The Parochial History of Cornwall/Volume 1/St Earme
ST. EARME, OR ST. HERME.
HALS.
Is situate in the hundred of Powdre, and hath upon the east Probus, north Newland, west St. Allen, south Clements. As for the name it is derived from St. Herme, the tutelar guardian saint of this church, extant and endowed long before the Norman Conquest, by the Lord of the Manor of Polsew or Polduh, taxed in Domesday Roll, and therefore the Church again is taxed in Domesday Roll 20 William I. 1087, by the name of Ermen-hen, i.e. old or ancient Herme. In the taxation of benefices to the Popes in Cornwall, made by the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester 1294, Ecclesia de Hermita in Decanatus de Powdre is rated at 6l. In Wolsey's Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, by the name of Erme 22l. 13s. 4d. The patronage in Lutterell, Lord of the Manor of Polsew, aforesaid. The incumbent Carthew, and the parish rated to the 4s. in the pound Land Tax, 1696, 120l.
The following short account of the patron saint is substituted for six or eight pages of uninteresting legend given by Mr. Hals.
St. Hermes or St. Ermes, the supposed patron saint of this parish, is said to have suffered martyrdom at Rome in the persecution raised by the Emperor Adrian, about the year 132. His tomb in the Salian Way was ornamented by Pope Pelagius the Second, who filled the chair of St. Peter from 577 to 590. The name of St. Hermes is much celebrated in the ancient martyrologies.
In the Missale Romanum is the following prayer, to be used on the 28th of August, the day consecrated to his memory:
Deus, qui beatum Hermetem Martyrem tuum virtute constantiæ in passione roborasti, ex ejus nobis imitatione tribue, pro amore tuo, prospera mundi despicere, et nulla ejus ad versa formidare. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum.
Tre-gasa, alias Tre-gaza, in this parish, id est, the wood town, to prove which etymology there is still extant a considerable wood adjoining to the town place thereof, was the dwelling of Thomas Coke, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 27 Charles I. that married Lance, his father Herle. His grandfather John Coke, Gent, attorney at law, of Trerice, in St. Allen, who first came into those parts temp. Elizabeth, from St. Mary Ottery, in Devon, without money or goods, placed himself a servant or steward under Sir Francis Godolphin, Knight, where he began from, and with his inkhorn and pen, to turn all things that he touched into gold (as King Gyges), and that by indirect arts and practices as tradition saith; for that Sir Francis taking a great liking to him, left the management of his estate and great tin works to him, his said steward Coke. He accordingly took care that all such tin of his master's as was melted at the blowing-house into slabs or blocks, was justly marked with the dolphin stamp, as is customarily done on those gentlemen's tin to this day. After some years, Mr. Coke remaining in service as aforesaid, by his subtle arts and contrivances, out of Sir Francis' toll, and the shares of other adventurers, and the wages of labouring tinners, he produced considerable quantities of his own block tin, which, when melted at the blowing-house, as aforesaid, to distinguish it from his master's, he marked thereon the figure of a cat; the same, it seems, being the coat armour of his family or ancestors. At length, against coinage time there was more tin brought by Mr Coke to be coined at the coinage towns, marked with the cat, than there was of his master's marked with the dolphin.
