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CO II X WALL. 



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Thin bed* of limestone are found in Cornwall, alternating with 

 killaa, or grauwacke ; it i* of a blue colour, and contain* rein* of calca- 

 reous ipar. Trappemn rock* are associated in small quantities with 

 the grauwacke, and aim with the carbonaceous rock*, which form the 

 north-eastern extremity of the county. Copper and tin are the molt 

 important mineral* of Cornwall. The extent of the metalliferous 

 rein* ai well a* the depth to which they extend are unknown : no 

 miner ha* yet Men the end or bottom of a rein. Their width varies 

 MIU h. from the thickness of a sheet of paper to 80 feet; but they are 

 usually from 1 to S feet in thickness. The ores of copper or tin 

 do not often occur together in the same Tc-in at any great depth. If 

 tin be dncorered first, it sometimes disappears, after sinking 100 feet 

 more, and is succeeded by copper ; in others, tin is found to the depth 

 of 1000 feet beneath the surface, almost without a trace of copper ; if 

 copper be first discovered, it is very rarely if ever succeeded I 

 It is seldom that either ore is found nearer to the surface than 80 or 

 100 feet. If a copper vein meets one of tin, it usually passes through 

 it, and heaves it out of its course. The veins not metalliferous 

 usually pans through the tin and copper veins, or lodes, as they are 

 termed : these non-metalliferous veins have their course usually north 

 and south. 



The copper anil tin minm. excepting some mines chiefly of tin 

 near Callington, are south-west of the rivers Alan and Fowey. The 

 .!.<! mining district extends from St Agnes on the north coast by 

 ICrdruth to the neighbourhood of Helston and Marazion ; and gome 

 mines are worked west of Mararion. St. Austell is in the centre of 

 another but less extensive mining district near the south coast. 



The lead mines of Cornwall are not numerous, though the ore has 

 been discovered in many port* of the county. Silver ores have been 

 obtained from several mines in Cornwall, chiefly in lodes or cross 

 courses in the grauwacke. In Herland mine, near Owinncar, silver 

 had in 1889 been raised to the value of 80007. ; at Dalcoath mine to 

 about 20007. ; while at Wheale Diu-liy, in ar ( 'nllington, which is new 

 granite, and at the 10 fathom level, a course of silver ores aecompami d 

 by native silver occurred for 3 fathoms in length, yielding about 

 2007, per fathom. (Do la Becbe.) Gold has been found in the tin 

 streams. Iron ore if also obtained, and shipped to Wales. X.iin-. 

 antimony, cobalt, and arsenic are procured, as well as some other of 

 the semi-metals. Freestone of different qualities is quarried. 



The quantity of copper ore sold at the public ticketing* during 17 

 years, 1838-49, amounted to 2,499,782 tons of 21 cwt., computed to 

 yield in all 196,798 tons of fine copper; the total value in money 

 being reckoned at 14,456,6007. These figures give a yearly average of 

 14T.H46 ton* ore, 11,617 tons fine copper, and 860,3887. in money 

 value. The average per centage of copper obtained during the 

 whole period was 7 j ; the highest average was 8A in 1 849 ; the lowest 

 was 7 -f, in 1842. The ore is purchased by eight firms in South Wales ; 

 one house, that of Williams and Co., purchased in 1849 ore to the 

 amount of 85,126 tons, and the value of 204,7487. The total amount 

 of lead ore raised in Cornwall during the year 1848 was 10,494 tons; 

 from which the quantity of lead smelted was 6614 tons. 



In summing up his notice of the mineral produce of the district, 

 Sir H. T. De la lieche observes, "If we estimate the value of the 

 metals annually raised in Great Britain and Ireland at about 

 10,697,0007., and consider that of this sum the iron amounts to 

 8,000,0007., the value of the remaining metals would be 2,697,0007., 

 of which Cornwall and Devon would furnish about 1,340,0007., or 

 more than one half, leaving 1,257,0007. for the value of all the metals, 

 with the exception of iron, raised in other parts of the united kingdom. 

