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THE EXPANSION OF TRURO. 

 By p. Jennings. 



Mr. Jennings having stated that Falmouth Harbour and its 

 tributary rivers were undoubtedly known to the Eomans, 

 proceeded to discuss the respective claims of Tregony and Truro 

 to have been the seat of Roman power in Cornwall, and decided 

 the question in favour of Tregony, the name of which, he 

 considered, meant "the town on the Cenion." At the time of 

 the Norman Conquest, and for about half a century later, Truro 

 consisted merely of a few peasants' huts scattered among the 

 wooded hills, or nestling in the marshy valleys ; but later a 

 small Norman castle was erected on what is still known as "Castle 

 Hill." On passing into the hands of Richard de Lucy, the town 

 increased in size, and houses were built from the castle down the 

 hill towards the river, forming St. Pancras Street or Pydar Street. 

 This street may therefore claim to be the first and original street 

 of Truro. De Lucy fostered its development, and encouraged 

 the inhabitants by granting them privileges which invested them 

 with legal dignity, and with the right of internal government. 

 These privileges were granted before A.D. 1140, as in that year 

 the possession of the town and castle was transferred to Reginald 

 Fitz Roy, Earl of Cornwall. It is, therefore, probable that 

 Truro rose into importance about A.D. 1100. 



Reginald confirmed the inhabitants in their privileges, and 

 it was perhaps owing to his powerful protection that both castle 

 and town survived the reign of terror in the days of Stephen. 

 In the more peaceful times which succeeded, it was seen that 

 Truro possessed more enduring advantages than those which it 

 derived from proximity to the castle. Its position at the head of 

 a tidal river, with easy access to the harbour, and its connection 

 with the great southern road which stretched from Torpoint to 

 Penzance, endowed it with facilities for the transport of 

 merchandise by sea and land, superior to those of any other town 

 in the west ; hence it rose from the position of a mere dependent 

 on the castle to that of a thriving little commercial community. 

 About this time, too, the river on which Tregony stands began 

 to be silted up, and thus the only rival Truro had need to fear, 

 began to fall into decay. 