Whereupon, Sir Francis's Lady being informed of his ill practices, and resolving by the next coinage to be better instructed in this mystery, at such time as Godolphin blowing-house was at work, privately, with one of her maids, in a morning, on foot, went to that place, where according, as common fame reported, she found many more blocks or slabs of tin marked with the cat than there were with the dolphin; the one part pertaining to Sir Francis, the other to Mr. Coke. Whereupon, abundantly satisfied, the returned to Godolphin House, but could not be there timely enough against dinner; whereat Sir Francis was greatly distasted, having at that time several strangers to dine with him. At length the lady being arrived, she asked all their pardons for her absence, and told them it did not proceed from any neglect or want of respect, but from an absolute necessity of seeing a strange and unheardof piece of curiosity, which could not be seen at any other time; viz. to see the cat eat the dolphin (indeed cats are great lovers of fish elsewhere as experience shews) and then gave an account of the premises, to their great wonder and admiration: whereupon, soon after, Sir Francis dismissed him from his service. But by that time he had gotten so much riches, that forthwith he purchased the little barton and manor of Trerice, in St. Allen, and made that place his habitation till he purchased this barton and manor of Tregasa, and seated himself here; where, by parsimony and the inferior practice of the law, he accumulated a very considerable estate in those parts. But, maugre all his thrift and conduct in providing wealth for himself and posterity, his grandson Thomas Coke, aforesaid, succeeding to his estate, upon the issueless decease of his elder brother Christopher Coke, and buying in his widow's jointure at a dear rate, and also undertaking the building of the present new and finely-contrived house at Tregasa, though never finished, yet the said fabric was so costly and chargeable to him, together with the vain extravagance of his wife (Lance), that he was necessitated to sell divers parcels of lands, in order to raise money for his necessary occasions; and finally to mortgage this manor and barton of Tregasa, and all his other lands that were before unsold, for about fourteen thousand pounds, to Hugh Boscawen, of Tregothnan, Esq. and lastly, for that consideration and others, did, by lease and release, fine and proclamation, convey the same to the said Hugh Boscawen, his heirs and assigns, for ever, who are now in possession thereof. Soon after this fact Mr. Coke fell into great want and distress, together with his wife and children, and died suddenly by a slip of his foot into a shallow pit, wherein he was searching for tin, out of a conceited opinion he had that he should at last raise his fortunes by tin, as his grandfather before him had done.
The arms of Coke are, in a field Argent, upon a bend cotised Sable, three cats Or, with a crescent for distinction of a second house.
Truth-an, in this parish, parcel of Cargoll manor, held of the Bishop of Exeter, (that is to say, the trath or trudh-an, id est, the trout fish,) is the dwelling of John Williams, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 4th of Queen Anne, by lease, who married Courtney, of Tremeer; his father Maunder; originally descended from that Williams, of Probus, mentioned in Carew's Survey of Cornwall, p.140; and giveth for his arms, Argent, within a bordure enurny and enaluron, a greyhound in full course Sable.
Tre-worg-an, in this parish, was formerly the lands of Tencreek, by whose heir it came in marriage to the Polwheles, and became their seat, till John Polwhele, Esq. barrister-at-law, sold it to John Collins, Gent, now in possession thereof, who married May, ofTruro, and giveth for his arms, Sable, a chevron gouté of blood Argent, between three Cornish choughs Proper.
Tre-worg-an Vean, in this parish, parcel of the Duchy manor of Moris, is the dwelling of Andrew Ley, Gent. First Lieutenant of her Majesty's ship the Medway, that married Gibbs, of St. Colomb; and Bourchier, daughter of Henry Bourchier, Rector of Creed, his father Tonkyn, of Trevawnas; his grandfather Bligh, and giveth for his arms, Argent, three pine trees Vert.
Innis, in this parish, that is to say an island, viz. a fresh water island, a place, as many others in Cornwall, so denominated, where two rivers, whose original fountains are above such lands, form between them, in their current towards the sea, a piece or promontory of land, shaped in form of a corner, or triangle, at the meeting or confluence of those two rivers beneath the same (as amnicus, and mediamnis in the Latin), is the dwelling of Itai Jago, Gent, that married Bauden, his father Tonkin; his grandfather Molesworth and Herle, who was steward to Francis Buller, of Shillington, Esq. The arms of Jago are
As for the name Jago, whether it be derived from the Celtish, British, Jago, and signifies James, or from Gago, or Jago, a spear, or military tuck, I determine not, or from gages and pledges for battle; however, this name was of ancient use in Britain; for Galfridus Monmouthensis tells us of a king named Jago, before Julius Caesar landed in Britain, that reigned twenty-five years, and lies buried at York.
