The Parochial History of Cornwall/Volume 1/St Austell
ST. AUSTELL.
HALS.
St. Austell is situate in the hundred of Powder, and hath upon the north Roach, east St. Blaze, west Mewan, south the British Channel; in Domesday Roll, 1087, the modern name of this parish was not extant, but the same and the districts of St. Blazy, Mewan, and Menagnissy, passed then in tax under the jurisdiction of Earl Cradock's manor of Towington, now duchy, Treverbyn, Trenance, and Pentewan. Note further, that, if Saint Austell be a corruption of Sancto Hostell, it signifies the holy inn or court.
The Prior of Tywardreth, with divers other benefactors, as appears from the carving and inscriptions on the stones thereof, founded and endowed this church, within the town of Trenance, now St. Austell Town, after which it was indifferently written Trenance Prior (Carew's Survey of Cornwall, p. 57), that is to say, the valley town prior (or pertaining to him) and again by him Trenance Austell (id est, the cell, chapel or hole, valley town); and again, Tre-nance Aus-tell (id. est, the valley town out, or remote cell or chapel) so called in respect of Tywardreth, its superior or mother church. The patronage now in the King; the incumbent Tremayne; the rectory or sheaf in May. In the Bishop of Lincoln and Winchester's Inquisition into the Pope's Value of Benefices in Cornwall, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto Austello in Decanatu de Powdre, was rated to first fruits xl. xiiis. iiiid. The vicar xls. In Wolsey's Inquisition, 1521, £21. This parish was charged to the 4s. per pound land tax, 1696, £432. 6s. (See Tywardreth.)
From this place was denominated an old family of gentlemen surnamed De Austell, of which family William de Austell was Sheriff of Cornwall 25 Henry VI. as also of Somerset and Dorset 27 and 28 of King Henry VI.; who gave for his arms, Argent, a saltire raguled Vert, but in what families the name, blood, and estate of those gentlemen are terminated I know not, or where they dwelt. At the town of St. Austell, alias Trenance, is weekly held upon Friday a considerable market, wherein is vended all commodities necessary for the life of man at a reasonable price.[1] Its also privileged 10th fairs or greater marts, on the 30th of November, Palm Sunday, and Thursday after Whitsunday, which benefits were doubtless first obtained from the Earls of Cornwall, by the Priors of Tywardreth aforesaid.
Treverbyn, alias Tre-verbin, in this parish, was the voke lands of considerable manor long before the Norman Conquest, as appears from the Domesday tax aforesaid (it signifies in Cornish the herb, rape, root, or navew town, famous it seems in former ages for those vegetables,) from which place was denominated that old and knightly family of the Treverbins (who had there free chapel and burying place here lately extant, and of public use before the Church of St. Austell was erected; of which house was Walter Treverbyn, Sheriff of Cornwall 1223, the successor of Reginald de Valletort 7 Henry III. who had issue Sir Walter Treverbyn, Knight, who had a daughter married, named Katherine, to Peter Prideaux, of Boswithgye in Luxsillian 10th Edward II. From this Walter also lineally descended Sir Hugh Treverbyn, Knight, tempore Henry VI. whose two daughters and heirs were married to Edward Courtenay, of Boconnock or Haccomb, in Devon, and Trevannion, of Caryhays, in whom the name, blood, and estate of those Treverbins ended. But Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exon, and Earl of Devon, forfeited one moiety of those lands to the Crown by attainder of treason against that butcher of the branches of the house of York, Henry VIII.; so that the same is now in copartnery between the King of England and Trevanion.
Penrice, alias Penric, in this parish, (id est, head jurisdiction or dominion) perhaps heretofore, if not now, the voke lands of some manor (otherwise it must be interpreted the head or chief lopping of trees, or rice, faggots) is the dwelling of my very kind friend Joseph Sawle, Esq. that married Trevanion, his father Glanvill, his grandfather Rashleigh, a gentleman notably famous for his humanity, hospitality, and charity to the poor, who giveth for his arms, Argent, a chevron between three falcons' heads Sable. Originally, the first ancestor of this family came out of Normandy, a soldier under William the Conqueror, 1066, and in all probability he was posted in those parts, an officer under William or Robert Earls of Morton and Cornwall, some time after in those standing troops of soldiers the Conqueror kept here, in order to awe the people thereof to a submission to his dominion. For I take it beyond the records of time at Towan in this parish, and elsewhere in Devon, this family or tribe hath been extant in fame and splendor as the descendants of that Sauley or Sawle, mentioned in Battle Abbey Roll in the year above-mentioned.
