - peopled district even up to the time
o f a ao Edw rd III . The extr rdinary number of its churches would appear to warrant
o o a the suppositi n . In the c untry districts t the
da o a o f o ra o present y the p pul ti n, r m emig ti n and
o a ther causes, is surely decre sing, and it is well attested that the plague at various periods made extensive ravages through the whole county if we may judge of the number of victims in every part
o a of o by the register, qu ted by Willi m W rcester,
l o it must have been a l but decimati n . In registro apud Bodman ecclesiam Pratum Mi
o a n e univ ersam n rum, m g a pestil ncia per mundum , — inter Saraenos et postea inter Christianos incepit
o et prim in Anglia circa kalend , Augusti, parum 2 1 6 WEST COUNTRY
N ativitatem o intrav it Bodminiae ante D mini villam , ubi mortui fuerunt circa mille quingentos per esti macionem; et numeros fratrum defunctorum a capi tulo generali Lugdunize celebratum anno Christi 1 1 U l n 35 . sque ad a iud seque s capitulum gene
f fratribus millia octin enti rale, uit ac tres decem g ” a in ex ce tis ic riis oct ta v a . g tres , p sex And tradition says that the estates of Hawks bramble and K iddons were annexed to the parish
’ of o o of r Exminster in Dev n, in rec mpense its vica s manly resolution in burying the dead o f the parish
c t s o to whi h hose estate riginally belonged .
r a if f o o o of old Ce tain it is th t , only a air pr p rti n
o of Cornish rec rds be true, the people this land
hard o must have been a very y race, w rthy succes sors of the giants of the mythic or the knights of
o the medieval peri d . Some of the native historians are very diffuse in their narratives of extraordinary instances of longe v it f o one yand activity, and r m them maybe selected .
l o o o f Polwhe e . t O menti ns a Mr C le, rec r Lan d n ck who 1 20 h ewed a , was years Old when e
i 1 6 of fo fo o died n 83, whom he had und the ll wing m o o of andat emorandum Th mas C le, minister
one mom on foo f o d the Lizard, went t r m the Lizar to n c t 1 and d Penry , whi h is a least 3 miles, returne a da on foo to at gain the same y te Lizard , which
2 1 8 WEST CO UNTRY
o r o o o of a o am ng them a ve y large pr p rti n t ll pe ple,
o o f many, b th men and w men, being six eet
r o d o high . Que y, may not b th tra iti n and his
or o — one o a o of o t y be c rrect the c nfirm t ry the ther, — and bearing out the tradition the Spanish name
of o é o o J s is a c mm n one in the headland . Of Cornwall her sons have been always ' proud
and if of , many her battle fields are still hidden in the obscurity which necessarily hangs over her early
o o to of o s hist ry, en ugh there is tell C rnish prowes
and o Who has o C rnish might. that cr ssed the ” Tamar has not heard the famous Trelawny song
fo a a s be re he returned g in, and even in the day
’ of a not England s e rly kings, poets were wanting
’ to vaunt the valour and sing the praise of Arthur s sons
M Blaum a n or of o ichael p y , Michael C rnwall, A D 1 d a ho ris . 2 an m w o o . 0 C fl u hed ab ut 5 , cited by den as the most eminent poet of his age the — time of Henry III . has well maintained his coun
’ try s honour in lines which Fuller has translated for us
N on o us est ut O es numerum u us est o u enta p p q ib p l , Et per quos inopes sustentat non ope lenta i i us t s anno n ua P sc b e t usq m tam fertilis ora.
We nee not num er u her wea th store d b p l y , Wherew th the he fu an re ev es her oor i lp l l d li p ,
N o sea so ful of fish of tin no shore. l , ’ C U RI OS1 T1 Es 2 1 . 9
And after relating how King Arthur always put his Cornishmen in the forefront of the battle he concludes
u nos deterret si firrniter in e e stemus ? Q id , p d
F rans ui nos su eret n h est uo non su erimus. p , i il q d p
What hou us fr ht if rm w do stan 7 S ld ig , fi ly e d ’ B ar frau and there s no force can us comman . d, d
There was a time when the Cornish people were not so used to the inroads of tourists as they are — now a time when it would have been inconceiv a ble to the west country mind that any sane person would travel about for the mere sake of seeing the ’ o o now a c untry, th ugh the Liz rd and Land s End
if o o h a o o villagers, n ne t ers, h ve been th r ughly
o out of a o o r uted such n ti n . There are curious stories extant of the contro tenzps that befel travellers in the early part of the last century.
o n o h f a of fo Dr. J hn Ra d lp , a terw rds Bishop Ox rd, b on to a f a and de eing a visit riend at Gwenn p , tected in the act of drawing plans and exploring
o a as a the c unty, was pprehended spy. A Mr
a of o f as a o a was S lisbury, then s me ame b t nist, arrested while he was searching on the Goonhilly
o for - o a and was D wns the well kn wn Erica V gans,
uote in th ourna of the Ro a nst. of ornwa Q d e J l y l I C ll,
N . v . 0 A l 1 86 . 2 8 1 . iii , p , 7, p 2 20 WEST COUNTRY
fo o n brought be re the magistrates at Helst n . Captai
o of fo nu Bligh, while surveying the harb ur Hel rd
der o of ov ernment the directi n the g k was seized and insulted by the bargees of the Helford
on of o river, under suspici being in c rrespondence
with the enemy. But not only in war time was there trouble of this
o for r o e kind in st re the unwary pilg im t urist, in peac there was the counter apprehension of thieves and
robbers .
f M r hu d a o o . a L It is related Edw rd y , the uth r ” of A rcheeolo ia a e the celebrated g , th t he cam into the county at a time when this wide-Spread
f at and o a o ear was its height. He his three c mp ni ns,
on r o af fa on knapsacks thei sh ulders, much ter the shi
of o o n the m dern t urist pedestrian, were travelli g the o foo o s of o c unty on t , in the w rd the hist rian , for for and the better searching simples, viewing
a of n a and for t king draughts everythi g remark ble,
o that reason prying into every hole and c rner, and they raised a strange jealousy in a people a so so lready alarmed , much indeed that, at Hel
o Lhu d o a n en st n, as Mr . y went ab ut m ki g his
’
uiries n a &c . e q respecti g gentlemen s se ts, , they wer
and o a e f o the taken up as thieves, nly esc p d r m unpleasant dilemma by producing their letter of
’ o introduction for the magistrate s i nspecti n .
