XVll 



The Ancient Bishopric of Cornwall. Eev. John Carne, 

 M.A., read an Abstract of his Paper on the early Cornish Bishop- 

 ric; remarking that the subject was becoming more and more 

 interesting, as there was a hope that the bishopric might ere long 

 be restored. — The conclusions deduced by Mr. Carne were thus 

 summed up by him : — The weight of evidence, in my opinion, 

 proves that the Saxon see was founded in 936 by King Athelstan ; 

 that the see was occupied by ten bishops in succession ; that the 

 seat of the bishopric was first at Bodmin, and that, after the 

 destruction of Bodmin in 981, it was at St. Germans, where it 

 continued until its extinction in 1050, having lasted for a period 

 of 114 years. 



Rev. Dr. Bannister asked if there was not some evidence 

 adduced by Mr. Pedler in favour of the see having been at Pad- 

 stow previous to its establishment at Bodmin. Padstow was a 

 modern name, a corruption of Petrockstowe, the place of St. 

 Petrock. Formerly, Bodmin was called Petrockstowe, the Church 

 there being dedicated to that Saint ; while Padstow was called 

 Aldestow, the old stoiv, or place, (apparently, of St. Petrock). And 

 if the old stow was at Padstow, it must have been more ancient 

 than the stoiv then existing at Bodmin. 



Rev. J. Carne was not aware of the existence of any evidence 

 which would justify such a conclusion ; the assumption in favour 

 of Padstow appeared to be mere conjecture. 



The 'President : — There is nothing beyond an inference de- 

 rivable from the name. There is no evidence on the spot, I 

 believe. 



Rev. J. Carne : — None whatever. There may have been a 

 Church at Padstow dependent on that at Bodmin. 



The President : — There may have been an early Church of 

 St. Petrock there ; there are several Petrocks in Cornwall. 



Rev. Dr. Bannister :^There is one mentioned in the Bodmin 

 Manvimissions. 



Rev. J. Carne : — We know where that was ; it was certainly 

 at Bodmin. 



The President was very glad that Mr. Carne had devoted his 

 attention and research to this important subject, and that he had 

 laid the result of his enquiries and readings before the members of 

 the Institution, He also hoped they should hereafter have many 

 contributions of a similar nature from that gentleman, to whom he 

 thought they were greatly indebted, for Mr. Carne was very ac- 

 curate in all the Papers which he laid before them, and the utmost 

 weight might be attached to any conjecture or information which 

 he presented to them. 