Mena-Gwins, in this parish, i.e. white hills or hills white, is the dwelling of Francis Scobell, Esq. (in English broom) that married one of the coheirs of Sir Joseph Tredenham, Knight, his father Carlyon's heir, and giveth for his arms, as I take it, the same as the Scobhalls, of Devon, viz. Argent, three fleurs de lis, two and one, Gules; perhaps originally descended from that family, [At Mena-Gwins resided Richard Scobell, clerk of the Parliament to Oliver Cromwell. Lysons.]
Ros-eundle, (id est, bundle of rushes,) in this parish, is the dwelling of Charles Trubody, Gent.
At Roscorla, in this parish, (that is the promontory and fat valley of land,) is the dwelling of that old family of gentlemen from thence denominated De Roscorla. The present possessor George Roscorla, Gent, that married Bullock. [The seat of the ancient family of Roscorla has been pulled down. George Roscorla, the present representative of this decayed family, is a day-labourer at Roche. Lysons.]
Trenaran, (id est, the still lake, leat, creek, cove, or bosom of waters,) in this parish, is the dwelling of Samuel Hext, Gent, attorney at law, who by his skill and conduct in that profession, hath advanced his reputation and estate to a considerable pitch in those parts: he married Moyle of this place.
Merther in St. Austell, bordering on the sea, and joining to the Perr, was formerly the seat of the Laas, but now the lands of Hext, who in the reign of Queen Elizabeth came from Kingston, in Stuerton, Devonshire, an ancient seat of that family. His coat is, Or, a castle triple-turreted, between three battle-axes Sable.
[Mr. Hals exhibits the strong feelings of his time in the story of Laa, when he says,]
At the time of the unhappy Rebellion, when the Lord Hopton had disbanded his army, some of Fairfax's forces entered the house at Merther, threatening to murder Mrs. Laa and the family, for being too dilatory in dressing meat for them. Mr. Laa, then riding about his estate, had intimation that the rebels were in his parlour, carousing at the expense of his bacon, poultry, and strong beer. He with all possible expedition alighted at the door, enters the kitchen, which is opposite to the parlour, and being warmed with an honest zeal for his King, took down a loaded gun from the chimney-piece, and shot one of the rebels, who was at the head of the table, dead on the spot. Immediately he took horse, and rode towards the Perr, and preserved his life from the vile pursuers, being providentially well mounted, by leaping a five-barred gate, and swimming across the Perr, it being at that time high water.
In the town of St. Austell liveth Henry Hawkins, Gent, attorney at law (younger brother of Mr. Hawkins of Creed), who by his judgment, skill, care, and pains, in his calling hath exalted his fame and estate to a great degree. He married Scobell, and giveth for his arms, Argent, on a saltire Sable, five fleur de lis. His two sons by Scobell died without issue, and his daughters were married to Hoblyn, Moyle, Hext, and Hawkins, of Helston; and the youngest of that sex, with all his lands and riches, was married to Tremayne, of St. Ive, Esq.
The manor of Tow-ing-ton, alias Taw-ing-ton aforesaid, taxed in the Domesday Book, 1087, is invested with the jurisdiction of a court leet; and signifies "silence in town," or "extraordinary silence in town," viz. when that court sitteth; which was afterwards by King Edward III. 1336, concerted or fixed into the Duchy of Cornwall, by charter (see Lestwithell), with its appurtenances.
In this parish was born Jonathan Upcott, son of George Upcott, Gent, by Mrs. May, of High Cross, Ranger of the Parks to John Lord Robartes in Cornwall, as also in Ireland, when he was Lord Deputy there. This gentleman, having risen through various steps in the army, during the reigns of Charles II. James II. and William III. commanded a company in Flanders in the great war against France under Lewis XIV. At last, being ordered to take part in a desperate assault on the French at Enghein, where the Dutch and Spanish soldiers had proved better men at their heels than at their hands, he bravely lost his life, together with the greater part of his men.
King William is said in the course of this war to have grown prodigal of Englishmen's valour, blood, and lives, as he had before been of their money; for when any dangerous fort was to be attempted, which the Dutch and Spanish soldiers refused, he commanded the English to perform it, who, being led away by the vanity of being accounted valiant soldiers, and for the honour of the English nation, quickly undertook such direful posts, though to their own destruction.