2 2 2 WEST CO U NTRY — requite a kindnesse placable to remit a wrong and
o tardy to ret rt injuries .
o a of o s The c untry hath its sh re huge st ne , mighty
o o f o f o r r cks, n ble ree gentlemen, b unti ul h usekeepe s,
o a o f str ng and stout men, h nds me and beauti ul
f r o . a e os lent w men In brie e, they in m t p i full manner happy in the abundance of right and ” - left hand blessings .
a o o and f - Qu int phrase l gy, right le t hand bless ” o ings, but expressive en ugh . Of the domestic life of the last century in this fa o o o v ured c unty there are numer us pictures drawn ,
one a a ofa o but I give , bec use it is th t writer less kn wn
a o s than many, and he describes scene w rth pre erv ing if only as a curious relic of the manners of the times .
fo The narrator (Mr. Beck rd) thus sketches the
o o o a evening ccupati n at a h use, where he was
1 8 guest, in 7 7 “ A o r o of e and sav u y pig right w rthy Otah ite,
of o and o d some the finest p ultry I ever tasted, r un the table two or three brace of C ornish gentlefolks
o or o na not deficient in hum ur rigi lity . “ About 8 in the evening 6 game cocks were ushered into the eating room by 2 limber lads in
a a f our of crowin s the sc rlet j ckets, and a ter a fl ish g ,
f s no ble birds set to with surprising keenness . Tu t l - CU R OSITI ES . 2 2 3
of brilliant feathers soon after flew about the apart
not n for to do ment, but the carpet was i jured , Tre
fusis a no a justice he t kes ple sure in cruelty. “ o The c cks were unarmed , had their spurs cut
or and to c a a sh t, may live fight su h h rmless b ttles ” again .
o to Acc rding Carew , in his time, a gentleman and his wife will ride to make merry with his next
o f a or two o neighb ur, and a ter day these c uples
o to o g a third, and in which pr gress they increase
o a o o like sn wb lls till, thr ugh their burdens me weight
the y break again . THE SUPERNATURAL .
’ GOBL1 N S M AI DS OS S AN D RM . , GH T , E
Of witching rhymes And ev il Spirits ; of the death bed Call ’ ’ Of him who robb d the wi ow and devour d d , ’ The orphan s portion ; of unquiet souls Risen from their graves to ease the heavy guilt Of deeds in life concealed of shapes that walk At ea of ni ht and clan their chains and wave d d g , k , ' " The f ll r n the m r r be torch o He a ou d u de ers d.
A x ausxnn.
’ I n ourchildhoodourmother s maids have so terrified us with an ugly evil havin horns on his hea fire in his mouth and a tail in his d , g d . , re ch e es li e a asin fan s li e a do claws li e a ear a s in li e b e , y k b , g k g, k b , k k a ni er sic and a vo ce roarin li e a l on where we start andare g ( ) , g k , , y — y by afraid when we hear one cry Bough ! And the have so fra e us with bul- e ars s irits witches urchins y y d b gg , p , , , elv es ba s fairies sat rs ans faunes s leus kit with the caustick , g , , y , p , . y , , tritons centaurs dwarfes ants im s culcars con urers n m hes , , , gy , p , , j , y p . chan lin s incu us o in Goo fellow the s oon the mare the man g g , b , R b d , p , , in the oak the hellwain the fire-drake the uc le Tom Thumbe hob , , , p k , , o lin Tom-tum ler oneless and such other u s that we are afrai g b , b , b , b g , d of our owne s hadowes insomuch that some nev er fear the ev il , d ” ” but in a W e . ar ni ht & . s c ov anv or I T CHCRAF T d k g , c , R gd 1 Scot, 665 .
STRONG belief in the supernatural has ever been a characteristic of the dwellers
far o s in this west, and certainly the st re
f a o fa o o narr tives c ncerning iries, gh sts ,
n a fo o of o n and gobli s, th t fill up the lk l re west C r
e to t a . wall, se ms be u terly inexh ustible
2 26 SU PERSTITION S .
A d oininin Millewarne was l j g a mil , disused at
of c . ne that time, the wheel whi h was detached O
oo fa w f for day, as s n as rmer Je ell had le t market,
o s ot the e the br ther g hug mill wheel up the hill,
it on o o and placing in a c venient sp t, b und to it bushes of furze and ferns and combustible branches.
a a o Evening c me, and with the darkness c me J hn
’ a o Jewell . The w tchers listened t his horse s steps
’ as they plodded slowly homeward down the hill
o a Trev er a fa s on they he rd gy gate sl m , as the rmer passed through to traverse the opposite hill then
to o they set light their n vel catherine wheel, and
o ow a and r lling it d n the declivity let it run . F ster fa o e ster, as it gathered speed, jump, bump, ver ev ry obstacle went the flaming wheel blazi ng on every side.
o and o o J hn Jewell turned, saw c ming d wn the
o one o a hill , as he th ught, the evil envel ped in fl mes
o a o S and sm ke. His im ginati n supplied what ight
f was o denied , and his right intensified as the gh stly
’ apparition gained on him despite his horse s efforts
o o a wa he anyh w , thr ugh the g te that barred his y,
o he smashed h rse and all, and never pulled up till reaches his own door fainting and half dead with
The next day the whole country round turned U PER TI TI O 2 2 S S N S . 7
out to a see the tracks his m jesty had made. They saw the gates smashed through by the fugitive
f o o of fo armer, and at the b tt m the hill they und the wheel with its burned out covering of branches
r and a o char ed bl ckened . It is evident the C rnish farme r did not believe the description of the evil
’ spirit which the poet gives
’ I ll tell you what now of the dev il ; ’ H e s no such horr creature c ov en-footed id l , ’ B ac saucer-e d his nostr s reath n fire l k, y , il b i g , ” As these lying Christians make him. ’ “ ASSI G S r n art r 1 6 8. M N ER Vi gi M y , 5
The truth of the above story is thoroughly vouched for by the members of the Boaden family now n or was f a livi g in Cury, and the st y itsel rel ted
‘ to of me by the great nephews the principal actors . It is akin to many of the fireside tales of the coun try round ; for almost every member of the popu lation is touched more or less by the fear of the
to a o supernatural ; and , a str nger, the superstiti n — of the C ornish is wonderful exceeding that of a m ost other counties . There has alw ys existed
ermaids o a a popular belief in m . One st ry is tr ns cribed o o here, th ugh rec rded elsewhere, because
o a of its connection with Cury. It is c nt ined in ’ “ Hunt s Popular Drolls and Traditions of Old M M 1 D 2 2 8 THE ER A .
