Tywardreath, Cornwall (Cornish: Chi war Dreth ), parish is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. It is bounded on the north by Luxulyan and Lanlivery, on the east by Golant (St Sampson) and Fowey, and on the south and west by the sea, Par harbour and the River Par, which separates it from St Austell and St Blazey. Tywardreath has suffered from a multitude of different spellings since it appeared in the Domeday Survey of 1086 as Tiwardrai . The name possibly means 'House on the strand' (O.J.Padel). It is located inland from Par Sands on the south coast of Cornwall. A Benedictine priory was established here soon after the Norman Conquest. The occupants however seemed more concerned with amassing wealth rather than spreading the word of God, and consequently received a reprimand from their bishop. The priory was eventually dismantled in 1540. The village of Tywardreath lies on the Pilgrim's Way and through which many pilgrims passed on their way to Fowey for onward travel to holy shrines in southern Europe and the Holy Land. The parish has been closely associated with the Rashleigh family, some of whom lived here. Apart from Tywardreath, the villages are: Polkerris, Highway, Par, Polmear, Middleway Bridge, and Chapel Down. The Vanishing Harbour The once natural harbour with tidal fingers searching inland, up almost to where they built the Priory at Tywardreath, to St Blazey, through the marshy land to Treesmill, up the Polmear valley as far as Lower Lampetho. Until the end of the 18th century the bay and harbour must have been wonderfully busy place, with fishing- boats and trading vessels tacking to and fro, seiners casting their nets in the creeks, the ferry being rowed back and forth from Little Par to the Sloop Inn on the Par shore. The level of the bottom rose and the harbour which once had fifty or sixty feet of water at high tide became a drying waste of sand and shingle. In 1773 the tide still reached St Blazey Church, and even up to 1800 high water reached one mile north of Par. Population Population in 1801 - 727 persons Population in 1811 - 741 persons Population in 1821 - 1238 persons Population in 1831 - 2288 persons Population in 1841 - 3152 persons Population in 1851 - 3287 persons Population in 1861 - 3379 persons Population in 1871 - 2370 persons Population in 1881 - 2129 persons Population in 1891 - 2097persons Population in 1901 - 2215 persons Population in 1911 - 205 persons Population in 1921 - 199 persons Population in 1931 - 2414 persons Population in 1941 - ?? Population in 1951 - 2512 persons Population in 1961 - 2617 persons Population in 1971 - 2625 persons Population in 1981 - 2477 persons Population in 1991 - 2638 persons Population in 2001 - 3161 persons Church History. In around 1135, the Benedictine Priory of St Andrew was founded at Tywardreath, overlooking St Austell Bay, a daughter house of Saint's Sergius and Bacchus of Angers, with which its relationship persisted not always harmoniously, for nearly 300 years. At one time it was a substantial place consisting of a chapel, a refectory, dormitory, prior's lodging, guest chamber, chapter house and cloister. The buildings of which were situated South of the present church. The Priory Church, 80 feet long and 57 feet wide, catered for the needs of the local population, possibly a reason why there was no parish church in Tywardreath until the 14th century. The priory was closed in 1540 under the Reformation undertaken by Henry VIII. Churches. Anglican . The parish church was dedicated to St Andrew by David Mageraghty, Archbishop of Armagh, on 30th July 1347. It comprises a chancel, nave, south aisle and north transept. The arcade has six semi-circular arches supported on monolith granite pillars. There are a south porch, a north door, a priest's door, and a vestry door. The tower, which was added in 1480, has four stages, and is finished with battlements only; it contains 6 bells. Apart from the Tower, the church was almost completely rebuilt in 1880, when an organ chamber was added and a new organ installed. William Rashleigh built the chapel-of-ease at Tregaminion in 1815. Non-Conformists . The Wesleyan Methodists built a large stone chapel in Tywardreath town in 1828, and another was located at Polkerris. The Bible Christians also built a chapel at Tywardreath in 1858; they had built another at Highway in 1841. Trubodys in Tywardreath. Walter Trubodye Ish 1587 Marke Trubodye 08 Dec 1651 Walter Trewbodye 06 Jan 1609 William Truboddy 26 Jan 1668 Priscilla Trubodie 16 Jul 1614 John Trubody 06 Feb 1670 William Trubodye 30 Nov 1643 Phillop Trubody 16 Jul 1674 Walter Trubody Ish 1648 .