Trehane, in this parish, i.e. old or ancient town, is the dwelling of William Courtney, Gent, a younger branch of Trethurfe family, that married Seawen, his father Trevanion, of Tregarthyn, and giveth the same arms as the Trethyrie Courtneys do.
TONKIN.
A part of this parish is within the manor of Cargaul, belonging to the Bishop of Exeter, but long held by the Borlases, of Treladra, on a lease for lives, and under them by the Jagos, a family of antient standing in this parish. During the Civil Wars and the subsequent usurpation, John Jago, of this parish, Esq. was a Justice of the Peace, and a mighty sequestrator, so that he got into his possession the greater part of Mr. Borlase's estate, and drove his family to great extremities. Mr. Jago died before the Restoration, leaving one son by his first wife, a daughter of John Molesworth, Esq. of Pencorrow; and three daughters by his second wife, a daughter of ——— Herle, of Prideaux, Esq. and widow of Williams, of Truthon. His three daughters were married to three Clergymen, to Mr. Charles Tremayne, Vicar of St. Austell; to Mr. Carthew, Vicar of St. Ernie; and to Mr. Drinkwater, Vicar of Mevagissey. His son John Jago enjoyed this and the rest of his father's estate till the Restoration; when Mr. Borlase got his own again, and among the rest this barton, the lease under him having expired by the death of Mr. John Jago, sen. Mr. Borlase settled Truthon on his son Humphry Borlase on marriage with a daughter of Sir John Winter, of Sydney, in Gloucestershire, Bart, maid of honour to Queen Henrietta Maria, but had not any children that survived their infancy, except one son, Nicholas Borlase, who was taken off in the flower of his youth. Mr. Borlase built here a very convenient new house, and made it the place of his constant residence; but Mr. Borlase being deeply engaged in the interest of the late King James, and Sheriff during the two last years of his reign, sold his copyhold lease of Truthon to the before-mentioned Mr. Williams, who was Sheriff of Cornwall, in the 4th year of Queen Anne, 1705. He left four sons and three daughters. His eldest son John Williams, Esq. now lives here in the commission of the peace, and as yet unmarried.
The manor of Killigrew, which signifies the Eagle's Grove, from Kelly, a Grove, and Eriew or Erigrew, an Eagle, gave name to that ancient and very eminent family of Kelligrew, whose seat it was for a long time; till on their marriage with the heiress of Arwinick, they removed thither, as being the more pleasant and convenient seat. This place, however, continued in their possession till the reign of King James the First, when Sir John Kelligrew first mortgaged it to his kinsman ——— Mitchell, of Truro, and after that dismembered and sold it in parcels. The barton and various high rents were purchased by the said Mitchell, who sold them again about the year 1636, to the before mentioned Mr. Jago, of Truthan, who left the barton to his son John Jago, who on the recovery of Truthon, by Mr. Borlase, at the Restoration, removed to a farm adjacent, which his father had purchased with the barton.
Ermis or de Insula, which explains the meaning of the word, was formerly the seat of the Opies, for here resided, in Queen Elizabeth's time, John Opie, sen. whose son Robert Opie, married Jane, the daughter of Agnes Jago, of this parish, widow, and the said Robert or his son sold the barton to John Jago. These Opies I take to be a younger branch of the Opies of Towton, who give for their arms, Sable, on a chevron, between three garbs Or, as many hurtleberries Proper.
