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St Winnow
St Winnow Parish Church St WinnowSt Winnow churchyard
Respryn Bridge over the River Fowey St Winnow (Cornish:Sen Gwynnek[2]) is acivil parishinCornwall, England, United Kingdom. Its name may be connected with either that ofSaint WinnocorSaint Winwaloe. It has a population of 304,[3]which had increased to 328 at the 2011 census.[4]Thechurch townis on the east bank of theRiver Foweysouth ofLostwithiel. Part of the village ofLerrynlies within the parish as does the Chapel of St Nectan.
TheRedlake Meadows & Hoggs Moor, a Site of Special Scientific
St Winnow was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as San Winnuc . In 1644-45, some ninety people from the parish died of the plague: only four were soldiers but a campaign of the Civil War was going on at the time.Andrew Langdon (1996) records three stone crosses in the parish. A cross found at Higher Coombe in 1903 was afterwards erected at St Nectan's chapel. A cross from Lanlivery was made into the upper section of "The Monument" on Druids Hill. It was brought from Lanlivery in 1846; this monument commemorates the loss of life in the Battle of Braddock Down in 1643 . A third cross called Waterlake Cross stands in a private garden near Respryn . The third cross had already been recorded by Arthur G. Langdon in 1896; at Waterlake, a hamlet near Bodmin Road station, there is a Cornish cross.[6]Churches and chapels . This is of Norman foundation but the present building is almost entirely of the 15th century. The rood screen survives and there is some interesting stained glass.The church is at the riverside, next to a quay at the limit of navigation of theRiver Fowey. It is probably on the site of the
7th century oratory of St Winnoc.
A stone church was built in the 12th century, probably cruciform in plan, and there are traces of the Norman stonework on the north side. The transept arch was reconstructed in the 13th century. About 1465 the south wall was demolished and the south aisle, arcade and roofs built. The chancel wasrestoredby J. H. Seddon in the 19th century, retaining the 16th century east window. The west tower is of standard Cornish Perpendicular style. There is stained glass of c. 1500 in the east windows of the chancel and S aisle. The 16th century rood screen, carved with leaves and flowers, was restored by Violet Pinwell in 1907 (byEdmund H. Seddingaccording to Pevsner). The loft, rood and some of the south aisle screen were newly made in the restoration. The granite font, carved with angels bearing shields, is 14th century. The pulpit is of c.1600 and richly carved. There are also carved bench ends of various dates from 1485 to 1630. The monuments include one in slate to William Sawle, d. 1651.A burial plot with Celtic-style headstones for theVivian familyoccupies the north-west corner of the churchyard.Chapels[edit]The chapel of St Nectan is of the 13th and 15th centuries but the north aisle was added in 1825. The tower has lost its upper stages due to the Civil War (1644).
[7]The medieval parish was larger and included Boconnoc and St Bradoc : the chapels of St Nectan and St Martin's at Respryn were quasi-parochial.
The 14th century font from Respryn was reused at Herodsfoot.
Gorlas. in Arthurian legend , Gorlois (Welsh: Gwrlais) of Tintagel,Duke of Cornwall,is the husband of Igraine prior to Uther Pendragon.
He is the father of Morgan le Fay, Morgause, and Elaine. Gorlois' name first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae c1136 , in which Uther falls in love with Igraine and wars with Gorlois to get to her.Uther asks for Merlin's aid in pursuing her, and Merlin concocts some drugs that disguise Uther in the form of Gorlois.As Gorlois , he approaches his love easily and they sleep together, conceiving Arthur.Unbeknownst to either of them, the real Gorlois has been killed in his castle that very night.Eventually Igraine is convinced to marry Uther.
Later treatments such as the Vulgate Cycle and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur expand on this outline by having Gorlois' daughters married off to Uther's vassals; Elaine to King Nentres of Garlot, Morgause to King Lot of Orkney, and (after receiving an education in a convent) Morgan to King Urien.Arthur is spared any knowledge of this when he is whisked away by Merlin to be raised by Sir Ector.
And this murdered King is by tradition also connected with another fortress roughly mid-way between Duloe and Roche - which are south of the Bodmin and Goss Moors respectively - for the field inwhich standsCastle Dore was called Carhurles meaning 'Gorlas's fortress'. It therefore seems that the chieftain could have preceded King Mark of the Tristan saga at this earthwork which is known to have been re-occupied in Gorlas's time having been abandoned during the Roman period.Assuming that the traditional link between the Arthurian and Tristan sagas could be factual and thatKing MarkDID succeed GORLAS and hold this southern territory by the sixth century, not only must Arthur's domain of Camlan, the oldest form of Camelot, and his stronghold Celliwic be sought elsewhere but the suggested area should be required to fulfil certain conditions in order to present itself a feasible proposition. As Arthurian events would have taken place slightly before those of the Tristan saga, an Irish incursion should be in evidence for the saga's prologue depicts theCornish at loggerheads with Irish intruders; and a known Roman cavalry tradition is imperative if we are to believe that the proposed area could produce ahorse-borne, armour-clad warrior together with a Carlyon meaning 'camp of the legion' with which he was reputedly associated. Moreover, the suggested district might the more convincingly offer itself were it adjacent to the easiest route out of Cornwall to facilitate movement up-country to a site where the Battle of Badon halted a seeming English advance westward.Finally, we should seek an Avalon for the dying King.the Earl (Duke / King of Cornwall,
● would reign as regent and hold the Kingdom of Britain in trust for the English heiress.
in which King Arthur received his mortal wound : thus recorded by the Poet Naturam Cambela fontisMutatam stupet este fui, transcendit in undas Sanguineus torrens ripas, et ducit in aequor Corpora caesorum ; plures natare videres, Et petere auxilium quos undis vita reliquit.”