NORDEN.
Polruddon, the ruynes of an auntient howse somtymes the howse of John Polruddon, whoe was taken out of his bed by the Frenche in the time of Henry the 7. and caried away with violence, and then began the howse to decaye, and Penwarn, the howse of Mr. Otwell Hill, was buylded with Polruddon stones. The howse (as by the ruyns it appeareth) was a large howse, and by the arched freestone windowes which it had curiouslye wroughte, testifieth it to be for the time elegant. [Polruddon was afterwards rebuilt, and became a seat of the Scobells. It belonged to the late Sir Christopher Hawkins, Bart, who was descended from that family in the female line. It is occupied as a farm house. Lysons]
TONKIN.
The manor of Tewynton, alias Tewington, takes its name from the chief place, Tewor, which, though it generally means "heaps of sand," cannot be so interpreted here; and much less applicable is the etymology given by Mr. Hals, of "silence in town," but Tewor means a hillock generally, so that Tewynton means, in the mixed derivation common in Cornwall from British and Saxon, "the town on a small hill." This place was the seat of the Sowles before they removed to Penrice, and affords a quarry of excellent stone.
Pentwan, the "head of the hillocks of sand." Lower Pentwan is situated at the mouth of the St. Austell river, which would form a pretty little port, were it not for the bar of sand made by the waste brought down from the tin-works, so that small craft only can get in, and that at spring-tides. It is a handsome village, and in good seasons great stores of fish are brought in here.
Pelniddon, "the top of the ford," from "nyd," a ford, was the seat of the knightly family bearing the same name.
Trenorren, which I take to be compounded of Tre-nore-en, "the town of the point," from the Bleak Head, close by which it lies.
THE EDITOR.
In Henry the Eighth's reign, Leland described St. Austell as a poor village, nor is it mentioned as a place of any consequence either by Carew or Norden. It first rose into consequence from its vicinity to Polgooth and other considerable mines: it is now a considerable thoroughfare; the great road from Plymouth to the Land's End was brought through it about the year 1760. The export of china clay, the decomposed or never consolidated felspar, to all the great manufactories of earthenware throughout England, affords employment to industry and to capital, in a manner more steady, and therefore more permanently beneficial, than can ever be produced by the working of mines.
To facilitate their commerce, and generally to improve the whole district, a harbour was constructed at Seaforth about forty years ago by Mr. Charles Rashleigh; a gentleman who will long be remembered, as uniting strong abilities with energy of mind, and liberality as well of practice as of sentiment. His name is perpetuated in the port and in the buildings surrounding it, which have received by public acclamation the appropriate distinction of Charlestown. [The spot was formerly called Porthmear, and was too inconsiderable to be mentioned in Martyn's map. In 1790 it contained only nine inhabitants. In consequence of the commodious harbour, the docks, and shipwrights' yards, and the pilchard fishery established by Mr. Rashleigh, it has gradually increased to be a large village. Lysons.]
More recent inventions have suggested an iron railway from St. Austell along the descending vale to a new harbour at Pentewan. The works are just now completed (1832), and they promise to add still greater facilities to commerce than those at Charlestown.
The other principal villages in this parish are Carvath, Corbean, Pentewan or Pentuan, Porthpean, Rescorla, Tregonissy, Tregorick, Trenarren, and Trethergy.
The church and town of St. Austell are well worthy of notice. The church is much decorated on its exterior surface of freestone by figures and scrolls worked on the stone; and over the south porch is an ancient inscription, kych inri, never explained (engraved in Lysons, p. ccxxxii). The tower, although not so lofty as that at Probus, is perhaps more elegant in its form and proportion. The inside of the church presents a light and pleasing appearance, in consequence of the large space occupied by the windows.
The font is in the form of a bowl, carved with rude monsters, standing on a round column, and supported by four small pillars, which have monks' heads for their capitals. It is engraved in Lysons, p. ccxxxiii.
An almshouse, with six apartments for poor persons, was erected in 1809.
In the Archæologia, vol. ix. pl. viii. and vol. xi. pl. vii. are engravings of a silver cup, several rings, and other pieces of jewellery, of very early workmanship, which were found, together with a coin of Burgred king of Mercia (expelled from his dominions in 874), in a stream-work in this parish, in the year 1774. They were deposited in a silver cup, which has since been used for the sacramental wine at the church; and therefore had probably been originally collected at some earlier period.
