CORNWALL and one people, but for many centuries after Athelstan had driven the Britons west of the Tamar. Cornwall herself, like Celtic lands generally, has always been defective in central- isation ; and at the present moment it is often said that the true capital of Cornwall is the " Three Towns ". There arc more Cornish- men in Plymouth than in any single town west of the Devon boundary. The future may see a change. Truro is increasing, though slowly, and becoming in greater reality a mainspring of Cornish life. Her boast of antiquity depends on the claim of Kenwyn to be the ancient Cenion. The Roman Itinerary speaks of stations on the rivers Tamara, Voluba and Cenia. Tamara is, of course, the Tamar ; Voluba is generally said to be the Fowey, but certainly might be the Fal ; Cenia is the Truro, or more correctly the Kenwyn River. The Cenia has incorrectly been interpreted as the Fal, and on this interpretation Tregony has been claimed as the old Cenion ; but certainly Kenwyn has the highest claim, and a large part of modern Truro is included in the parish of that name. There are traces of old earthworks in the immediate neighbourhood ; but such traces are so common in Cornwall that they are no great argument. The name of Truro, which in the past has been given as Treru, Treveru and Triuru, is supposed to signify the " town on the river ". The manor was given by the Conqueror to Robert de Mortain. In Stephen's reign the place was given a charter ; 250