The other, a bloody battle, fought betwixt the Cornish , andthe West Saxons of Devonshire ,in the year 824 ’, in which many thousands fell on each side, and the victory remained uncertain. Hence, after a run of about 12 miles, it becomes navigable for sand barges at Parbrok ; and at Eglofhel , receives a plentiful addition to it’s stream, from the River Laine A mile farther down, this River reaches the greatest bridge in this county, called Wadebridge : about the year 1460 there was a ferry here whilst the tide was in, and a very dangerous ford when the tide was retired , which moved the then Vicar of Egloshel, one Mr. Lovebon, with great industry and public spirit, to undertake this bridge ; a great and useful, but tedious work. Besides the expence, fo disproportioned to his circumftances, in the course of the work, there arose fuch difficulties, as might have baffled a more mechanical age than that in which he lived : the ground, for the foundation of some of the piers, proved so swampy, that after repeated efforts another way, they were forced at last to build on wool-packs ; however, it fhould never be forgotten, that by his follicitations, and the liberal contributions of others, but chiefly by his own perfeverance, and the blessings of providence, he lived to accomplish the bridge as it now stands, with seventeen fair and uniform arches, reaching quite cross the valley, to the great safety of travellers, and the credit of his country. Hither come up small barks of 40 and 60 ton, and supply the country with coal from Wales, with flat, which rifes about ten miles off,lime, timber, and groceries from Bristol.A mile farther downthe Alanmakes two small Creeks on the East, in return for a brook or two which it receives; then keeping to the North-Weft, and supplying two Creeks on the Western bank which run up into St. Illy, and little Petrock pariflies, in a mile more it reaches the ancient town of Petrockstow, alias Padstow, where there is a pier, and some
NATURAL HISTORY
Polpenrith, alias Polpere, and Polwevorel Creeks, running up towardsConstantine Church; and a mile fartherdown , Chielow , alias Calmanfake CreekThis haven, within a mile of it s mouth, is fccurc enough for fhips of 200 ton ; and at its paflage into the lea, is about a mile wide.
This River riles in the higheft Northern part of Wendron parifh , whence, in about five miles, it reaches the borough of IIlfton about a mile below which it forms a Lake , called the Lo Pool; the River giving rise to the Lake , and the Lake , as the moft remarkable part of the Water, giving name to the River *. Four brooks give rise to this River ; and uniting at Relubbas from a Westerly Course, turn to the North , and in three miles reach St. Erth , alias St. Ercy Bridge, of three ftonc Arches, and a raifed Giulcywell walled on each fide, reaching crossthe valley. The Bridge has been built fom cw hat more than 400 years , beforce which time there was a ferry here, and Ships of great burden came up to it. The valley, above bridge, has been much raised by the sand and earth, washed down from the hills and mines ; and the haven below has fullered the fame misfortune, from the sands of the Northern lea ; so that lighters only come within a bow-lhotoi the bridge ; and that with the tide of fiood, which at spring tides flows near a mile above the bridge.Here the land of Cornwall, is at it’s narrowest dimension ;so that from the full fca mark of Hcylon the North Sea, to the full Sea-mark at Marazion in Mount's
Bay on the South Sea, the distance is but three miles.From St. Erth the Heyl bean dircflly North , spreading an area of sand, of half a mile wide at a medium , and two miles long, but navigable only in the chancl of the River, which admits fm all Ships a mile inwards from the fca under the village of Lannant.Near it’s mouth the Hcyl is joined by a brook from the East, which , under the Parochial Church of Philac, makes a branch of this haven for ships o f 100 tons.The Sea has not only alm oft filled this small harbour withsand, bur forms a bar alio at it's mouth, over which fhips of 80 and 100 ton only can come in at the height of a spring
tide ; and the bed o f the whole is lo railed, that it adm its the tide in it only six hours in twelve ; so that whereas, in harbours open to the sea, the tide flows six hours, and ebbs six hours :
River Fowey at Golant
The course of the River Fowey and neighbouring rivers in Cornwall Basin features Main sourceBodmin Moor
298 m (978 ft)River mouthFoweyestuary
50°19′40″N 4°38′30″WCoordinates:50°19′40″N 4°38′30″WThe River Fowey is ariverinCornwall, England,United Kingdom.Itrisesat Fowey Well (originallyCornish:Fenten Fowi, meaningspring of the river Fowey) about 1-mile (1.6 km) north-west ofBrown WillyonBodmin Moor, not far from one of its tributaries rising atDozmary PoolandColliford Lake, passesLanhydrock House,Restormel CastleandLostwithiel, then broadens atMilltownbefore joining theEnglish ChannelatFowey. The estuary is called Uzell , Cornish: Usel, meaning howling place . It is only navigable by larger craft for the last 7 miles (11 km). There is a ferry between Fowey and Bodinnick. The first road crossing going upstream is in Lostwithiel. The river has seven tributaries, the largest being theRiver Lerryn. The section of the Fowey Valley betweenDoubleboisandBodmin Parkway railway stationis known as the Glynn Valley (Cornish:Glyn, meaningdeep wooded valley). The valley is the route of both the A38 trunk road and the railway line (built by theCornwall Railwayin 1859). The railway line is carried on eight stone viaducts along this stretch (seeCornwall Railway viaducts).
The upper reaches of the Fowey are mainly moorland giving way to woodland and farmland, predominantly livestock. This means that 63.6% of the catchment is grassland, with a further 18.3% woodland and 10.7% arable land. Of the remaining 7.5%, 2.6% is urban or built-up areas, 2.5% is mountain, heath and bog and the remainder is inland waters .The catchment area of the River Fowey covers a total of 41,800 acres , 65.3 sq. miles consisting of kaolinised granite on Bodmin Moor , Devonian slates and grits, and valley gravels . Data collected by the National Water Archive shows that average flow at the Restormel monitoring station is 4.78 cubic m/s and is affected by the reservoirs at Colliford and Sibleyback and by abstraction of water for public supply.The former quarry of the Glynn Valley China Clay Works has closed down and is now flooded. It was in operation from the 1940s but since 2015 the site has been used for camping.
Golitha Falls
Entrance to Golitha Woods
River Fowey at Trago Mills
12th-century bridge at Lostwithiel, crossing the river FoweyThe river runs through two Sites of Special Scientific Interest , one of which is also part of a National Nature Reserve . The Upper Fowey SSSI is a floodplain on the southern slopes of Bodmin Moor and is designated for its wet heath vegetation and herbaceous valley-floor mire communities.Lower down the river at Golitha Falls part of the woodland is designated a NNR and is within the Draynes Wood SSSI. At this point the river runs through a gorge and is of particular importance for ″lower plants″ such as liverworts, mosses and lichens.[6] Golitha pronounced Goleetha is derived from the Cornish word for obstruction.There is a 1-3-mile (4.8 km) riverside walk, from the visitor car park. Golitha Falls is the site of Wheal Victoria copper mine
The Fowey valley is designated as anArea of Outstanding Natural Beautyso many hikers, holidaymakers and tourists visit the places of interest and eat freshly caught fish. The river has very pleasant sites and special paths made for hiking and walking along the banks and in the countryside surrounding the towns.The River Fowey is famous for its sailing because of its natural harbour. In the past it has been visited by up to 7,000 yachts in one season. Almost all sections of the river have been paddled bykayakersandcanoeists: thewhitewatersections high up on the moor, all the way down to the estuary. Fowey has an excellent local chandlery.Many fish can be caught in the River Fowey so many fishermen come to enjoy the excellent fishing conditions.