” ’ — Cornwall though I have heard the same dished up with little etceteras of addition or emenda tions more than once in my rambles through the w s e t .
THE OLD MAN OF CU RY .
’ I n oldwive s daies that in old time didlive,
wh e tales much cre it men did iv e To ose odd d g , Great store of o lins fairies u s ni htmares g b , , b g , g —, i OLD M . U rchins andelves to many a house repa rs. POE
a 1 0 0 on M ore th n a years since, a fine summer da o a f o o " y, when the sun sh ne brilli ntly r m a cl ud
s Sk o ld man f o a of or le s y, an r m the p rish Cury, , as o Corant n it was called in lden time, y , was walk ing on the sands in one Of the coves near the Lizard
o p int.
old or The man was meditating, at least he
o a o r was walking nw rd , either thinking deeply “ ” not at — a is was o o thinking all th t , he l st in th ught — when suddenly he came upon a rock on which
a f fa a so on was sitting a be uti ul girl with ir h ir, l g
a o ln-S o th t it covered her entire pers n . On the h re S ide of the rock was a pool of the m ost transpa
And also related in Traditions andH earthside Stories of West or C nwall.
E M R 2 30 TH E MA1 D.
mu one and was at r lady st be , he fi st very much
saw a o frightened . He th t the y ung lady was quite
as f S much terrified as he was, and that rom hame or fear she endeavoured to hide herself in the cre
” v ices of the rock and bury herself under the sea
s weed .
on a oldman Summ ing courage, at l st the addressed
’ ’ B t f - her: on ee be a raid my de ear, you needn t mind
’ ’ me I w u do I m . l o ldn t ye any harm . an o d ’ man and w e n , ouldn t hurt ye any mor tha your ” ra f g nd ather. After he had talked in this soothing strain for
s e ou oo u ome tim the y ng lady t k co rage, and raised
a was . r r her head above the w ter She c ying bitte ly, as o l and, soon as she c uld speak, she begged the o d
o man to g away. “ us n e s I m t k ow, my d arie, omething about ye,
e n now I have caught y . It is ot every day that
s merr maid an old man catche a y , and I have heard ' f u so o o . N o me strange tales y water ladies w, my ’ ’ don tee f h dear, be a raid, I wouldn t urt a single
a f H ow hair of th t beauti ul head . came ye here After some further coaxing she told the oldman — ' the following story She and her husband and
o little ones had been busy at sea all the m rning, and they were very tired with swimming in the hot sun so the merman proposed that they should M RM A D 2 1 THE E I . 3 retire to a cavern which they were in the habit of n K n a a v ance o . w isiti g in y C ve Aw y they all s m , and at - entered the cavern mid tide. As there was
o of a s me nice s t weed, and the c ve was deliciously
oo o d to o c l, the merman was disp se sleep, and t ld them not to wake him until the rise of the tide .
o f o o o . He was s n ast asleep, sn ring m st lustily The
and on o l children crept out, were playing the l ve y sands so the mermaid thought she should like to
oo at l k the world a little. She looked with delight at the children rolling to fro o and in the shall w waves, and she laughed heartily at the crabs fighting in their own funny “ . f m o e o o way The scent ro , the fl wers cam d wn ver ” ff so a to the cli s sweetly, s id she, that I longed get nearer the lovely things which yielded those
o o o on f o o o rich d urs, and I fl ated r m r ck to r ck
to one o until I came this , and finding that I c uld
not o f o o pr ceed any urther, I th ught I w uld seize
or of s the Opp tunity dre sing my hair . She passed her fingers through those beautiful
o o out of m l l cks, and sh ok a number s al crabs
- a and much broken sea weed . She went on to s y
She had on o f that sat the r ck amusing hersel , until
o of or the v ice a m tal terrified her, and until then
She had no was so far out idea that the sea , and
o bar of a l ng dry sand between her and it. 2 2 M RMA D 3 THE E I .
’ h s do ! do ! W at hall I What shall I Oh, I d
o to out to Oh oh give the w rld get sea. , , what shall I do The old man endeavoured to console her ; but
a o h m his attempts were in v in . She t ld i her hus “ band would carry on most dreadfully if he
o and fo o w ke und her absent, and he w uld be cer
of Of a tain awaking at the turn the tide, as th t a was his dinner time . He was very sav ge when
and o o he was hungry, w uld as so n eat the chil
not if fo dren as there was no od at hand . He
o f a o if not at was als dread ully je l us, and she was
o o o his side when he aw ke, he w uld at nce sus pect her of having run off with some other mer
old to out to man . She begged the man bear her
I f o do d o . so sea he w uld but , she woul pr cure
an o for en him y three things he c uld wish . Her
s at a o to treatie length prev iled ; and, acc rding
her r old man ow on o desi e, the knelt d n the r ck a fa with his b ck towards her. She clasped her ir ar his and o on fi nn ms around neck, l cked her l g y
n o fingers together o his thr at. He got up from the
o d r a r ck with his bur en, and carried the me m id d o . A S o thus acr ss the sands she r e in this way,
She old man to hér r asked the tell what he desi ed . “ ” “ not a for or o I will wish, s id he, silver g ld, but give me the power to do good to my neighbours ;
2 34 THE M ERN AI D.
and so o had their tails split, that they c uld l wa k .
a to sea On taking the merm id back the , she w f to o o ished her riend visit her ab de, and pr mised
v o if o do so c e en to make him y ung he w uld , whi h f n favour the old gentleman respect ully decli ed . A f mi o o a for o e e a ly, well kn wn in C rnw ll , have s m g nerations exercised the power of charmlng. They account for the possession of this power in the man
o o - fa was ner related . S me rem te great grand ther
’ who v a o the individual recei ed the merm id s c mb,
to and S o as which they retain the present day, h w evidence of the truth of their being supernaturally e o nd wed . Some people are unbelieving enough to say the
’ c o of a aw omb is nly a part a sh rk s j . Sceptical people are never loveable people .
