5S5 



CORNWALL. 



CORNWALL 



586 



E.N.E.fromRedruth. It appeal's to have fallen much into decay: oflate 

 years it has recovered, owing to the extension of mining operations 

 There was formerly a chapel, which is said to have been much resortec 

 to by pilgrims in former days, and from the resort of theso pilgrims 

 arose a market, which was afterwards given up. The market now 

 held on Saturdays for butchers' meat and other provisions, was 

 established some years since for the benefit of the miners. A new 

 chapel was consecrated at St. Daye in 182S. There is near St. Daye 

 a curious amphitheatre of rude construction, called Gwennap Pit, 

 supposed to have been of British origin ; it was selected by Wesley as 

 a place for public preaching, aud is still used by his followers at some 

 of their anniversaries. 



Fowey, population of the parish 1606, is on the right bank of the 

 river Fowey, near its mouth, about 11 miles S. by E. from Bodmin. 

 The scenery around this town is very picturesque. The rocks about 

 I'olruan, on the opposite side of the river, rise to a considerable 

 height, and are broken into rude cliffs and bold promontories. At 

 the mouth of the haven are the ruins of two square stone forts or 

 blockhouses, one on each side, built in the reign of Edward IV. to 

 protect the entrance. The harbour is commodious ; it is now defended 

 ly two modem batteries, and by a fort called St. Catherine, which 

 was built in the reign of Henry VIII. The town is built in a very 

 draggling manner, the houses extend a considerable way along the 

 haven, and the streets are so narrow and full of angles as to be almost 

 impassable for carriages. Host of tho buildings are of stone. The 

 church is a spacious and lofty fabric of the perpendicular style. A 

 chapel called St. Catherine's Chapel, which gave name to St. Cathe- 

 rine's Hill, existed here in Leland's time. There is a spacious market- 

 house with a town-ball over it. A public walk overlooks the town and 

 harbour. The chief business of Fowey consists in catching and curing 

 pilchards, in which many vessels are employed. Fowey is a corporate 

 town ; the corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, 

 and a town-clerk. This town sent members to Parliament from the 

 time of Queen Elizabeth ; it was disfranchised by the Reform Act of 

 1832. There is a market on Saturday. There are two Free schools, 

 and an almshouse for eight poor widows. The harbour is safe, and 

 has excellent anchorage. The townsmen of Fowey acquired wealth 

 by feats of war and piracy in the wars of Edward I. and III., and 

 Henry V., and their wealth enabled them to increase the commerce 

 of the town to a great extent. Fowey furnished 47 ships to the fleet 

 (' ICd ward III. before Calais, being more than any other port in 

 England, and 770 men, n number second only to the number furnished 

 by the port of Yarmouth. The French burnt the town in 1457. 

 When peace was made between England and France in the time of 

 Kdwnrd IV., the Fowey men still kept up hostilities, for which the 

 king ordered their fleet to be confiscated. Fowey also distinguished 

 against the Armada in 1588, and the fact is recorded by a 

 painting in the church. Place House, the seat of the Treffrey family, 

 is at Fowey. 



mpound, population of the to-wnship 588, is 17 miles N.W. by N. 

 from Bodmin. The river Fal flows through the town, the greater 

 part of which is to the east of that river, and consists of one main 

 street on the declivity of a hill. A small chapel of ease and a 

 granite cross are in the town. The market, which is small, is held 

 on Saturday. Orampound is a corporation by prescription. It sent 

 members to Parliament from the reign of Edward VI. until 1821, 

 when it was disfranchised for bribery. 



llayle, population returned with the parishes of Phillack and St. 

 F.rth, in which it is situated, is a small town and port on the shore 

 nf the inner basin of St. Ives' Bay, about 5 miles S.E. from St. Ives. 

 The principal object of interest is the iron-foundry, in which are cast 

 cylinders of the largest size, not only for the mines in Cornwall but 

 also for exportation. A large work of this kind was sent several 

 years ago from Hayle to Holland, for the drainage of the Haarlem 

 lake. There was formerly at Hayle a ' copper-house,' in which exten- 

 sive smelting operations were carried on, but it is now found to 

 be- a cheaper method to carry the ore to Swansea to be smelted 

 in the vicinity of coal-mines. Vessels of 200 tons burden can now 

 enter the port of Hayle, in consequence of the erection of a 

 breakwater, by which the sand has been prevented from filling up 

 the harbour. Three steamers sail weekly between Hayle and Bristol. 

 Eaut lane, population of the chapelry 970, is on the left bank of the 

 rivir Looe, which here falls into the sea, about 18 miles S.E. from 

 Bodmin. It in built on a flat piece of ground between the river Looe 

 nnil the sea, and is described as a labyrinth of short narrow dirty 

 alleys, above which rises the low embattled tower of a little chapel of 

 ease. On the land side rises a high steep hill. On the height above 

 tho town are numerous gardens, in which throughout the year tfie 

 myrtle and the geranium flourish in the open air. East Looe is 

 united with West Looe on the opposite side of the river by a bridge 

 141 yards long, but only 6 feet 2 inches wide. The inhabitants are 

 chiefly c-njaged in the pilchard fishery. The harbour admits vessels 

 i tons, and is protected by a battery. There is a market on 

 Saturday. The town was incorporated by Queen Elizabeth, and 

 he.l members to Parliament from the time of Elizabeth to the 

 ^ of the Reform Act of 1832, by which it was disfranchised. 

 vod Free school for teaching mathematics, especially 

 those branches connected with navigation. East Looe united with 



Fowey in sending a member to a council of trade held at Westminster 

 in the reign of Edward I., aud furnished 20 vessels and 315 men to 

 the fleet of Edward III. - 



Wat Looe, population 740, is separated from East Looe by the 

 River Looe. A chapel at West Looe dedicated to St. Nicholas has 

 been converted into a guildhall. The market has been long dis- 

 continued. This place was incorporated by Queen Elizabeth ; tho 

 corporation consists of 12 burgesses, including the mayor. It sent 

 members to Parliament from the time of Edward VI., but was 

 disfranchised by the Reform Act of 1832. Opposite the Looes is St. 