The origin of the name Lostwithiel is a subject much debated .In the 16th century it was thought that the name came from theRomannameUzella,translated as Les Uchel in Cornish. In the 17th century popular opinion was that the name came from a translation of Lost (a tail) and Withiel (a lion), the lion in question being the lord who lived in the castle .Current thinking is that the name comes from the Old Cornish Lost Gwydhyel meaning "tail-end of the woodland".The view from Restormel Castle looking towards the town shows how this may have come to be.
Lostwithiel is a historic borough. TheLostwithiel constituencyelected two members to theUnreformed House of Commons, but was disenfranchised by theReform Act 1832. It remained amunicipal boroughuntil the 1960s, when it became acivil parish.The seal of the borough of Lostwithiel was a shield charged with a castle rising from water between two thistles, in the water two fish, with the legend"Sigillum burgi de Lostwithyel et Penknight in Cornubia".Itsmayoral regaliaincludes a silver oar, signifying its formerjurisdiction over the River Fowey.
Arthurian legend,Gorlois Welsh: Gwrlaisof Tintagel, Duke of Cornwall, is the husband of Igraine prior to Uther Pendragon. He is the father of Morgan le Fay, Morgause, and Elaine.Gorlois' name first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae in which Uther falls in love with Igraine and wars with Gorlois to get to her.Uther asks for Merlin's aid in pursuing her, and Merlin concocts some drugs that disguise Uther in the form of Gorlois. As Gorlois, he approaches his love easily and they sleep together, conceiving Arthur. Unbeknownst to either of them, the real Gorlois has been killed in his castle that very night. Eventually Igraine is convinced to marry Uther.Later treatments such as the Vulgate Cycle and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur expand on this outline by having Gorlois' daughters married off to Uther's vassals; Elaine to King Nentres of Garlot, Morgause to King Lot of Orkney, and (after receiving an education in a convent) Morgan to King Urien. Arthur is spared any knowledge of this when he is whisked away by Merlin to be raised by Sir Ector.Castle Dore
About six miles north of Fowey not far off the road to Lostwithiel is Castle Dore. We had some difficulty finding this Iron Age hill fort until a friendly farmer came along and gave us directions.
There is nothing dramatic about Castle Dore: its grandeur has lung since settled back into sleep under the ever-changing Cornish mIi it's. All that remains is a huge rough circle of banks and ditches —
a place where sheep graze or take shelter from the wind.
Hut what is exciting about Castle Dore is that when it was excavated in the 1930s it was discovered that the fort had been reni mpied in the Dark Ages, the time of King Arthur. Was this then
The legendary Palace of King Mark ? Many post holes of this period were uncovered, and there is thought to have been a great hall, ninety feet long, aisled and imposing. All round the site were
dwellings, stables and storerooms of Celtic chieftains who ruled there Other than the post holes the archaeologists found no more than a few handfuls of beads of that period. Time had eroded all
other evidence of those who had once lived there in the time of Ail hur.
There is a sense of peace and romance about Castle Dore which makes it. easy to accept the legend of the tragic lovers, Tristram and Iscull , who, it is believed, once lived there. Castle Dore, the old
el in y tells us, was the home of King Mark of Cornwall, the uncle of TiIn!iinn and the husband of Iseult. It was to Castle Dore that Tristram escorted from Ireland the
young and beautiful Iseult to be his uncle’s bride. But on the
|nm iicy Tristram and Iseult drank the love potion intended for her
mill King Mark on their wedding night. In so doing they were bound
In cm i lasting love. They kept their love a secret from the King until
an enemy of Tristram within the court betrayed him. Tristram fled
ami look refuge from Mark’s anger by hiding in the dense forest
where the saints go marching in
Fawye rises in Fawy moors , at a place called Fawy Well, in the Fawy River , parish of Altarnun , not far from Brownwilly , one of the highest mountains in Cornwall .The higher part of this river is also called Draines, and the first bridge upon it is by Leland he called Draines Bridge ;after which passing three other bridges', and having taken into its stream the rivulets of St. Neot’s , Warlegan , and Cardinham parishes , it comes to Resprin , alias Laprin Bridge, whence, in about three miles, it reaches the borough ofLostwythyel, where it passes a fair stone bridge of nine arches, of which the water at present only useth three. In former ages the sea ebbed and flowed above this town , and Camden says brought up vessels of good burden : at present loaden barges scarce come within a mile of it.
In three miles more the Fawy, having taken Pellyn Brook from the West, receives the water of Leryn River and Creek from the East, and becomes thence a deep and wide haven : in two miles more it reaches the town and borough of Fawy on the western bank ; and a little below, being joined by Polruan creek and brook from the East, opens into the Sea, after a run of twenty- six miles, betwixt two old towers built in the reign of Edward IV from which there formerly ftretched a chain for the defence of the harbour. This is thought the largeft body of fresh water, except the Tamar, in all this county.A part from some flat graves which are outside the scope of this work, the funerary monuments comprise round barrows and cairns.These normally cover individual interments, sometimes only one but moreusually with broadly contem porary and later interm ents suggesting family sepulchres extending over two or more generations, and in and around Wessex sometimes with secondary cremations with or without Deverel Rimbury urns.The number of surviving round barrows of this period in England and Wales is probably between thirty thousand and forty thousand and only
the main groups and examples can here be described.Emphasis is on accessible sites with significant visible features.
Bodmin Moor and surroundings
The personal choice of the author would be to proceed from Polperro northwards and visit the Pelynt group, a nucleated cemetery of about ten barrows, one of which is thought to have yielded the bronze sword-hilt of Aegean type, then continue along the B3359 to where it meets the A390 from Lostwithiel and visit the fine linear group on the Taphouse Ridge betweenBodmin Road station and West Taphouse.Then continue along the A390 to Liskeard and proceed north to Minions and visit the barrow near Rilluton, some 36 m (118 ft) in diameter and 2.5 m (8 ft) high, in the east margin of which is still the stone-lined grave in which the famous gold cup ,originally in an earthen vessel and grooved bronze dagger and other objects were found accompanying an extended male? skeleton.These were found in 1818 and the gold cup and dagger are in the British Museum.The east and north fringes of Bodmin Moor can then be skirted and just before reaching Camelford there is the Advent triple
barrow on the north side of a by-road.It is one of only three triple barrows known, the others being on Amesbury Down Wiltshire and Crooksbury
The origin of the nameLostwithielis a subject much debated.
