THE EXPANSION OF TRURO. 313 



In the year 1 543-4, the number of houses in Truro was about 

 170, and the number of ratepayers was 131 ; allowing- six persons 

 for every house, the inhabitants belonging to the more well-to-do 

 classes would number about 780 ; add to these 220, to include 

 those exempt because of poverty, and it appears that the 

 population of the town was about 1,000. It is interesting to 

 note that at the same period the number of ratepayers in 

 Tregony was only 77 — not two-thirds of the number in Truro. 



The fourth eastern entrance was at a short distance fai'ther 

 down the river than the Old Bridge, at a place called "the 

 Stoppings ;" this also was a ford, which, as traffic increased, 

 gradually superseded the other fords, and became second in 

 importance to the Old Bridge. The existence of this passage 

 stimulated building operations in its neighbourhood, with the 

 result that Bodmin Street was formed on the one side of the 

 river, and another, known as Coinage-hall Street, on the other. 

 This street led from what are now East Bridge Street and Duke 

 Street, past St. Mary's and Quay Streets, to the Coinage Hall. 

 .Owing to the " incommodious and unsafe condition" of this ford, 

 another bridge, the " East Bridge," " longer and grander than the 

 other," was built at the close of the eighteenth century, the royal 

 assent to which was given 28 May, 1773. 



Another growing point was at the single western approach. 

 Until about the beginning of the nineteenth century, the only 

 road to Falmouth and West Cornwall was by narrow streets to 

 the West Bridge, which occupied a site near the present Victoria 

 Square ; turning the sharp corner at the bottom of Calenick 

 Street it led up the steep Infirmary Hill, From its very 

 important position, we think Calenick Street may fairly claim to 

 be the oldest street in the town with the exception of Pydar Street. 

 It would be necessary to have direct communication between 

 the eastern and western entrances for pack horses, coaches, etc., 

 passing through the town. This would result in the building of 

 Powder Street (Boscawen Street), and would form an additional 

 reason for the existence of the houses already mentioned, 

 stretching from the Coinage Hall to the Stoppings on the one 

 hand, and to Calenick Street on the other. 



