3.0 History and Development

3.0 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

3.1 The History of Bojewyan

Standing within enclosed farmland of medieval or earlier origin Bojewyan was first recorded in 1302. Bojewyan Stennack is a creation of tin working - the name Stennack actually means ‘tin place’, although it now also incorporates an originally separate pre- industrial hamlet at Ponds Hill. Ancient farming hamlets stand cheek-by-jowl with 19th century industrial settlements all along the narrow coastal plain between the high granite moorland of West Penwith and the steep coastal cliffs with their small fishing coves. They are surrounded by ancient field systems interspersed with blocks of what was formerly unenclosed common grazing, heath and moor, and cutting through the landscape are narrow, deep valleys leading down to the sea. Farming and tin working (mostly tin-streaming with some coastal cliff extraction) have been of equal importance in and around Bojewyan from at least the 16th century, together with fishing from the small local coves. Indeed this may be a pattern stretching back well back into and beyond the medieval period, the density of surviving remains shows this is an area intensively settled since prehistory. Another major source of employment, lasting until the early 20th century, was the important and extensive sequence of water powered mills ranged down the Portherras Valley and the Rose Valley north of Bojewyan. The ‘industrial’ population remained very few though, and the historic settlements were able to absorb whatever pressures the expanding industry put on them until Bojewyan and Bojewyan Stennack expanded suddenly in the early 19th century, like most of the industrial settlements in this area. Not only did this effectively mean the creation of a new industrial hamlet (Stennack), but a series of workers’ cottages were added to the old hamlet at Higher Bojewyan, trebling its size. Both places had reached virtually their largest extent by 1841.

The first part of the 19th century saw Higher Bojewyan's size increase dramatically. The house on the left is one example – its 20th century extension unfortunately sited with incongruous materials and detailing, the row on the right is another, with good front elevations (but with poorly scaled and detailed extensions to the rear)

8 What is unusual is that the growth here in Bojewyan seems to have been mostly based on tin streaming and the extensive processing and milling sites in the valleys, rather than the rapidly developing large, deep mines of the rest of the area. Only from about 1853-1875 was the main local mine (Wheal Hearle/East Boscaswell) developed. There was surprisingly little effect on the Bojewyan hamlets themselves, only one or two cottages and an increased provision of community facilities (school/chapel, shop). The major effects were felt in the surrounding countryside: the engine houses at Springs Farm that form such an important part of Bojewyan’s setting were constructed, with a related series of single storey buildings, such as the Old Counthouse at the mine site. Agriculture expanded and intensified locally at the same time, partly as smallholdings were created for the part-time miners to supplement income and diet, but also as the larger farms increased in size and levels of production – this was never a purely industrial settlement area. Following the decline of mining and milling in the late 19th century, population pressure on the settlements went into reverse. Indeed, already by the 1880's, outlying smallholdings had been abandoned, and cottages scarcely a generation old had been demolished in the village, especially in Higher Bojewyan. Up until the mid-late 20th century, both Higher Bojewyan and Bojewyan Stennack declined in population, with some marginal loss of cottages at both settlements. Higher Bojewyan in particular reverted to being primarily a farming settlement.

The declining population in the 20th century led to the Chapel's closure, now converted to a dwelling. Some overtly domestic features are somewhat unfortunate – such as the rooflight - but it remains an important, and prominent, building within the Conservation Area. Apart from the small farm at Ponds Hill, Bojewyan Stennack became so empty of population and in such a state of dilapidation, that the complete clearance of virtually all the cottage rows was at one time proposed. Fortunately, in the 1980's extensive grant aid was made available to refurbish them instead. Both settlements have now become sought after residential villages, with a sizeable number of holiday lets.

9 3.2 Physical Development

Pre-industrial phase Of the three settlement components of Bojewyan, only two are in evidence on the 1809 OS survey drawings. These are the collection of buildings on Ponds Hill (the western side of the Bojewyan Valley) and Bojewyan (current Higher Bojewyan). Despite the 18th century date given to the Bojewyan Stennack Terraces by the statutory list descriptions, they are not shown on the 1809 maps, which are generally reasonably accurate, certainly for buildings and settlements of this size. The Ponds Hill settlement has stayed at much the same size since 1809, although most of the actual buildings have been rebuilt since then. It was probably originally little more than a farming hamlet, although, given the amount of early industrial activity in the area, this may never have been a purely non-industrial site. Higher Bojewyan seems originally to have been confined to the string of earlier buildings along the south side of the main road, and either side of the broadening lane which runs to the south past Higher Bojewyan Farm, and originally ran north to Chyrose Farm (a footpath follows approximately the line).