In the 16th century it was thought that the name came from theRomannameUzella,translated asLes UchelinCornish.In the 17th century popular opinion was that the name came from atranslation ofLost(a tail) andWithiel(a lion), the lion in question being the lord who lived in the castle.Current thinking is that the name comes from the Old CornishLost Gwydhyelmeaning "tail-end of the woodland".The view fromRestormel Castlelooking towards the town shows how this may have come to be.
Lostwithiel is a historic borough. TheLostwithiel constituencyelected two members to theUnreformed House of Commons, but was disenfranchised by theReform Act 1832. It remained amunicipal boroughuntil the 1960s, when it became acivil parish.The seal of the borough of Lostwithiel was a shield charged with a castle rising from water between two thistles, in the water two fish, with the legend"Sigillum burgi de Lostwithyel et Penknight in Cornubia".Itsmayoral regaliaincludes a silver oar, signifying its formerjurisdiction over the River Fowey.
Arthurian legend,Gorlois Welsh: GwrlaisofTintagel,Duke of Cornwall, is the husband ofIgraineprior toUther Pendragon. He is the father ofMorgan le Fay,Morgause, andElaine.Gorlois' name first appears inGeoffrey of Monmouth'sHistoria Regum Britanniae(c. 1136),[1]in which Uther falls in love with Igraine and wars with Gorlois to get to her. Uther asks forMerlin's aid in pursuing her, and Merlin concocts some drugs that disguise Uther in the form of Gorlois. As Gorlois, he approaches his love easily and they sleep together, conceivingArthur. Unbeknownst to either of them, the real Gorlois has been killed in his castle that very night. Eventually Igraine is convinced to marry Uther.Later treatments such as theVulgate CycleandThomas Malory'sLe Morte d'Arthurexpand on this outline by having Gorlois' daughters married off to Uther'svassals; Elaine toKingNentres of Garlot, Morgause toKing LotofOrkney, and (after receiving an education in aconvent) Morgan to KingUrien. Arthur is spared any knowledge of this when he is whisked away byMerlin to be raised bySir Ector.Castle Dore
About six miles north of Fowey not far off the road to Lostwithiel is castle Dore. We had some difficulty finding this Iron Age hill fort
until a friendly farmer came along and gave us directions. 'I’here is nothing dramatic about Castle Dore: its grandeur has lung since settled back into sleep under the ever-changing Cornish mIi it's. All that remains is a huge rough circle of banks and ditches — a place where sheep graze or take shelter from the wind.Hut what is exciting about Castle Dore is that when it was excavated in the 1930s it was discovered that the fort had been reni mpied in the Dark Ages, the time of King Arthur. Was this then
l lie legendary Palace of King Mark? Many post holes of this period were uncovered, and there is thought to have been a great hall, ninety feet long, aisled and imposing. All round the site were
dwellings, stables and storerooms of Celtic chieftains who ruled there Other than the post holes the archaeologists found no more than a few handfuls of beads of that period. Time had eroded all
other evidence of those who had once lived there in the time of .
There is a sense of peace and romance about Castle Dore which makes it. easy to accept the legend of the tragic lovers, Tristram and Iscull , who, it is believed, once lived there. Castle Dore, the old
el in y tells us, was the home of King Mark of Cornwall, the uncle of TiIniinn and the husband of Iseult.
It was to Castle Dore that Tristram escorted from Ireland the young and beautiful Iseult to be his uncle’s bride. But on the|nm iicy Tristram and Iseult drank the love potion intended for her mill King Mark on their wedding night. In so doing they were bound In cm i lasting love. They kept their love a secret from the King until an enemy of Tristram within the court betrayed him. Tristram fled and took refuge from Mark’s anger by hiding in the dense forest
NATURAL HISTORY
Polpenrith, alias Polpere, and Polwevorel Creeks,running up towardsConstantineChurch ; and a mile fartherdown , Chielow ,aliasCalmansake Creek ,This haven, within a mile of its mouth, is secure enough forships of 200 ton; and at its passage into the sea, is about a mile wide.This River rises in the highest Northern part of Wendron parish , whence, in about five miles, it reaches the borough of Helston about a mile below which it forms a Lake , called the Lo Pool ; the River giving rise to the Lake , and the Lake , as the mostremarkable part of the Water, giving name to the River. Four brooks give rise to this River ; and uniting at Relubbas from a Western
Course, turn to the North , and in three miles reach St. Erth , alias St. Ercy Bridge, of three stone Arches, and a raised Gaucey well walled on each side, reaching cross the valley. The Bridge has been built somewhat more than 400 years, before which time there was a ferry here, and ships of great burden came up to it. The valley, above bridge, has been much raised by the sands and earth, washed down from
the hills and mines ; and the haven below has suffered the same misfortune, from the sands of the Northern lea ; lb that lighters on ly com e w ithin a bow -lh ot oi
the bridge ; and that w ith the tide o f fiood, w h ich at fpring tides
flow s near a mile above the bridge.Here the land of Cornwall, is at it’s narroweft dimenfion ; fo that from the full fca mark o f Hcyl on the North Sea, to the full Sea-mark at Marazion in Mount's
Bay on the South Sea, the diftance is but three miles. From St. Erth the Hcy l b ean dircflly North , fpreading an area o f fand, o f
half a mile wide at a medium , and two miles long, but navigable only in the chanel of the River, which admits fm all Ihips a mile inwards from the fca under the village of Lannant.Nea r it’s mouth the Hcyl is joined by a brook from the Enft, which , under the Parochial Church of Philac, makes a branch of this haven for fhips o f 100 tons.The Sea has not only alm oft filled this fm all harbour w ith fand, bur forms a bar alio at it's m outh, over which fhips of 80 and 100 ton only can come in at the height of a fpringtide ; and the bed of the w hole is lo railed, that it adm its the tide init on ly fix hours in tw elve ; fo that whereas, in harbours ojx:n tothe fca, the tide flow s fix hours, and ebbs fix hours : here ’tis
• KilmJiuch, the Monti
H IS T O R Y
OF
TEMPLE CHURCH,
NEAR BODMIN,
CORNWALL.
BUILT BY THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
BY
J . R . B R O W N
.Rector o f Hclland with Temple
(now Rector o f Lyons, Net ton Ic Hole, Durham).
W ith Illu s tra tio n s by tlic R ev. W . I a g o , C h a p la in o f th e A sy lu m , B odiuiiw
FOU RTH ED IT IO N .—P R IC E S IX P E N C E .
1905.
P . K , SA C M , P R I N T E I l, P L Y M O U T H .
