ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CORNWALL. 59 



of England." This magnificent folio volume, which is now of 

 the utmost rarity, was then the "Murray's handbook for 

 Travellers " in England. Costly as it was, a copy was generally 

 kept at the best inn of the leading towns of the kingdom, and 

 from this book travellers extracted the directions for the road on 

 which they purposed to journey. The work itself is illustrated 

 by most elaborate plans of all the main roads described, and 

 amongst them are included the three main roads of Cornwall, 

 viz., the main road from London to the Land's End from Plymouth 

 by Looe, Fowey, Tregony, King Harry passage, Marazion and 

 Penzance to Sennen. The great north road from Barnstaple to 

 Truro by Launceston, Camelford, Padstow, St. Columb, and 

 Mitchell ; and the central road from Tavistock, through Liskeard, 

 Loswithiel, and Grampound. It is interesting to note that the 

 " great back-bone road" of Cornwall, that ran down the centre 

 of the county, and which is generally considered to be one of the 

 great main roads of Cornwall, is not included by Ogilby in his 

 description of the main roads of England, and it is further 

 worthy of notice that the two principal roads, viz., the great south 

 road from Plymouth, and the great north road from Barnstaple, 

 both crossed ferries, the former at Crimble Passage, Eoy, 

 Tywardreath, and King Harry, and che latter at Padstow, show- 

 ing that when the traffic of the county was carried on by 

 packhorses, boat ferries were not considered the obstacle they 

 are found to be now. Another point deserving of especial notice 

 is the fact that in the whole description, Ogilby never mentions 

 a single gibbet, although in other counties the direction, "You 

 pass the gibbet on the left" or "right" frequently occurs, a 

 circumstance upon which we Cornishmen may congratulate our- 

 selves. Turning now to the great south road, from Plymouth it 

 passed over Crimble Passage, by Millbrook, Tregantha, Crafthole, 

 and Eecliff to Looe. Ogilby describes the chief trade as consist- 

 ing of fishing, and the town as being towards the sea, fenced 

 with a garreted wall, all traces of which seem to have now 

 disappeared. St. George's island is also noted as one on which 

 " great stores of sea pyes bread." Foy is nest mentioned as 

 being strongly fortified, and its haven defended by blockhouses, 

 the remains of which still exist. The town had formerly " sixty 

 sayl of ships." Another ferry was then crossed at Tywardreath, 

 and passing south of St. Austell, the road ran to Tregony, where 