The above named John Jago married, in 1664, Juliana, the second daughter of Thomas Tonkin, of Trevawnance, by whom he had several children; he survived her, and dying in the early part of this century (i.e. 1700) left the two bartons of Killigrew and Ennis to his eldest son Itai Jagoe, who married the daughter of John Bowden, of Trelassick, in the parish of Ladock, who is still living, but has sold the manor or manors to Robert Corker, of Falmouth, Esq. lately deceased, reserving to himself the barton of Ennis, and a part of the barton of Killigrew on lease. The arms of Jagoe are, Argent, a plough Proper, between three fleurs-de-lis Azure (Mr. Lysons says, Or, a chevron between three cross crosslets Sable.) Mr. Itai Jagoe has since sold the fee of Ennis to John Stephens of St. Ives, Gent, reserving to himself the lease for three lives; which Mr. Stephens, has this March, 1737, bought also the manor of Killigrew of Sir J. Molesworth and Edmund Prideaux, Esq.
Polglase is not far from Killigrew, and was anciently a part of that manor. It signifies the green pool, and was sold by the above-named Sir John Killigrew to John Luxton, Gent, inter alia, in the 8th year of King James the First, who, two years afterwards, sold it to John Rosogan, sen. of the Rosogans of St. Stephen in Bronnel, who came to live in this place, and left it to his son John Rosogan, of Lyon's Inn, Gent. This John Rosogan married in 1632 Elizabeth, the daughter of John Haulsey, Esq. by whom he had one daughter, Elizabeth, married to Edward Westbury, of Winston Westbury, in the County of Southampton, Gent, and they joined in conveying this estate, January the 20th, 1660, to Thomas Tonkin, of Trevawnance, in whose posterity it still continues.
The arms of Rosogan are, Argent, a chevron between three roses Gules, bearded Proper, seeded Or.
To the south is Trevillon. This was the seat of a younger branch of the Langhernes, for here, in the reign of Edward the First, lived Thomas Langherne, Gent, and this place continued in his posterity till the reign of Charles the Second.
THE EDITOR.
Cornwall is indebted to this parish for introducing the very respectable family which now (1833) gives a member for the County.
The advowson has belonged in succession to the families of Luttrell and Wynne. Doctor William Stackhouse is said to have acquired this living by exchange, but it appears to be more probable, on account of his connection with the patrons, that the presentation came immediately from them. He was the brother of the Rev. Thomas Stackhouse, Vicar of Benham, in Berkshire, author of the well known History of the Bible, first published in 1732, in two volumes folio, and of various other works.
Doctor William Stackhouse resided on his living, and there married the heiress of the parish, Miss Williams, of Trehane. He had two sons, William, who married and spent his life at Trehane, and lived till June 1830, in his ninetieth year; and John, to whom Mrs. Perceval, heiress of the Pendarveses, of Pendarves, in Cambourne gave her whole estate. Mr. John Stackhouse married Miss Acton, of Acton Scot, near Church Stretton, in Shropshire, and acquired with her a very extensive property, which through the liberality of Mrs. Stackhouse (living in 1833) is possessed by hes second son, on whom the estate was settled after her decease;[1] and through a similar act of liberality on the part of his father, Mr. Edward William Stackhouse, the eldest son, had the property in Cornwall placed in his possession on his marriage with Miss Trist, an extensive heiress in Devonshire.
This gentleman has moreover derived a very considerable addition to his fortune by the will of the Reverend Doctor Wynne, patron and some time Rector of this parish, and in remembrance of the family of Pendarves, and of the family of Wynne, to both of which he is related, and from both of which he has obtained ample possessions, Mr. Stackhouse has exchanged his original name for those of Wynne Pendarves, under which he now represents the County in Parliament. Mr. Pendarves has erected a monument to Dr. Wynne, on the western wall of the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, with the following inscription:
A ☧ Ω
Lutterello Wynne, LL.D.
Prosapia antiqua et generosa oriundo
Coll. Omn. Anim. Oxon. olim Socio,
Ecclesiæ de Sto Erme, in agro Cornub.
Rectori et Patrono,
Viro
litteris humanioribus et philosophiæ studiis
feliciter imbuto,
mira morum comitate, summa animi benevolentia,
incorrupta fide, simplici pietate,
spectatissimo.
Obiit iii kal. Decembris, A.S. M.DCCCXIV. ætatis lxxvi.