[IoRC(IJORd
Used by locals regularly for worship and prayer, visited by
hundreds every year, surrounded by rolling moorland,
Temple Church is a special place.
A s you will discover from this little book, reprinted from an
original of rhe late C 19 , lem ple has an interesting history,
n collaboration, rhe Rev. J.R . Brown (Rector of I lelland &
Temple) and the Rev. W.Jago ,Chaplain of the Asylum , Bodminproduced the original book to mark the restoration
of the church.
It is now more than a hundred years since that restoration
and these days it is as much a place o| pilgrimage as it was
in the days of rhe Templars. It represents both |or locals and
visirors a point in their spiritual journey. Every month a
service is held in the late afremoon, alw ays m o p.m. C M 'I
(4 30 p.m. B ST !). Every day the church is visired if not by
humans then by bats, birds and sometimes sheep, if the
gate is inadvertently left open. The door is never locked.
Temple is a living church, part of the little settlement of Temple. It was a larger place at one time, now it has 26 souls. We who live nearby love our church and love people
to visit. We arc proud of our living church surrounded by a " living churchyard ", an attempt to preserve flora and fauna native ro the moors.
There is simplicity abour the church in its moorland setting,
a reminder of the simple origins of Christianity. Especially
at Christm asride many have testified to rediscovering this
simplicity. Journeying ro rhis remote comer of Bodmin Moor, finding a candlelit place, hearing the .singing of carols, one indeed feels that one is entering rhe Christmas
Stable for the first time.
You are, of course, welcome to visit any time 14 hour opening, 365 days of che year! A nd animals are welcome. Our average attendance or worship is about 10 humans, 1 dogs
and a cat !
So make sure you come and visit rhis special place and we would love to see you at one our services.
November 1002
D E R E K C A R R I V I C K
Priest-iu Charge, Temple
PREFACE.
( X / N issuing a reprint of the History of Temple Church,
it has been thought advisable that the present Vicar
(X.” should w rite a few words by way of preface, continuing th e H istory to th e presen t tim e.
On th e resignation of th e Rev. J. K. Brown in 1890,
Temple w as taken over by his successor, the Rev. K. G. Hutt,
but only for a short period, when it was transferred to the
Rev. C. OLIVE, C urate in charge of Warleggan, rill th e year
1893, when the Rev. E. VERNON Coi.IJNS, Rector of Rlislanri,
undertook the duties for the space of tw o years. At the end
of that tim e, it was again transferred to Warleggan, and the
Incumbency was accepted by th e Rev. C. E. Lambert, who
held it till his death in January. 1901.
Mr. L a m k k k t ’s death, which took place un d er sad circum stances, will ev er be associated w ith Temple. A fter
officiating at Evensong on Sunday, January 13th, 1901, M r
Lambert started to walk home toWarleggan.When he had proceeded only a short distance, he was overcome by some
sudden seizure, and fell dead. Although only about half-amilc from the Church, h e was, w hen he died, on an unfrequented path and hidden from the view of the neighbouring
houses; and th u s his body remained for three days undiscovered. It is worthy of note that during the whole of that tim e, his dog, an Irish terrier, rem ained by his dead m aster.
Mr. Lambert w as buried in Tem ple C hurchyard, and his
grave is marked by a granite Cross.
Since then th e parish of Temple has passed with th e parish
of Bolventor; and the w riter of this preface has now served
it for over four years.
PREFACE.
The last event of interest connected with the parish is
the presentation, by Dr. T. G. Vawdrey, a native of the
County, of a stained-glass Window for the Tower. This
completes the windows of the Tower. too of them representSt. Catherine, and a Knight Templar, respectively ; and the subject of the third, agreed upon by Dr. Vawdrey and the Vicak . is "Luke, the beloved Physician,” the choice
of this subject being prompted by the tradition that the
Knights Templar had a Chapel dedicated to St. LUKE, in the
neighbouring parish of Bolventor.
The ancient stones, some having formed part of the old
Church and others haring been monuments in the Graveyard,
are now placed against the Churchyard wall, opposite the
South Porch; and amongst them will be found much to interest the archaeologist.
In closing this preface, the VICAR must mention that it is
largely through the kind help of Dr. T. G. VAWDREY that this
reprint has become possible, and that the money arising from
its sale will be devoted to the maintenance of the Church.
June. 1905.
J. H. DICKINSON.
Vicar o f Temple
tom jilar.
C
HE Knights Templar were a religious military
Order, founded at Jerusalem in the year 1118.
This Order, the first military one in the world,
was formed on the instigation of Hugh de
Pagans and Godfrey de St Homer, who, with several
other pious and noble men, offered their services to
Baldwin King of Jerusalem, to defend all persons,
pilgrims and strangers, travelling thither to the Holy
Sepulchre, from robbery and violence.
Their vows were chastity, obedience, and poverty,
and at firsi. these were strictly carried out. They professed 1 . 0 observe the rules of St. Augustine, and were
so poor that they represented themselves as having
only one horse to carry two or three knights, and their
seal was “two men on one horse." Baldwin bestowed
on them an apartment in his Palace, adjacent to the
holy Temple; hence they were called “Knights Templar." Afterwards, the Canons of the Temple gave
them a piece of ground on which to build; and the
King, Inrds, and Prelates gave them moneys out of
their own revenues. Their rules now stated that they
were to guard the highway against robbers, to hear the
Holy Office every day, or, if prevented so doing by
their military duties, to say a certain number of Paternosters instead. They were to abstain from flesh four
days a week, and on Friday from eggs and milk meats.
Each knight should have three horses and one esquire, but should neither hunt nor fowl.
The dress prescribed for them byPope Honorious, who confirmed their
Order, was plain white, to which Eugenius 111. added
a red Cross on the breast.
In a short time, they increased to 300 knights, besides a considerable number of brethren. They seem
THE M IG H T S TEMPIAR. II
to have gained very early settlements in England, a$
in other kingdoms, l.heir Churches being in every case
exempted from the jurisdiction of Prelates not of their
Order; as proved by the Church at Temple, which
anciently was never visited by the Bishop of the
Diocese or his subordinate officials. It is said that in
the course of years the gallant knights established preceptories in desert and uncultivated places, with the
view of introducing inhabitants, or of civilizing the
few scattered over the wilderness. Whether this was
the case at Temple, or whether it was as local tradition states -originally a resting place for bands of
Crusaders, we cannot tell now.
In the year 1218, the Order of Knights Templar was confirmed at the Council of Troyes, and subject to a rule of discipline drawn up by St Bernard.
