NOTE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF AEWENACK DUBING THE 

 CIVIL WAR. 



By H. MICHELL WHITLEY, F.G.S. 



The fine old Mansion of the Killigrews, Arwenack, rebuilt 

 according to Hals in 1571 by Sir John Killigrew, and reputed 

 then to be one of the finest houses in the west parts, was 

 destroyed by fire during the Civil War, at the time of the siege 

 of Pendennis Castle, but by whom, two different accounts exist. 



Tonkin, our Cornish Historian, says, " Sir John Killegrew, 

 of this place, ought not to be forgotten, who, seeing the Parlia- 

 ment Army to prevail everywhere, with his own hands set fire to 

 his noble house here, that they might not find shelter in it, wher. 

 they came to lay siege to Pendennis Castle, as they did soon 

 after : an action which was well rewarded by Charles 11. 

 Although the house has not been rebuilt, a few rooms only 

 being fitted up just to receive the family, who have not much 

 resided in it ever since." 



In the Manuscript history of the Killegrew family from the 

 pen of Martin Killegrew, it is stated that the malicious and 

 envious governor of Pendennis burnt the fine house of Arwenack ; 

 and this account is corroborated by a letter from Truro dated 

 19th March, 1646. 



These two conflicting statements have gone down hand in 

 hand in Cornish History, Tonkin's story being the more generally 

 adopted, even at the present day. But as Sir John Killigrew died 

 some years before the date at which Tonkin states he set fire to his 

 own home, it is evident there is some mistake in his account. 



It therefore becomes a matter of interest to settle finally 

 this doubtful point, and fortunately amongst the Eoyalist 

 Ccmposition papers, preserved in the Public Pecord Office, is a 

 set that gives conclusive evidence in the matter. 



These documents, which are of great interest, are appended 

 to this paper, and they clearly give the facts, which are as 

 follows : — 



Arwenack at this time was the property of Francis Bluett, 

 in right of his wife Dame Jane Killegrew, whose jointure it 

 was — (the widow of Sir John Killegrew, who died in 1636, and 