Such is life The stant ros ect a wa s seems more fa r di p p l y i , Andwhen atta ne another st succe s i d ill ed , F ar fa rer than efore et com a se r i b , y p s d ound With the same dangers and th e same dismay And we oor i r ms in the rear maze p p lg i d y , St scontente chase the fa r form ill di d, i y Of unsu stant a ha ness to fi nd b i l ppi , , When fe tse f is s n n in the strife li i l i ki g , ’ Tis but an airy bubble and a cheat H K ENRY I RK E WHI TE . M TRADITIONS, OLD C USTO S , AND
'
SUPERSTITIONS .
hou h motle ima es ou weav e T g y g y , Yet mingle with them something clw ’ ' M id much that s false and ma eceiv e , y d , Let some small s arks of truth a ear p pp . ’ GoET H E s A T F US .
Who shall llen e te atal after a man, H e mote rehearse as nye as ev er he can r else h ll O e mote te en his tale untrue, ” Or feine thin s or findwor s new g , d . ar C men .
HAT the Cornish as a race are a very ” s o no one wh superstitiou pe ple, o knows anything at all of them will for a moment a fa doubt. It would t ke r too long to tell even a list of the common beliefs in the super
o natural . The charms and superstiti us customs o f C ornwall would make a book themselves but there
n nstance ma be ment one o th A i y i d t e point. A corre
s ondent in the West B riton news a er an. 1 86 s n n p p p , J 4 , 7, ig i g ” f Tre ment ons that in the atter himsel , i l part of the last century a wealthy farmer was Offered the estate of B ochym at a v er mo erate r ce but he refuse to urchase on y d p i , d p , ” account of the name B och m the v a e of wee n thou h i , l pi g, g he mean n and der vat on of the wor is a mo t i g i i d ot point. Th s nc ent if true ten s to ustrate h o u i i id , , d ill t e p p lar super
stition of the West. 2 36 TRAD1 TI ON S AN D are a few s r that de e ve to be remembered here, as s o o fo o ow till observed am ng the c untry lk, th ugh sl ly disappearing before the materialistic Opinions of a
-of-f matter act age. Every one who has travelled in Cornwall will
o of f rec llect the large number magpies seen, O ten
o times many t gether. It is due to the veneration paid to the pied bird by the unlearned mind , which
el o o ffi devoutly b ieves in mens, th ugh it is di cult to arrive at a just conclusion as to the orthod ox mag
as o of h pie creed, inasmuch I have heard b th t e following quoted in West Barbary To see one magpie bodes no good but rather “ two oo for r bad luck ; , g d tune ; three, a ber in fo d and old ur, a we ding ; the Derbyshire co uplet is also common
One is a Sign of sorrow two are a Sign of mirth Three are a n of awe n andfourare a s n of a rth Sig ddi g ; ig bi .
While to kill a magpie is to commit an outrage not
fo o easily rgiven by the C rnish yokel . “ ” o o at in In N tes and Queries, is menti ned th ,
o a of o w o of aw d s me p rts C rn all, s me branches se ee ,
f oo dried and astened in turned w den stands, are
u o on - &c set p as rnaments the chimney piece, . , and thus the poor people suppose they preserve the
Vol. I I I . . 2 0 6. , p
2 38 TRADITIONS AN D s uperstition respecting stones and cro mlechs re
for o f om maining, I have heard occasi nally r th e more elderly among the old inhabitants ho w un
mu to f to dis lucky it is and st ever be the armer, turb the upright stones so often found upon the
land . Reference has been made in a previous chapter to the superstitions respecting the medicinal pro perties of the ash-tree in effecting a cure on weakly
children .
one a o m for There is ch rm, am ng the any, sciatica,
o o oo a e which, comm n in Dev nshire, near Exm r, I h v
of o o o e nevertheless heard in C rnwall, th ugh n wher ” - else . It is the bone shave. The patient should lie on his back on the bank of o or of a br ok stream water, placing a straight stick or staff by his side full length betwixt him
fo o and the water, the ll wing words being repeated near him
B one-shav e r ht ig , B one-shav e stra ht ig ,
As the water runs by the stave,
- Good for the B one shave.
With faith (2) a perfect cure is the result . There are many charms for sciatica comm on to
— - Devon and C ornwall the knuckle bone of a leg of o o of o o mutton, a raw p tat , a piece l adst ne ; either of these carried in the trouser pocket or OLD CU STOMS . 2 39
o the - r und neck is a cure. But the bone shave cer
tainl o y surpasses these in curi sity.
a for While these p ges were preparing the press , a curious instance of the prevailing faith in charms
o to . of oo o ccurred the writer The child a p r w man,
one of oo s of o s in the p rest district Trur , was calded dreadfully by turning over a kettle of boiling water u o s f was for recom p n it el . The writer sent , and
o a to infi rmar or mended its rem v l the y, certain s imple remedies . The advice was declined, as the mother had just had the child charmed by a pro fessional was s no charmer hard by, and quite ure ill effect would therefore ensue.
o of o H eiwood newlie In the w rks J hn , imprinted,
1 8 fo o 59 , is the ll wing charm
’ I claw d her b the ac e in wa of a charme y b k y ,
T m n t the more oo but the ess harm . o do e o g d, l e
So me Of the customs in connection with H oly
r o on o Wells a e menti ned in the chapter Gunwall e,
1 8 2 o of o p . and th ugh the practice c nsulting these
out in sainted streams is dying , they are intensely
of teresting as being relics ancient divination, trans mitted from age to age in C ornwall .