In every
nation (for they soon spread all over Europe) the Orderhad a particular Governor, called "Master of the
Temple." Their Grand Master had his residence in
Paris. As time went on, the vow of poverty became a
thing of the past. The Order accumulated vast riches,
ami the knights became men of military renown.
The part they took in the wars of the Crusades is
well known, and great numbers of them fell fighting
for the cause. Nineteen years after the Crusades the
whole Order was suppressed through the machinations
of the vindictive Philip IV. of France, the enemy of
the Church, through whose instrumentality, in 1307, a
series of charges was brought against, the Knights by
two members of their Order, who had been degraded
for their crimes and who were then in prison for their
offences Thp Knights were accused of having sold
Crusaders in the Holy War into the hands of the Turks,
of sacrificing human beings to an idol they worshipped,
of spitting upon the Cross of Christ, of worshipping a
cat, or a wooden head crowned with gold, and of un
natural crimes. Doubtless among many of them rices
had multiplied: many were proud, haughty and
vicious; arrogance, luxury, and cruelty existed. Rut
12 THE M IG H T S TEMPLAR.
the real cause of their ruin lay in the foul act. of Philip
the Fair, King of France, who coveted their rich lands,
and of Pope Clement V., who had long sojourned in
France and wished to do a favour to the King, their
great wealth was the real cause. As a quaint old historian says, “The King could not get the honey without he burnt the bees.” It was also partly the result
of hatred against their Grand Master at Paris, who had
offended Philip in several matters; and also in the
action taken by the Order in his quarrel with Pope
Boniface VIII. In this the Knights Templar had taken
the Pope’s side against the King, and had furnished
him with money to carry on the war. Philip asked the
Pope that all the lands of the Knights Templar in
France might be forfeited “by reason of their horrible
heresies and licentious lives,” and all put in prison and
their lands given to bis youngest son. But he was
terribly disappointed, for the Council of Vienne ordered
all their lands to be given to the Knights Hospitaler.
The cruel order was carried out: the whole body was
suppressed, the Knights were cast into prison, they
were put on the rack, they were burned at the stake.
They solemnly avowed their innocence while languishing under the severest tortures, and even with their
dying breath denied the crimes with which they were
charged. But nothing saved them. A Knight Tern
plar burned at Bordeaux, on his way to the stake, saw
the Pope and the King looking secretly from a window,
and loudly denounced them for their treachery and
cruelty. Edward II. of England was reluctantly
drawn into the persecution, and in 1308 an inquisition
was made of all the possessions of the fraternity in
England, both in lands and goods. The result of this
inquisition is preserved in what are called the Templars’ Rolls (2 & 3 Edward II.) in the Public Record
Office. These Rolls enter into very minute details,
showing even the number of poultry on each estate.
Though the Kings both of France and England
seized all the property of the Knights and kept the
movable goods, it was found they could not retain the
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
landed possessions of the Order, which in England and
France were transferred to the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem, or Hospitalers. Great, difficulties were
found, however, in getting possession. In many oases
the lords of the fees had seized the estates, and it. was
only by process of law they could be recovered; and
even as late as 1338 some of the most valuable of the
Templars’ manors had not been surrendered.
Before the last mentioned dale, they possessed the
preceptory and manor of Trehighe in Cornwall, as appears from an extent, of their lands preserved in the
Public Library' at Malta.The manors of Trehighe
and Temple seem from this time to have gone together.
We find when the Order of Knights Hospitaler was
suppressed, their lands were transferred to the King
(Henry VIII.). Then we have an interesting lease by
Edward VI. Philip and Mary, however, upon consultation with Cardinal Pole, decided to restore the Order
of Knights Hospitaler, and did so; but Queen Eliza
both again dissolved them and seized all their lands.
After several interesting changes in ownership, which
arc detailed in Sir John Maclean's admirable work on Trigg Minor (to which this pamphlet, is largely indebted) the manors of Trebighe and Temple passed
into the Wrey family.
Since 1632, Temple Church, once the resting-place arid home of the ancient Knights Templar, the warriors
of the Crusades, has been in the gift and has pertairied to the baronetcy of the Wrey family.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the locality in South Australia, seeBoconnoc Park, South Australia.
Boconnoc
Boconnoc
Location withinCornwall
Population122(Parish, 2011)OSgridreferenceSX147607Unitaryauthority
CountryEnglandSovereignstateUnited KingdomPost townLOSTWITHIELPostcodedistrictPL22Diallingcode01503PoliceDevon and CornwallFireCornwallAmbulanceSouth WesternUKParliament
List of placesUKEnglandCornwall
Boconnoc(Cornish:Boskennek) is acivil parishinCornwall, England, United Kingdom, approximately four miles (6km) east of the town ofLostwithiel.[1]According to the2011 censusthe parish had a population of 96.