 The two great metallic products of this district are copper and tin ; 

 of the former it yields one-third, and of the latter nine-tenths of the 

 whole supply of copper and tin furnished by the British Islands and 

 all the countries of the continent of Europe." 



(De la Becbe, 'Report on the Geology of Cornwall, Devon, 1 Ac. ; 

 Transactions of Geological goeiety;' Transactions of Geological Society 

 at Cornwall;' Boase, 'Treatise on Primary Geology;' Ordnance Sur- 

 rey; Ureenougb, and Society for Diffusion of Useful Knowledge 

 i. i ..: ,i v n 



ONMK, flWT, Cornwall being situated between two seas, is more 

 Mbtaot to variation* of weather than must other counties ; the IU..MM- 

 Uin* attracting the clouds, charged with moisture, which the prevalent 

 mat wind* bring from the Atlantic. From this cause, the harvest 

 U not in general so early a* in the more inland counties, which are in 

 a more northern latitude l>y two or three degrees. The soil of the 

 moantemoo* districts is extremely barren and unproductive : but in .1 

 few of tfce vales a tolerably rich soil is found, well adapted to the 

 growth of corn rooU, and artificial grasses. The substratum of the 

 whole cmraty bring rocky, and slate being the predominating rock, 

 the surface BOBrtrti chiefly of an argillaceous earth produced by the 

 decomposition of slate, mixed with various portions of vegetable 

 ' . i , n the i . . - - ',! , ;,.,..., . ,, 



porr>u. st fertile lands are found from Endelllon to St 



ho, on the north coast, in the peninmila which terminate* in the 

 Lird Point, the neighbourhood of Bnryan mi.l ,',, the 



land* n*ar the Fowey, and a great part of the hundred of Ktmtton. 



The soil and dimate of Cornwall are peculiarly favourable to the 

 growth of potatoes, of which two abundant crops arc sometimes pro- 

 duced in one season, an early crop taken up in June, and a second in 



October. The principal cattle in Cornwall are of the Devonshire 

 breed. The old Coruiab breed, which wu a small black mountain 

 breed, is nearly extinct, a* are likewise the small Cornish sheep : tl.. y 

 have been superseded by better breed*. 



The county i* rather bare of trees. Many proprietor* however 

 have planted on a large scale ; and some forest-trees rear their heads 

 on many eminences, to the great improvement of the face of the 

 country. 



In the mining district* the land is naturally barren ; but many 

 spot* are cultivated l>y the miners, to whom small patches of barren 

 soil have been let at a low rent, on condition of their building 

 habitations for themselves and families. 



IHritiont, Tomu, <te. Cornwall was formerly divided into seven 

 hundreds Conarton, Fawiton, Pawton, Uialton, Stratton, Tibeata or 

 Tibesteraa, and Winneton or Wlnnenton. There are now nine hun- 

 dreds : Stratton hundred and East hundred, on the east along the 

 bank of the Tamer ; Lemewth and West hundreds, to the west of 

 these ; Trigg hundred, to the west of Lesnewth ; 1'yd. r and Powder 

 hundreds, west of Trigg and West hundreds; ami lYnwith and 

 Kerrier at the western end of the county. 