St. Austell measures 10,018 statute acres.
| The annual value of the Real Property as returned to Parliament in 1815 | £. 4,628 |
s. 0 |
d. 0 |
| The Poor Rate in 1831 | 2,890 | 6 | 0 |
| Population, | in 1801, 3788 |
in 1811, 3686 |
in 1821, 6175 |
in 1831, 8758. |
Increase on an hundred in thirty years, 131.2, or above 131 per cent.
Present incumbent, the Rev. T. S. Smyth, presented in 1815 by the King.
GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.
This parish, so important in an economical point of view, on account of its minal production, affords a vast fund of geological information. Its northern part is composed of granite; its southern part of various rocks belonging to the porphyritic group. Its granite on the eastern side is like that of Alternun, and contains layers which abound in porphyritic crystals of felspar. On the western side it comprises several kinds of this rock; some characterised by the proportions of shorl that enter into their composition; and others by containing talc instead of mica, and by the felspar being prone to an extensive decay, in which state it furnishes porcelain clay (or china clay) for the potteries. A more particular description of these kinds of granite will be given hereafter, in the accounts of St. Stephen's, and of the adjacent parishes. Carclaze tin mine must not, however, be passed by, as it is one of the greatest curiosities in Cornwall. This mine is worked "open to the day" (according to the miners' term), that is, like a quarry. It is of a considerable depth; and its superficies exceeds several acres in extent. It is excavated entirely in a white granite, somewhat similar to the disintegrating variety above alluded to; and when the sun shines, the reflection of light is so exceedingly dazzling as to be almost insupportable. The tin ore occurs here intermixed with shorl and quartz, in the form of short irregular veins, which traverse the granite in every direction, and so abundant, that the whole rock requires to be pounded and washed to complete an entire separation of the ore.
Hornblend rocks succeed the granite, and produce a red fertile soil. These extend a little to the south of the town of St. Austell, and are followed by a blue lamelar slate, in which the mines are situated. This rock is much softer, and more argillaceous than the hornblend slate, and decomposes into a light-coloured soil. The matrix of its lodes abound in chlorite: it is probably a a chlorite schist. This formation is traversed by several beds of felspar, porphyry (elvan courses), in the western side of the parish, which run north-east and south-west, in a somewhat tortuous manner, and dip towards the granite. One of these elvans, near Pentewan, has been extensively quarried, and is much esteemed as a building material. This chlorite slate also contains, in the cove at Duporth, a bed of compact magnesian rock, abounding in asbestos; and passes on either hand into the surrounding slate, by means of layers of talcous schist.
This parish has long been celebrated for its stream works, which are diluvial beds containing tin ore. They are generally found in deep vallies where rivulets flow, which are used in separating the tin ore, by its inferior specific gravity, from common stones or pebbles; hence the name of "stream-works." The nature of these deposits varies according to the positions which they occupy between the sea and the granite; whence the stanniferous strata were derived.
Pentewan stream-work is one of the most interesting in the whole county. Its lowest bed consists of pebbles, gravel, and tin ore, and it rests on the solid rock. Immediately above this tin-ground is a black stratum of vegetable remains, among which are stumps of trees, standing erect, with their roots penetrating downwards into the bed of gravel. This subterranean forest stands forty-eight feet below high-water mark; showing that there must have been a change in the relative sea level. On this vegetable bed reposes a thick stratum of silt, intermixed with horns of deer, and with other relics of land animals, and also with detached pieces of timber. This silt is of the same description as that now forming in the Truro river, and in other estuaries on the coast; and it contains layers of shells peculiar to such situations.
This silt is covered by a deep deposit of siliceous sand, in which occur various remains, principally of marine origin; and lastly, over this lies another bed of silt like the preceding, which reaches to the surface, where a thin marsh soil is now in a state of cultivation. The upper bed of silt is nearly on a level with the sea, being separated and protected from it by the interposition of a sandy beach.
Many theoretical observations and reflections would naturally present themselves, after a statement of these facts; but such would be more appropriate to a separate treatise, than to a series of notices on individual parishes.
- ↑ The market continues to deserve this character; the tolls, persuant to the charter of Queen Elizabeth, are assigned to the relief and maintenance of the poor.