The parish is rural in character and is fairly well wooded. It is bordered to the west bySt Winnowparish, to the south bySt Veepparish, to the southeast and east byLanreathparish, and to the north byBraddockparish.[2]The hamlets ofCouch's Milland Brooks are in the parish.[3]Part of ancient deer park at Boconnoc House contains an internationally important assemblage oflichensand is one of the most important sites in Europe for lichens.[4]
History[edit]
There are Cornish crosses in the churchyard, on Druids' Hill and in Boconnoc Park. The latter cross was removed to here fromLanliveryand has some curious incised ornament.[5]
Themanorof Boconnoc is listed in theDomesday Bookof 1086 asBochenod, and was then one of the many hundred possessions ofRobert, Count of Mortain, the half-brother of KingWilliam the Conqueror.[6]Robert's tenant was a Briton named as "Offers", elsewhere in the Domesday Book named "Offels, Offerd, Offers, Osfert, Osfertus",[7]and now known as "Osfrith ofOkehampton" in Devon.[8]In 1086 Osfrith held in total 12 manors in Devon and Cornwall, and before theNorman Conquestof 1066 had held 20.[8]The holder in 1268 was De Cant.[9]
Carminow[edit]Effigies of Roger Carminow (d.1308) and his wife Joan Dinham in the church of St Mawgan-in-Meneage, Cornwall. In the cross-legged pose supposed to represent crusaders, he displays on his shield the arms of Carminow:Azure, a bend orarms of Carminow:Azure, a bend or
At some point Boconnoc came into the possession of the Carminow family, who originated in the Cornish parish ofMawgan in Meneage. The church there contains stone effigies of Roger Carminow (died 1308) in armour beside his wife Joan Dinham, daughter of Oliver Dinham (died 1299), 1st Baron.[10]He is said to have fought under KingEdward Iin his wars in Scotland and to have served asMember of ParliamentforCornwallin 1300.[11]His son Sir John Carminow (died 1341) married Joan Glyn (died 1349), daughter of Sir John Glyn,[10]and their son was Sir Walter Carminow, who married Alice Tintern, daughter of Sir Stephen Tintern, ofSt Tudy. They had two sons, the elder being Sir Ralph Carminow (died 1386), who sat three times as MP for Cornwall, in 1383, 1384 and 1386, but left no surviving children.[12]
Some details of Sir Ralph's time at Boconnoc can be found in the “History of Parliament”. In the 1370s he and his brother petitionedEdward the Black Prince, asDuke of Cornwalland his father KingEdward III of Englandagainst John Sergeaux, husband of his wife’s sister, alleging that Sergeaux had sent men to Boconnoc, viciously assaulted him and his wife, removed 200 pounds worth of goods, and left him for dead. While serving as sheriff of Cornwall, Sergeaux then launched a second effort to obtain the property by anattachment order, taking more of his possessions to an alleged value of 1,000 pounds.[12]
On a visitation of the diocese in 1371, BishopThomas Brantinghamof Exeter found that Sir Ralph and his first wife Catherine Champernowne were living as man and wife illegally, their marriage being invalid incanon lawas they were related in both the third and the fourth degrees ofconsanguinity. Summoned before the bishop in 1372, Sir Ralph presented letters he had obtained from the papal nuncio, CardinalSimon Langham, granting the couple dispensation for the marriage.[12]
In 1381 a royal commission found thatWilliam Botreaux, 1st Baron, hearing of thePeasants' Revoltin London, had gathered 80 men and broken into the park at Boconnoc, hunted the deer, killing 20 of them, and generally damaged the property. Botreaux’s wife appealed against the charge, saying that her husband was then on military service in Portugal and that the accusation against him was false. In 1383 Sir Ralph was one of 18 major landowners in Cornwall ordered to reside near the sea, in his case probably at Boconnoc which is at the head of the Fowey estuary, in order to provide prompt defence in case of French invasion.[12]
He was supposed to be at Westminster for the opening of Parliament on 1 October 1386 but had not left Boconnoc by 9 October 1386, when he went out hunting with a pair of greyhounds, who pulled him to his death over the edge of a cliff (the fate of the dogs is not recorded).[12]
The estate passed to his younger brother, Sir William Carminow (died 1407),[12]Sheriff of Devonin 1391 and MP for Cornwall in 1407, who married Margaret Kelly (died 1420), and his heir was his son Thomas Carminow (died 1442), husband of Joan Hill, the daughter of SirRobert Hill, of Shilstone inModbury. They left two daughters, the elder being Margaret Carminow,[10]who married first Sir John St Loe, secondly Wiliiam Botreaux, and thirdly SirHugh Courtenay(died 1471) who was executed after theBattle of Tewkesbury. Boconnoc then passed to his eldest son,Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon.
Courtenay[edit]The Courtenay family, Earls of Devon, during the Wars of the Roses, showing the ancestry and descendants of Courtenay of Boconnoc
Sir Edward de Courtenay of Goodrington was the second son ofHugh de Courtenay, 2nd/10th Earl of Devon(1303–1377), ofTiverton Castlein Devon and ofOkehampton Castlein Devon,feudal baron of Okehampton, andfeudal baron of Plympton. By his wife Emeline Dauney he was the father ofEdward de Courtenay, 3rd/11th Earl of Devon(1357–1419), "The Blind Earl", the ancestor of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Earls, which senior line was extinguished during the Wars of the Roses, the last of whom was killed in the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. Sir Edward de Courtenay's second son (and therefore the brother of "The Blind Earl") was SirHugh Courtenay(1358-1425) ofHaccombein Devon,[13]Sheriff of Devonfor 1418/19 and thriceknight of the shireforDevonin 1395, 1397 and 1421,[14]the grandfather ofEdward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(d.1509), KG, created Earl of Devon in 1485 by King Henry VII.
SirHugh Courtenay(1358-1425) inherited the manor of Haccombe from his heiress wife (his 2nd wife) Philippa Archdekne (alias Ercedecne), a daughter and co-heiress of Sir Warin Archdekne (1354-1400), MP.[15]His son and heir by his 3rd wife Matilda Beaumont, was SirHugh Courtenay(d.1471) of Boconnoc, who married the heiress Margaret Carminowe. Boconnoc was visited by the antiquaryWilliam Worcester(1415-c.1482) who described the house then standing as "Blekennoc House, a turretted old mansion, lately the seat of Sir Hugh Courtenay".[16]
It is believed that Boconnoc reverted to the crown in consequence of an attainder in the Courtenay family,[17]and was later regranted toJohn Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford(c.1485-1555).[18]It was sold in 1579 byFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford(1527–1585) to Sir William Mohun, who died seised of it in about 1587.[19]Sir William Mohun was in any case one of the rightful co-heirs of the Courtenay family of Boconnoc.
Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(c.1527-1556) was unmarried and childless at the time of his death. The manor and Castle ofTivertonand his other numerous estates devolved to his distant cousins, descended from the four sisters of his great-grandfatherEdward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(d.1509), all children of SirHugh Courtenay(d.1471) of Boconnoc and his wife, Margaret Carminow.[20]These four sisters were as follows:[21][22]
Thus the Courtenay estates were divided into four parts.[20]On the death of Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon, in 1556, the actual heirs to his estates were the following descendants of the four sisters above:[27]
Mohun[edit]Mural monument with kneeling effigy, in Boconnoc Church, of Penelope Mohun (d.1637), a daughter ofSir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet(c.1564-1639) of Boconnoc, with arms of Mohun:Or, a cross engrailed sable
The Mohuns of Boconnoc and ofHallin the parish ofLanteglos-by-Fowey, in Cornwall, were a junior branch of the Mohun family, and were descended from John Mohun (d. 1322)[28]ofDunster Castlein Somerset,feudal baron of Dunsterby his wife Anne Tiptoft.[29][30]William Mohun of Hall married Elizabeth Courtenay, one of the greatest heiresses of her time, one of the four eventual co-heiresses ofEdward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon(1527–1556) the last of the mediaeval CourtenayEarls of Devon. The Mohun share of the Courtenay inheritance included Boconnoc in Cornwall andOkehampton Castlein Devon, and other remnants of thefeudal barony of Okehampton, one of the earliest possessions of the Courtenays.