Indeed, in Old times, great must have been the veneration paid to the deities presiding over the
if of elements, we judge by the remains ancient customs . 24 0 TRADITION S AN D
“ To whistle for the wind is the result of the ancient belief that the whistling will call up Spirits of the air to aid the progress of winnowing the
o c rn . “ o es o f The b nfir kindled n the eves o S . J ohn
’
. o o Baptist and S Peter s Day, when the pe ple g
f o e to a a or r m villag vill ge be ring lighted t ches, form another link which connects the present with the past .
M s o a e idsummer, the time when the e rej icings r
o fo Goluan held, is called by the C rnish lk , which “ ” o o means light and rej icing, and ther remnants of ancient fi re-worship are to be found in the Carn
Les or o of s q , burning r cks, which there are eve
one on o o ral, the B nyth n estate in Cury. The rej oicings of the ancients at the approach of spring are perpetuated in these days by the ' o o who on I st M a the m dern C rnish, , the y, deck doors and porches of their houses with boughs of
a o fo o but trees, and pl nt b ughs be re their h uses ; these Observ ances culminate in the Furry or Flora at o on 8 w a TH E o t Helst n th May, hich is perh ps m s popular of the ancient festivals . M ore than one writer on these ancient custo m s
f a a o o bears witness that, fi ty ye rs g , these Mayp le
’ B or a s nt u t es . 1 0 . Polwhele Vol. I . . . l se A iq i i , p 3 , , p 49
24 2 TRADI TIONS AN D
he a co a i a h other. T y are c mp n ed by band (whic has ousted the ancient fiddle) playing a particular tune called the Furry Song. Two or three processions are made up during the
n and the s o e a afternoo , proceeding c nclud by
e the o ball in the ev ning, at which wh le neighbour
fe v s e u o hood assists, the sti itie b ing kept p all ver the town till late . The tune for the Furry dance is said to be a m if remnant of British usic, and one very like it,
o . not the same, is kn wn in Ireland It is preserved
o of theWelsh in Musical and P etical Relics Bards,
o fo o o by Edward J nes, and the ll wing will give s me notion of the air as played in Helston streets every 8 th of May to the present time
The chorus seems to be a translation of the
so o h original ng, and simply expresses j y at t e M C USTO S. 24 3
departure of the winter and incoming of the spring — And we were up as soon as any day O l And for to fetch the summer home — The summer and the M ay O ! — F or summer is a com—eu O And winter is a gone O In the more remote corners of the county are still found similar customs and remembranc es among the older people of others which have
— - become obsolete the sprinkling of the apple tree ‘ o a of o with cider, the h lding up neck c rn at
of a v and as end h r est, the church ale, it was
c are all r of e alled, emnants thes With the past and with the present ’ Quaint old manners still are link d O en customs rave and easant ld , g pl , ’ - h n h x . Lin rin st l thou e t nct C. T . g g i l, g ig i C One of the m ost curious and inexplicable cus toms among the tinners of the west (though said to be co mmon among the agricultural people of B odmin and also the Padstow fishing population)?
’ is that of keeping Paul s Pitcher Day (Jan . f of o . On the eve the Feast S Paul , a water pitcher is set up and pelted with stones until
” r u t m ee on A o . 1 8 so a Dev onsh e c s o . S Al i L g g , pp 5 ,
1 2 8 Polwhele Vol. I . . 8 . , , p 4 ’ ” nners o ore b T . . ouch in ournal 1 Ti F lk L , y A C , J
Ro a Vol. . . 1 1 . y l II , p 3 OLD M 244 TRADITION S AN D CUSTO S .
r a o o smashed to atoms . The revelle s then dj urn t
o n new r the neighb uri g tavern, where a pitcher e
old one places the , is repeatedlyfilled and emptied , and the evening given up to merriment and enj oy
f to n m . o ent This estival seems be i tended, in a r ugh
wa to o o o and ready y, c mmem rate the first c nver s of ore o — in o ion tin int metal ther words, the discov ery of smelting.
246 TH E MAN OR or
into which the county was parcelled ; and at the
t me of the om 1 0 86 Winnenton i Exeter D esday ( ) ,
or Winnianton o o of t , was a c nsiderable man r thir y
six and a- af i o to n as h l h des, and bel nged the Ki g, po inted out by the very first words of the Survey ” “ K in l ds WI N ETON E l e . g , etc
m f o the o I mediately a ter the C nquest, when c unty
s re- a e o o of wa arr ng d int nine hundreds, the man r
i s K rri r W nnienton wa included in e e .