No1 Bojewyan is the highest status building within the Higher Bojewyan group. With a former byre to one side and second single storey range to the rear it dates from the 17th or early 18th century

10 Industrial (1820 - 1880) Bojewyan Stennack is entirely a creation of the industrial phase, as the name Stennack (‘tinplace’) suggests. It had almost reached its fullest extent by 1841, the only notable addition being the School/Chapel, the northern half of the row now comprising nos. 6-12 Bojewyan Stennack, and the house and former shop in front of the main row. Interestingly, the Stennack rows are cut into the hillside, on the line of a lode, and not unlike the terracing of the stream workings upstream. This may be a variation of a pattern seen elsewhere in the St Just area of cottage rows built over lode-back waste dumps. Because they have no rear yards, and front onto a common, a series of small outbuildings was built on the common waste itself by c.1880, in a similar pattern to the rows along Carn Ros Road in Lower Boscaswell. The valley to the south of Bojewyan Stennack once had a series of smallholdings and enclosures dotted along its length, all probably linked to the early 19th century mining in the area, and Stone Farm and the nearby smallholding at the southern end of the Stennack rows appears to be survivors from this group.

The land rises up from the rear elevation of terraces on the Stennack (photo from Higher Bojewyan). The large converted barn at Ponds Hill (seen rising above the terrace) is also a dominant feature in this view, with the village of Pendeen beyond.

At Ponds Hill, the current row of three cottages dates from 1857-80, while the original farmhouse or cottages which probably stood slightly to the west of this row have been lost. Higher Bojewyan trebled its size during the first half of the 19th century, having reached its fullest extent by 1857 (Symon’s map), and was already nearly as large in 1841. A series of miners’ cottages were built around the pre-industrial farming core of the settlement. There is some evidence of reduction in size by 1880, although it may be a shift in location as a group of cottages by the roadside (including the Old Post Office) may be slightly later than 1857. Higher Bojewyan Farm may be an early 19th century smallholding created as part of the industrial expansion in the area.

11 Post-industrial The post-industrial history of all three settlements has largely been one of reduction in size and dereliction, and a return to agriculture in Ponds Hill and Higher Bojewyan as the main focus of activity. In the latter hamlet, the major change has been an increase in the numbers of the central group of barns, now attached to Higher Bojewyan Farm and mostly mid-late 20th century. Although the extent of settlement is unchanged, it is much less dense now than it was in 1880, with loss of cottages as well as outbuildings. Bojewyan Stennack has seen a reduction in size since the mid-late 19th century, mostly through the loss of outbuildings, but also of at least one row of four cottages. What has also gone is the series of small buildings, boundary stones, leats and other features which were associated with the tin-streaming and later shaft mining that took place in the valley itself. It is probable that the footprints survive as archaeological features in the marshy valley bottom. Until the 1970's/80's the hamlet was largely derelict, most of the rows being in danger of demolition; a general restoration programme has recently been completed. The change in use of the school (1880) to a chapel (1908), and its conversion to residential use (1999), is indicative of the trend of use in the area.

The large triangular area of marshy land occupying the valley bottom is now largely overgrown but still contains important remains of buildings, leats etc from the industrial phase of activity in the settlement. Portherras Terrace, seen here in the background, is situated within the Pendeen Conservation Area.

12 Cornwall & Scilly Historic Environment Record Chyrose Barn 133.2m Kennall Building, Old County Hall, Station Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3AY 130.8m tel: 01872 323603 fax: 01872 323811 ¯ email: [email protected] Chun Barn Title 128.0m 1 Dolphin Cottage Bojewyan 18 14 12 13 16 3 The Barn c1880 OS 2

124.8m Tor Barn

4 In Sleepy g le Wr Pp h Hollow e Key a r t

e t u t i 6 Conservation Areas t s 1 n I L L I H

9 S 4 D 125.9m N O Higher P Bojewyan 5 Farm

27 9 6 29 8 Tank Higher Bojewyan Treleigh FB 6 11 0 3 3 B 12

6 0 Bojewyan 3 M L 3 S IL B Stennack H

DS 3 N 0 PO T ra 132.9m ck

Bojewyan Ford Stennack

D t A o O 1 R T S 6 Gorsefield VE r T I a

S c 1

7 k

1 Tamerisk 8

5 Cherrywood

2 D W DW

1 1

5 2

1 Stonethrow Cottage 2

Portherras Terrace

T r a Date c k August 2009

Portherras 2

D 6 W Stone Farm

0 25 50 100 © This document is Copyright. It should not be relied on or used in circumstances other than those for which it was metres originally prepared and for which Cornwall County Council was originally commissioned. Cornwall County Council accepts no responsibility for this drawing to any other party © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Cornwall Council 100049047, 2009. other than the person(s) by whom it was commissioned. Cornwall & Scilly Historic Environment Record Chyrose Barn 133.2m Kennall Building, Old County Hall, Station Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3AY 130.8m tel: 01872 323603 fax: 01872 323811 ¯ email: [email protected] Chun Barn Title 128.0m 1 Dolphin Cottage Bojewyan 18 14 12 13 16 3 The Barn c1907 OS 2