The grandson of William Mohun of Hall and Elizabeth Courtenay wasReginald Mohun(1507/8–1567) of Hall and Boconnoc, who married Jone Trevanion, daughter of Sir William Trevanion and sister of Sir Hugh Trevanion.[31]
The son of Reginald Mohun and Jone Trevanion was SirWilliam Mohun(c.1540 – 1588) of Hall and Boconnoc, aMember of Parliament.[32]By his first wife Elizabeth Horsey, the daughter of SirJohn Horsey(d. 1564), MP, he had two sons and one daughter, of whom the eldest son and heir wasJohn Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton(1595–1641) who was elevated to thepeerageby King Charles I asBaron Mohun of Okehampton,[33]in recognition of his ancestor having inheritedOkehampton Castleas his share of the Courtenay inheritance.
The widow ofCharles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun(c.1675-1712) sold Boconnoc toThomas Pitt(1653-1726).
Pitt[edit]The "Pitt Diamond", 40% of the proceeds of which were used byThomas Pittto purchase the Boconnoc estate after 1717Boconnoc House, east front, re-built in 1721 by Thomas Pitt, President of Madras, and expanded in 1772 by his great-grandson Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford
Thomas Pitt(1653-1726) ofBlandford St Maryin Dorset, wasPresident of Madrasin India and six times a Member of Parliament. He was the grandfather ofWilliam Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham("Pitt the Elder"), the father ofWilliam Pitt the Younger, both prime ministers of Great Britain. Thomas Pitt was a wealthy trader who had made a fortune in India, where he acquired for the sum of £20,400 a large and valuable diamond, known as the "Pitt Diamond" (now the "Regent Diamond"). Having sold it in 1717 to the FrenchRegent,Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, for £135,000, he was able to purchase the Boconnoc estate for £54,000.[34]The "Regent Diamond" is today on display in theLouvreMuseum and is valued at about £60 million. He also used his great wealth to acquire political influence which he did by purchasing therotten boroughsofOld Sarumin Wiltshire, where he had the power to nominate both MPs, andOkehamptonin Devon, where he had the power to nominate one. He also acquired considerable influence in at least twoCornishboroughs, namelyCamelfordandGrampound. Many of his family entered Parliament representing these family boroughs. After his death in 1726 the estate passed to his sonRobert Pitt(1680-1727), MP, who died one year later in 1727, when the estate descended to his sonThomas Pitt(c.1705-1761), Lord Warden of the Stannaries, the elder brother of William Pitt the Elder, the prime minister.
Obelisk erected at Boconnoc in 1771 byThomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelfordin memory of his uncle and benefactor SirRichard Lyttelton(d.1770). Situated 1 km to N-E of the house
In 1731Thomas Pitt(c.1705-1761) of Boconnoc married Christiana Lyttelton, a daughter ofSir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet, MP, of Hagley in Worcestershire and a sister ofGeorge Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton. His only surviving son wasThomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford(1737-1793), of Boconnoc, who developed the china clay mine on the Boconnoc estate, and in 1772 added a south wing to Boconnoc House in the form of a picture gallery (demolished 1971).[35]He died in Italy, but his body was brought home and buried within Boconnoc Church, next to the house.[36]A monument survives near the house, in the form of a tall graniteobelisk, in memory of the antiquary SirRichard Lyttelton(d.1770), the uncle of the 1st Baron Camelford, who bequeathed him much of his fortune.[37]Inscribed:[37]
In gratitude and affection to the memory of Sir Richard Lyttelton and to perpetuate that peculiar character of benevolence which rendered him the delight of his own age and worthy of the veneration of posterity MDCCLXXI
Thomas Pitt, 2nd Baron Camelford(1775–1804), the son of the 1st Baron, was killed in a duel in 1804, when his heir to Boconnoc became his only sisterAnne Pitt(1772-1864) (Lady Grenville), the wife ofWilliam Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville,Prime Ministerfrom 1806 to 1807. Her heir was her nephew George Matthew Fortescue (1791-1877).[38]
Fortescue[edit]
Boconnoc House and estate[edit]
Boconnoc House (Grade II* listed[44]) was built in the 18th century by two members of the Pitt family: one wing was built c. 1721 byThomas Pitt, Governor of Madras, and the other in 1772 byThomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford. The two wings formed an L-shape and the grounds are finely landscaped: on a hill behind the house is an obelisk in memory of Sir Richard Lyttelton (1771). During the 19th century the estate passed into the ownership of the Fortescues who made some alterations to the structure in 1883: there are some more recent additions and the south wing was demolished in 1971.
The parish church is behind the house and fairly small: its dedication is unknown. It contains an interesting 15th-century font and a monument to Penelope Mohun, 1637.[45]The modern tower has five sides in the lower part and eight in the upper. Features of interest include a musicians' gallery, the altar table made by Sir Reginald (Raynold) Mohun, 1621, the Jacobean pulpit, and a monument to Penelope Mohun (d.1637) the wife of William Drew.[46]
The estate, surrounding theRiver Lerryn, contains a deer park, lake,agricultural landand woodland. Parts of the estate are designated asBoconnoc ParkImportant Plant AreaandBoconnoc Park & WoodsSite of Special Scientific Interest, noted for itsbiologicalcharacteristics.[47][48]
The estate includes the largest landscapeddeer parkin Cornwall, the home of the Boconnoc Cricket Club.[49]In 1993 the estate was used as a location for the filmThe Three Musketeers.[50][51]
Trecangate[edit]Sign marking site of Trecangate Chapel
Between 1820 and 1954 a Methodist chapel stood in the hamlet of Trecangate, in the parish of Boconnoc. It was built usingcob walls; a sign marking its position was erected in 2009.[52]
Cornish wrestling[edit]
Cornish wrestlingtournaments, for prizes, were held in Boconnoc in the 1700s.[53]
Wildlife and ecology[edit]
Old-growth,sessile oak(Quercus petraea), growing in ravines and slopes in parts of the ancient deer park at Boconnoc House, contain an internationally important assemblage of lichens, making it one of the most important sites in Europe. The site is also considered to be the best ″old-growth, southern-oceanic oak woodland″ in thesouth-west.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
Rivers and navigable creeks, p. 36. Tamar, Lynher, p. 38. Tide, or Tidi, p. 40. Seaton, ib.
Loo, or Eaft-Loo, ibid. ProfpoCt of Loo Bridge," ib. Duloo, or Weft Loo river, p. 41. fawy, ib.
Fal, 42, and it’s harbour. Hel, or Heyl river in Kerricr, p. 43. Lo or Low river in Kerrier, p 44.
A1
Heyl in Penwith, ibid. Ganal creek, p. 45. River Alan, al Lamel, ibid. Wade navigable rivers in
may be made notbeneficial, p. 47. Subject: to obftrudtions, p. 49.