I n 1 2 o to o of or 35 it bel nged R ger Earl C nwall, H rnin n who gave it to Gervase de a gto . A s early as 1 30 8 (the date usually quoted is 1 4 0 1 )
was o of Carminowes nd f m it the pr perty the , a ro
it of one of r them went, by the marriage thei
T v arthi f e to re an . heiress s, the amily ’ I ao 1 - 1 was E w v . s 0 In d ard reign, b ut 47 , it in
of Resk mers f o o the possession the y , r m wh m it
a to 1 80 1 p ssed the Arundells by marriage, and in
a f o o o s was purch sed r m them by J hn R ger , Esq . ,
About the year 90 0 Alfred the Great caused a Book of ma much of the sam na r Survey to be de, e tu e as Domesday B oo andit was in ex stence at W nchester when W l a k, i i i li m
h N rman came but is s nce ost. t e o , i l The present Domesday was ordered by William the Con u d n in the ear 1 0 80 an m 1 0 eror an e u d co ete in 86. q , b g y , pl d I t is nown b sev era names as er de Wintonia Rotu us k y l Lib , l Wintonia er Re s Scri tura hesaur Re s and th , Lib gi , p T i gi , e
Liber Censualis Anglia. 2 WYN YAN TON . 4 7
of s f ma r st l con Penrose, in who e amily the no il
tinnes. Carminow s of mill, and all that remain the house,
o to f and chapel nce belonging that ancient amily,
on of Carminowe stands the bank the creek, on the
' of o oo of east side the Lo e p l, at the extremity
w o Gun all e, partly in that parish and partly in a M wgan. The house must have been one of considerable
r on o e w s p etensi s, and hist rians say that ther a a
a o f o the fine ch pel, but that b th ell int decay in
f th u ic t nsit l r a mundi o e S ra o i . time Ar ndells . g Even the buildings which would remind us of the
o of no o byg ne chivalry England are m re, and we have to grasp the remnants of the past through
of o o the ideal fields r mance. The painted wind w
oor the on e s o the carved d way, shield the corb l t ne, often all that is left us
Th ni hts are ust ose K g d , And the r swor s are rust i good d ,
Their souls are with the Saints we trust. “ he of onnubiense e T writer Iter C , lam nting this,
s mo f o ? ask urn ully, But where are their habitati ns A las ! their escutcheons have long ago mo uldered
f the of rom walls their castles . Their castles them
har es S ence E s . in the ransa t ons Exet r D oc. C l p , q , T c i e i
Architec. o . Vol. v . 1 1 . S c , , p . 3 248 THE MA NOR or selves are but green mounds and shattered ruins the place that once knew them knows them no
H ow f ! 0 o m ore. beauti ully true N longer d es the champing war- horse paw in the castle- yard ! The
' helmet which once glistened in the sunbeam has
o o a o and l ng been hanging ver the dilapid ted t mb, the plume which floated proudly on the breeze
or ow d has sunk beneath superincumbent dust, b e ” before the weightier labours of the spider l The words of the poet come with doubled force
’ to one s mind
Out upon Time I t will leav e no more
th n s to come than the thin s efore. Of the i g , g b Out upon Time who for ev er will leav e B ut enough of the past for the future to griev e ’ ’ r that wh ch hath een and o er that wh ch must be O e i b , i What we hav e seen our sons shall see ’ nts of th n s that hav e ass d awa Remna i g p y, ’ ” nts of stone reard b creatures of c a 1 Fragme , y l y
It is true of the chivalry of Cornwall true
- m enough o f the far famed Carminowe of Car inowe .
is o e o o The house g ne, the chap l is g ne ; their nly memorial is in the south transept or Carminowe
a Church where two o aisle of M wgan , rest st ne figures,
r aCarminowe f supposed to rep esent and his wi e, and f said to have been removed rom their own chapel .
is o - f e o The Knight cr ss legged , six e t l ng, and his ” minowe shield bears the Car bend .
2 50 THE MANOR or
has een s t t e me be indeed, it b aid ha th y clai d to
a e m f r descended in dir ct ale line rom King Arthu , andthat one of themwas ambassador from Edward
o o e the Confessor to William the C nquer r, then Duk .
of n the o is u u . N orma dy, but st ry q ite uns pported
arminow . Robert de C , in Henry III time , held ’ f e 1 6 o to a s e . Knight , per an and he is supp sed " be the Sir Robert or Roger who in 1 270 aeco m
f . panied Prince Edward (a terwards Ed . I ) in the
l he o ast crusade to t H ly Land . The Robert de Carminow in 1 2 56 was not yet a
’
K th s fee. night, ough he held a Knight He might therefore have been summoned to take up his f 2 0 Knighthood be ore the last crusade in 1 7 . Carew speaks of Dominus Rogerus de Carmi ” now who in 1 2 — - f the , 97 twenty seven years a ter — ( crusade was summoned as a Knight to attend
I and of 1 28 o o Edward . , a deed 5 menti ns J hanna as the widow of the Roger de Carminowd' who probably filled up the gap between his namesake
o of R ger and the Robert Hals .
Carminow son of o o William de , R bert, held als
The accounts of Carew and Hals seem to hav e confused R a o obert nd R ger. 'I' From an able paper on the Carminows in the J ournal of the Ro a nst. of ornwall b . . Ro ers E s . Vol. y l I C , y J J g , q , I L ,
. 1 6 who on ectures th s Dom nus R rus to hav e een p 4 , c j i i oge b the rusader whose effi is in aw a urch . C , gy M g n Ch WYNYAN T N 2 1 O . 5
f of r s ti as . ame me his ather, in the reign Hen y III ,
’
fee 1 an. o con by Knight s , £ 5 per , th ugh this is
ect red not to o a a j u be their wh le est te, only wh t ” h servicium t ey held per militare . Sir John de Carminow (grandson of the Robert
o son liv erus Carminow o ab ve) and his , O de , are b th n - at- et o amed as men arms , Milites H mines ad
in l th of A D 1 2 arma, the y year Edward II . , . . 3 4 ,
of 0 and each them had £4 per an . in land and rents .
of Carminow h who There is a Sir Oliver , Knig t, is mentioned as being Lord Chamberlain to Ed f ward II . ; but there is a di ficulty in reconciling this statement with the other names and facts in
of Carminow f o the pedigrees the amily, c nstructed,
f r is e f so a . . o s . o as it complet , by J J R ger , Esq , r m the title- deeds of the Carminow manor in his pos
o sessi n .
of wa a a In the reign Ed rd III . Thom s de Car minow was Rector of Mawgan . He was admitted
6 1 o of Aug. , 349, and is the first rect r that parish
o of whom there is any rec rd . In the will of a representative of an ancient
' f — a of o rethurfle o s T . C rni h amily th t Th mas , Esq ,
D 1 2 8— o o f a o a A . . 5 there is a menti n Nich l s Car
n e o of o who o a mi ow (c sen the testat r) , was pr b bly one ofthe Boconnoc branch of the Carminow family 2 2 M A R OF WYN YA T N 5 THE NO N O .