The number of parishes in the county is about 205. The numlxT 

 of market towns is 86, namely : St. Agnes, St. Ai MKI.I., St, Blazey, 

 BODSIIN, Boscastle, BOBSINEY, Callington, ('aml>rne, CAHEI.FORP, 

 ST. COUJMB MAJOR, St. Daye, FAUIUVTII, Fowey, St. (!I:IIMANH, 

 Grampound, HELSTON, ST. IVKS, LAUNCESTON, LIBKEARD, Rant Looe, 

 West Looe, LOSTWITHIKL, MARAZION, St Mawes, Mevogissey, Padstow, 



-, I'KNZANCE, Polperro, UEDHUTH, Saltash, STRATTON, Ti 

 Tni-Ro, Tywardreath, Wadebridge. The places printed in i-mull 

 capitals are noticed in distinct articles; the remainder, with the 

 small sea-port town of Hayle, and a few of the more important 

 villages, we notice here ; the population is that of i 



St. Ayna, on the north-west coast, 26 miles \V.S.\V. from llodmin, 

 population of the parish 6674, being a decrease since 1841 of luM, 

 occasioned by the less prosperous state of the mines and by emigra- 

 tion. St Agnes is a small town, in a district which contains numerous 

 mines. The market is held on Thursday. There is a harbour at 

 Trcvenauncc, in this parish ; the pilchard fishery ha* been established 

 here since the beginning of the present century. There are Din- 

 places of worship, and a Free school. Opic, tho painter, was born at 

 St Agnes. St Agnes Beacon is on a pynunid.il hill near the town, 

 021 fcut above the level of tho sea ; it is formed out of an ancient 

 cairn or tumulus, and was used as a beacon during the alarm of 

 invasion in the beginning of the present century. 



St. Rlazry, anciently called Landreth, 9 miles S. from Bodmin : 

 population of the parish 3570. The town has increased of late in 

 consequence of the prosperous state of the mines in the vicinity. St. 

 Blozey was in 1845 made a perpetual curacy. The church has been 

 rebuilt. There are in the town place* of worship for Dissenters, and 

 a National school. The public buildings are a market-house and a 

 post-office. Near St Blazey is the Treffrey viaduct, a remarknMo 

 granite structure, erected at the cost of the late Mr. TretVrey, curry- 

 ing across the valley of Cormiers a railway and a stream for mining 

 purposes. The stream flows in a passage under the roadway. 



Jlofcaflle (which name is a corruption of Bottreux Castle) in situ- 

 ated on a steep hill on the north-west coast, not for from Tintogel 

 Head, 19 miles N. by W. from Bodmin : population of the p;; 

 in which the town is situated, Forrabury 879, and Minster 479. 

 Boscastle is a poor little place, but in a very romantic situation. It 

 has a weekly market There is a pier, to which vessels come with 

 coals. The harbour is very much exposed to boisterous seas. Near 

 the market-place are the remains of an ancient church or chajiel. 

 During summer the Boscastle fishermen capture numerous seal*. 



Ciillinytm, population of the parish 2146, is 22 miles E. from 

 Bodmin. The situation of tho town is low and unpleasant, at the 

 foot of Kingston Down ; the buildings, with the exception of the 

 church, are mean and unimportant ; the houses arc chiefly arranged 

 in one broad street. The church wo* erected or rebuilt about tli>> 

 middle of the 14th century, by Nicholas de Asheton or Assheton, one 

 of tho justices of the King's Bench, who was buried hero. In tin- 

 churchyard is an ancient sculptured cross. There are places of 

 worship for Dissenters. A market is held on Wednesdays for corn 

 and provisions. Several extensive mines are worked in tin 

 bourhood. Callington was the last town in Cornwall admitted to the 

 right of sending members to Parliament, not having acquire i 

 privilege till 1585. It was disfranchised by the Kcform Act of 1882. 

 Kit Hill (1067 feet high), which rises immediately above Calliugton, 

 affords from its summit one of the finest views in the west of 

 England. 



Uambornt, population of tho town 6547, is 28 miles S.W. from 



Bodmin, in the midst of the mining districts. The town is neatly 



built The church is a fine specimen of the granite churches of this 



. Imilt in the perpendicular English style ; it has a tower, and 



contains a carved pulpit of wood, and an altar-piece of Sienna marble. 



:,ro places of worship f"r ditr-rent classes of Methodist*. Tho 



market, established in 1 "-. is considerable ; it i* held on Saturday ; 



Hi. market-house was built by Lord l>e Itmistanville. 



St. Dayr, population of the pariah of Uwennap, in which tin- town 

 is situated, 10.406, is 26 miles N.W. from Bodmin, and about 2 mile* 