 George's, or Looe Island, about 14 acres in extent ; beyond it are 

 some rocks, known as Rennie's Rocks ; a rock between the island and 

 the mainland is called Midmaiu. 



St. Mawea, population of the parish of St. Just 1557, is situated on 

 au arm of the Carrick Road, about 30 miles S.S.W. from Bodmin. It 

 is a wretched little place, consisting of one street at the base of a lull 

 near the sea, and containing a few houses inhabited by fishermen and 

 pilots. There is here a chapel built by the marquis (now duke) of 

 Buckingham, in 1812. A castle built by Henry VIII., nearly at the 

 same time as Pendennis Castle, on the other side of the roadstead, 

 but much inferior to it in size, is now used as a residence for tho 

 lieuteuant-governor. The market on Friday is very small. St. Mawes 

 returned two members to parliament from 15C2 up to the passing 

 of the Reform Act of 1832, by which it was disfranchised. 



Atevagiitey, population of the parish 2022 ( decrease of 283 since 

 1841 is ascribed to the ravages of cholera in 1849 and to a decline in 

 trade), on the coast of the channel, on Mevagissey Bay, 1 7 miles S.S.W. 

 from Bodmin. The inhabitants are chiefly dependent on the pilchard 

 fishery. Ships of 100 tons may ride securely in the pool or basiu of 

 Mevagissey. The market, which is held by prescription, is on Satur- 

 day. So alarmed were the fishermen by the ravages of cholera in 

 1849, that they took their families in their boats to Fowey Haven. 

 On this occasion the houses and streets of Mevagissey received the 

 advantage of a thorough cleansing. 



Paditow, population of the pariah 2224, at the mouth of the river 

 Alan, or Camel, which here forms a wide testuary, is 15 miles N.E. 

 from Bodmin. The town is in a vale, adorned with gardens on each 

 side, and the beauty of the situation is increased by the scstuary, 

 which, when the tide is up, presents a clear expanse of water 

 apparently hind-locked by the granite cliffs which form the banks. 

 The harbour is the best on the northern coast of Cornwall, and, though 

 the entrance is much obstructed by sand, is capable of receiving 

 vessels of great burden. The streets are in general narrow, and many 

 of the buildings antiquated ; but the town has been much improved 

 within the last half century by the erection of many new houses ; the 

 general roofing is a fine blue slate. There are on excellent pier, a 

 custom-house, several quays and shipwrights' yards, and a workhouse, 

 with a school-room over it. A steam-vessel plies between Padstow and 

 Bristol. The church, which is in the perpendicular style, has been 

 lately repaired and fitted with stained-glass windows. It contains a 

 curious old font. In the time of Leland the town carried on a con- 

 siderable trade with Ireland and Wales ; the chief imports now are 

 coals and iron from Wales, timber from Norway, and various goods 

 from Bristol ; corn, malt, and block-tin are exported. The market is 

 on Saturday. There are here a small Endowed school, and day 

 schools, established by voluntary subscription. The place appears to 

 have had anciently the name of Adelstowe or Aldestowe, and in the 

 Cornish language Lodenek. 



Polperro, population of the town about 800, is on the coast between 

 Plymouth aud Fowey, about 16 miles S.E. from Bodmin. The situa- 

 tion of this little town is singularly romantic, the houses being on the 

 side of two steep rocky hills, forming a very narrow valley, through 

 which there runs a small river. The harbour will accommodate vessels 

 of 150 tons ; it is protected by a double pier. An extensive hook and 

 line fishery is carried on ; there is also a pilchard fishery ; and some 

 trade is earned on in coals, limestone, aud grain. The market is held 

 weekly on Friday. There are in the town Endowed Charity schools 

 For boys and girls. 



Saltank, population of the chapelry 1621, on the right bank of the 

 Tamer, a little above ite junction with the Lynher, 29 miles E.S.E. 

 from Bodmin, is built on the ascent of a steep hill, the summit of 

 which is crowned by a chapel of ease and the town or mayoralty hall. 

 Beneath the town-hall is an open market-place. The principal street 

 is at right angles to the river : a large proportion of the houses are 

 of stone quarried in the rock on which the town stands, intermingled 

 with others built of brick. Some of the houses are fronted with 

 plaster, others with slate. Saltash is now chiefly inhabited by fisher- 

 men. Some trade is carried on in malt. The market is on Saturday. 

 Besides the chapel of ease, there are Dissenting meeting-houses, and a 

 Free school. Saltash was made a free borough in the reign of John 

 or Henry III. The borough sent two members to parliament from the 

 ',imo of Edward VI. ; it was disfranchised by the Reform Act of 1832. 



Tregony, population of the parish of Tregony St. James, in which 

 he borough is situated, 846. The boundaries of the town extend 

 into the adjoining parishes. Tregony is situated on the left bank of 

 the river Fal, 18 miles N.N.W. from Bodmin; it was formerly of some 

 consequence, but it gradually decayed as Truro increased in import- 

 ance. Tho houses are chiefly arranged in one long street on the sido 