There is a memorial of the Carminowe family in
f a r a as n o . o . ow the church S Eat , S Te th , it is
of Car called, where the pulpit bears the arms
minowe a one of m , it h ving been presented by the ” o o ra withlow u in Their m tt , Cala g , sig i “ ” for a - a fies, A straw the t le be rer and Gilbert relates that it originated from a law- suit brought
o Scroo e of w by L rd p , in the reign Ed ard against Carminowe of Carminowe for bearing the
s o . a az a ame arms as his L rdship, viz , in field ,
or was f rwa f bend , and which right a te rds re erred
to o a of da a o the m st le rned men the y, m ngst f f whom was present J ohn o Gaunt . Be ore this
arminowe o an assembly C pr ved his right, by his cestors having borne the arms before the Norman Conquest ; but as S croope was a Baron of the
a o a for Carminowe re lm, it was rdered th t hence th
o w f should bear the same c at, ith a pile in chie , f or o . gules, distincti n
n t ns f r Cornubiense art . in the Tra sac o o the Ite , p iii , i
r h t ct. S oc. Vol. V. . 1 1 . Exeter Dioc. A c i e , , p 3
2 54 THE LOOE POOL .
sand in sacks across the Looe Pool and empty them at Porthleven till the beach was down to the
ro of of o cks . Laden with a sack sand en rmous
s z w s o i e, the doomed spirit a wading acr ss the mouth
of one of o who the Looe, when the wicked dem ns,
on for were always the watch him, tripped him up,
and the contents of the sack fell into the sea. There
to of ff o it rests this day, a bar sand e ectually bl ck
to o not ing the entrance the harb ur, and all the saints in Cornwall ortheir eloquence availed to undo
’ ’ o Tre ea le s o the dem n s and g g w rk .
out of Anyhow, the bar is there, and time mind
o t nicians has been there, th ugh it is said the a f s iled up the creek to the oot of the H ellaz Hill .
a o o o There is curi us ech on the water, in s me
r n places double and ve y disti ct .
of oo o re On the western side the p l is Penr se , puted to have been the seat of a family of that
f o fo o 1 e name r m be re the C nquest till 744 , wh n it passed by will of the last owner of the name to his “ m nd . Cu in a o niece Mrs g, she in turn s ld the
to o o . 1 0 o man r Hugh R gers, Esq , in 77 in wh se
family it remains to the present time .
or oo f a o of in The lake, p l itsel , is sp t especial terest on account of the physical peculiarities of its
of o a obstructing bank sand ; and, m re th n all, the
o o o o legendary traditi ns that fl at ar und it, c mbine 2 THE LOOE POOL . 5 5 to fix it for all time as one of the many examples of
o n the superstiti n of the Cor ish race.
oo Fed by the L e river, and enlarged by smaller
f o hill streams, it spreads itsel al ng the valley which
w o and sea o lies bet een Helst n the , and w uld be but an insignificant estuary indeed but for the bank f o fo f . how sand which rms its chie peculiarity This,
o fo a ever, bars the waters in until the wh le rms a v st
a to r o l ke stretching the ve y edge f the town . When the waters are so high it is then necessary to make “ an a fi a o and o rti ci l utlet, this is d ne by cutting the
” ’ bar a modus o erandz , as it is c lled the p being this
— a a o sm ll channel is dug in the sand bank, and nce
o o the water perc lates thr ugh, it speedily enlarges
o the gap, until with a burst the wh le opposing bar rier is swept away by the huge torrent into the main sea .
r The sight, as may be imagined , is a ve y grand
for of a u a one, the meeting the w ters, the pent p l ke
d o o a o a an inc ming ce n waves, thr ws huge pile of i f water into the a r many eet . It has been said this may be seen at a distance
r f o o of six o eight miles r m the sh re.
o to In order, h wever, be duly at liberty to per fo a o and rm all this, cert in cust ms ceremonies are to o so be bserved, and they are religiously to this
o to day . Permissi n break the bar must be asked on 2 56 THE LOOE POOL . behalf of the inhabitants of H elston of the lord
f o to da b a s o o the man r, and this y, y ncient cu t m ,
o of s o r e at os the may r Hel t n p es nts Penr e, as due ,
wo urseswith a f a o t leathern p three h l pence in e ch, up n
e which the needful permit is giv n . All this reminds one very much of the ancient
of a o f a b not charters e rly kings Engl nd, y which, o f r a a nly o fices, but ce t in rights were gr nted with
a o o a of out any written ch rter, but up n bserv nce nf certain customs . Edward the Co essor gave the
of B erewood fo o f rangership rest, with a hide
a to one to be l nd, Nigel and his heirs held by a ‘ horn. William the Conqueror conveyed the Lordship
f o to o f E dm n o Br ke the pri ry o S . u sbury by
a on a a supplicating the saint, and l ying the lt r
f of no a kni e wrapped up, in the presence his
E o o Queen lizabeth , wh se l dge is still standing
a o o a ar in F ir Mead B tt m , High Be ch, in the p ish of a a of wo Walth m , gr nted the privileges cutting od to the poor of the neighbou ri ng parishes upon the tenure of their striki ng the ax e into the forest boughs at midnight on the 1 1 th November each
’ H O borne s stor of E ssex . 1 6 g i y , p 4 . ’ Blom fields H t r 1 e is o y of N orfolk.
T I I E LOO E POO L.
very kind of charter of custom in respect of the
Looe .
I f e o o r w . It is said that Ed ard requented H lst n, designed to do so after the reversion to himself of
a of o a 1 2 2 of the e rldom C rnw ll, in 7 , by the death
a of o a and of his uncle Rich rd, Earl C rnw ll King
o a nd e the R m ns, a that he granted land by the tenur of grand serjeantry to William de T rev elle on con
o of a fishhook and oa and s at diti n bringing b t net ,
’ own o o and for fish his pr per c st charges, the king s
in o f o o n g in the lake Helst n, whens ever the ki g s o o to o on ou h uld c me Helst n , and as l g as he sh ld
tarry there. Certain it is that H el- les-ton was a privileged
a o fo o o pl ce l ng be re the N rman C nquest, since the whole hundred of Helst on was denominated by it
’ e f e a the a ven in Al r d s d ys, and n me appears in
o oo h of a D mesday B k under t e title Terr Regis . In a catalogue of Cornish earls we find that the privileges of the town and manor were incorpo
r a a n of ated by charter by Rich rd Pl ntage et, Earl
o a on of n C rnw ll, third s r II . Hen y sur amed Car
o Coe - - io b a of e o and Ly n, ur de l n , y the n me H lst n, “ the seal affi xed to the charter named is a . lion ” rampant.