Hoc quale quale sit μνημοσυνον,
optime de se merito,
P.L.C.
Edws Guls Wynne Pendarves, de Pendarves,
in agro Cornub. Arm.
cognatus et hæres.
The manor of Pelsew, or Peldu, in this parish, is said by Mr. Lysons to have belonged to Robert Earl of Cornwall at the period of the Domesday Survey; that it was forfeited by John Vere, Earl of Oxford, to Edward the Fourth, in 1471; and that it passed through the families of Mapowder and Luttrell to Doctor Wynne, conveying with it the advowson of the church. Dr. Wynne held the rectory for many years on his own presentation, deputing the care of his parish to the very eminent scholar and preceptor Dr. Cardew; but when residence became necessary for all incumbents, under the provisions of an act of parliament, he bestowed the living on the distinguished individual who had long been his curate. Dr. Cardew departed from this life in December 1831, having advanced into his 84th year. A monument is placed to his memory in St. Erme church, bearing an inscription written by himself, which might otherwise have the unusual blame imputed to it, of not sufficiently recording the merits of him whom it is intended to praise:
H.S.E.
Cornelius Cardew, S.T.P.
Proba et innocua
quamvis humili stirpe editus,
benigno tamen Numine,
ab anno m.dcclxxxii.
Ecclesiæ de Ewny Lelant Vicarius,
Regiæ Celsitudini
Georgio Walliæ Principi e Sacris,
per annos triginta quatuor
Scholæ Grammaticæ apud Truronenses
præsidebat Archididasculus,
Prætorio munere bis ibidem functus.
Ab anno m.dcc.lxxi. ad annum m.dccc.iv.
in hac Ecclesia Sancto Ermeti dicata
Rectoris Luttrell Wynne, LL. D.
vicem supplebat;
deinceps
ejusdem jam patroni munificentia
ipse Rector.
Uxorem duxit primo Elizabetham Brutton,
secundo Mariam Lukey Warren,
quarum ex illa quatuor, ex hac novem
suscepit liberos.
Natus decimo tertio die Februarii, anno m.dcc.xlviii.
obiit decimo-octavo die mensis Septembris,
anno Salutis m.dccc.xxxi.
vixit annos lxxxiii. menses viii. dies xviii.
Qualis erat
suprema indicabit dies,
cui propitius sit
deus opt. max.!
The manor of Pelsew is a part of the property devised by Dr. Wynne to Mr Pendarves, who is in consequence patron of the church. Present incumbent, Mr. Pomery.
Treworgan and Truthan are now the property of Mr. Edward Collins, descendant in the fifth degree from Mr. John Collins, mentioned as having purchased Treworgan.
Truthen, with the whole manor of Corgol, was acquired by the late Sir Christopher Hawkins from the See of Exeter in 1805, under the act of Parliament for redeeming land tax, and since his decease Mr. Collins has purchased the freehold of Truthen, and resides there.
The manor of Killigrew, purchased by Mr. John Stephens, of St. Ives, descended to his only surviving son, Mr. Samuel Stephens, Member for St. Ives, about the year 1750, who built the house at Tregenna; and it has passed from him, by will, to his second son, the late Samuel Stephens, Esq. who also represented St. Ives, and who resided in the house at Tregenna, which his father built. He died at Leamington, Feb. 25, 1834.
This parish measures 4,155 statute acres.
| Annual value of the Real Property, as returned to Parliament in 1815 | £. 2935 |
s. 0 |
d. 0 |
| Poor Rate in 1831 | 232 | 8 | 0 |
| Population,— | in 1800, 358 |
in 1811, 431 |
in 1821, 561 |
in 1831, 586 |
giving an increase of 6312 per cent. in 30 years.
GEOLOGY.
Dr. Boase observes on this parish of St. Erme, that it is composed of the same rocks as the adjoining parishes of St. Allen and St. Clement.
- ↑ Mrs. Stackhouse died at Bath in the beginning of 1834.