“ o kef — r o s Yor H ra d. B e s . I . H . l 2 . k l a , V , p 8 29 P 2 THE LOOE OO L . 59
o h an o of A curi us c arter, gr ted in the sec nd year
n o as fo o 0 144 727253 Dei Gratia Ki g J hn , runs ll ws 17 ,
& c S ciatis nos concessisse bur ensibus nostris . , etc g
H elleston a H elleston ertinentiis de vill m de , cum p
firmam er a fi rmam et a et ad , p antiqu m debit m de cremento quatu or librarum habendum et tenen
uamdiu o et fideliter serv ierint et dum , q n bis bene ,
fi rmam a e reddiderint o firmam su m b ne , reddend
a S caccaria o a m suam per manus su s ad n str , edie
et medietatem ad festum tatem ad pasche, aliam
siendum o crem sancti Michaelis. Etc qu d entumtale ri fi rma o P t ll e t . a eshu quale est Teste, Sim ne de ,
a Dorcestriam 1 8 a . a o 2 o pud , Aprilis, C rl nn ; J
a . 1 . 1 . 0 h nnis, p , m 5 , p ,
’ mon the nes andamerc aments in M adox s H r A g fi i , isto y ” and Ant u t es of the E xche uer are the men of H e ston iq i i q , l , fi n i ff rent sums w th other towns in the re ns of e n e . d di i , ig K . K char and ohn for rants and con rmat on of Ri d J , g fi i liberties r and exempti ons of v a ious kinds.
H om nes de H elleston r. e de x1 marc s alefrido c i , , i j p om utatis in s xx marc s alefrido r us romissis ro p illi i j p p i p , p ha en acartare s uo ur us de H elleston sit er ur us b d gi q d b g lib b g , quod burgenses ejus [dem] habeant gildam mercatoriam et uietantiam er totam terram re s de te oneo onta io q p gi l , p g , stalla io et testa io et sulla io salv is in omn us er g g g , ib , lib v a E r a i tatibus ci it tis Londonise . t p o h bendis aljs libertati ' bus ua in cartailla continentur - P LW . O H ELE Vol. I I . . . q , , p p CONCLUSION .
’ ERE then the author s pleasant task con cludes if the foregoing pages prove half the interest to the reader they have been
to w w . the riter, he will be re arded
I n far Off a of o e this l nd r mance, there is ind ed
n n to a a on every i centive to give the rei im gin ti , and amid the exceeding loveliness o f the rock f o n oas for e e a of . b u d c t, g t the st rn re lities li e
’ Wanderi ng on a calm summers day by the
oo and oc ook of o o limpid p ls r ky n s Gunwall e C ve,
’ the poet s ideal may be realized
S ow san the sun nto the sa h re sea l k i pp i , Tinging the dimpling waters with his last And o v e est eams of ht as the soft reeze l li b lig , b ’ Of ev en n kiss d the sea n m hs andthe wav e i g y p , Rose ent and as ent fe a a n g ly, g ly ll g i ,
S oft murmur n . I stoo es e a roc i g d b id k, ’ Whose rugged head look d up i nto the sky. Grey as the handle of the scythe of Time ’ B ut ower own etween the mart n s nests l d , b i , ’ Rich ruby li chens in the sunset gleam d Like golden fingers claspi ng them around Lest the rude winds should tear them andb eneath ’ A dar c ff beet e co o er the ee k li l d ldly d p, F ringed by the lace work of frail threaded foam ha T t mermaids weav e and hang along the shore.
I N D X E .
PAG E PAG E s im n of the do! pec e May dances 24 1 lars ’ Manor of “ynyantou 2 4 5 in lar d s gu M ermaids 2 2 7 Druidic fires Old Man of Cur The 2 28 Dreams sin u ar y ( ) , g l ’ Paul s Pitcher Day 2 4 3 t nicians 0 1 0 7 , 4 Early Christian seal Porcelain tablets 4 3 action fi ht at Cur reat F g y g Pradanack Cross 1 95 tree 1 1 1 Restoration ofCury Church 38 Furry or Flora dance 2 4 1 Registers at Cury 33
N ‘VA E C RC . G U LLO HU H Gunwalloe 1 29 tradition ofits founders 1 2 Re-o enin o r 4 p g f Ca y . 4 5 b 26 proba le date 1 Roof of Cury as restored 39 portions of rood screen 1 26 Roman coins 90 old windows 1 26 mon ain Ku , S t 2 ancient font 1 26 Sea earl Christian 1 Belfry 1 2 7 l, y 94 Se u chral barrows 1 2 Restoration 1 28 p l 9 Skeletons 1 n Cur rood loft 2 Registers 1 29 y 5 S rinklin the a e tr 2 C urious entnes r30 p g ppl ees . 4 3 Stone im lements 6 singular epitaphs 1 31 p 7 Su rnatural Th 2 2 ancient cross 1 31 pe ( e) 4 rs i i n h rnish 2 2 Gunwalloe da 1 8 Supe t t o of t e Co 5 y . 5 cross site of di i ns a d oms 2 , , Tra t o nd ol cust 35 radit on of Cur reat tree 1 1 1 H ill castles 1 9 1 T i yg re ea le 2 H oly well at Gunwalloe 1 82 T g g 5 3 n n i n f VI ct o s o Ed . 2 1 I ju . WE ST COU N TRY FOLK 2 1 5 ’ a hard le 2 1 6 King Charles s Letter in y peop . r markabl sus ci u 2 1 Cornish e y pi o s 9
hos italit . 2 2 2 ’ p y ad s trees L y Winwaloe aint 1 1 6 . (S ) Lazar houses Windows m Curry 44 an ua e Cormsh L g g ( ) WR C S ist of m Gun E K , l , cimens walloe Register 1 35 o d proverbs in Mallyon 1 4 1 Lizard lights v arious incidents 1 44 Looe pool va ey ll Wreck of the Coquette 1 4 8 the poo l the Dollar 1 55 ooe bar L Wreckers 1 8 1 cutting the bar Wynyanton (Manor of) 24 5 ancient custom . 2 6 t m William . e p . I 4 Magpies The Carminowe family 24 7