Talland is situate in the hundred of West, and hath upon the north
Pelynt, east the haven or harbour of Looe, south the British Channel,
west Lansallas.
In the Domesday Book 1087, this district was taxed under the
Jurisdiction and in the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and
Winchester, into the value of Cornish Benefices, Ecclesia de Talland
1294, was rated at £8. vicar ejusdem 40_s._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition
1521, it was not valued or named. The patronage is in ――――; the
incumbent ――――; and the rectory in possession of ――――; and the
parish rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax 1696, for one
year, £156. 15_s._ But if the word Talland be compounded only of
Ta-land, it signifies the good acceptable land.
West Looe, alias Porth-Vyan, Porth-Byan, alias Porth-Bichan or
Porth-Bigan, or Pigan, all synonymous words in British, only varied by
the dialect, which signifies the little gate, cove, creek, or
entrance, according to the natural circumstances of the place, where
daily the sea makes its flux and reflux some miles up into the land or
country, through a narrow passage betwixt the parishes of St. Martin’s
and Talland aforesaid, over which is a curious and strong stone bridge
of about twelve arches, which as an artificial ligament fastens those
parishes and the towns of East and West Looe together; which latter,
by the name of Porth Byhan, was taxed as the voke lands of a
privileged borough or manor in the Domesday Book as aforesaid, 1087,
and still known by the name of Porth Byan or West Looe; and by this
name all its privileges were confirmed, and the town incorporated 16th
of Queen Elizabeth, by the name of the mayor and burgesses thereof,
consisting of a mayor and twelve burgesses.
The members of Parliament are elected by the majority of freemen; and
the precept from the Sheriff, or the writ for electing those members,
as also for removal of an action at law depending in this court to a
superior, must be thus directed:
Majori et Liberis Burgensibus Burgi sui de Porth Byan, alias West
Looe, in comitatu Cornubiæ, salutem.
And as a further testimony of its present grandeur, though I take it
much inferior in riches and building to the late erected town of East
Looe, it hath ever, and still stands as a noun substantive in the
Exchequer, and was rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax for
one year, by the name of the borough of West Looe, £15. 13_s._ 1696.
Whereas, the borough of Michell falls under the tax of Newlan and St.
Enedor parishes; Bosinney or Trevena under Dundagell; and Camelford
under Lantegles, in the Exchequer, without name or value.
This town is also privileged with a fair yearly, on 25th April, and
markets weekly.
[Illustration: _Seal of “Portuan otherwys called West Lo.”_]
The arms of this borough are, a soldier or man of war Proper, with a
bow in one hand, and an arrow in the other. For the etymology of Looe,
see East Looe.
This manor of borough of Porthbyan, as I am informed, was heretofore
villanage tenure, and pertained to the Bodrigans.
In this town of West Looe, was born Charles Wager, as I am informed,
son of ―――― Wager; who, being placed an apprentice at sea, grew so
expert in navigation and the mathematics, that he became a great
master in that art; and being after in the sea fight between Queen
Anne and the French and Spaniards, he behaved himself so well in his
valour and conduct, though to the loss of one of his arms, that by
Queen Anne or King George he was afterwards knighted, and preferred,
not only to the command of a third-rate frigate, but made Admiral of
the Red Squadron of Men of War, for him and his son King George the
Second, in the Baltic Sea and British Channel 1729.
In this parish stands the barton and manor of Killygarth. This
lordship, tempore Edward III. was the lands of the Sergeaulxes, and
particularly of Richard de Sergeaulx, who is mentioned in Mr. Carew’s
Survey of Cornwall, page 52, 25 Edward III. then to have held in
Cornwall, by the tenure of knight service, £20 per annum in lands and
tenements. His son Sir Richard Sergeaulx, knight, was Sheriff of
Cornwall, 12 Richard II. whose son Richard Sergeaulx held in
Killygarth, Lanreth, and Lansulhas, three little knight’s fees of land
of Morton, as also two fees and a half in Colquite, (idem librum, p.
42,) 3 Henry IV. (five knight’s fees was four thousand acres of land);
who dying without issue male, his three daughters or sisters became
his heirs, and were married to Seyntaubyn and Beare of Cornwall, and
Marney of Essex, as I am informed; after whose decease, Beare became
seised of this lordship, was married and had issue Thomas Beare, esq.
Sheriff of Cornwall, 4th of Edward IV.; and William Beare, Sheriff of
Cornwall, 6th of Edward IV. who gave the bear for his arms, the
colours I know not.
This William Beare had issue only one daughter, married to Peter
Bevill, a younger brother of John Bevill of Gwarnack, esq. who had
issue by her, John Bevill, esq. that married Mileton of Pengersick;
who by her had issue Sir William Bevill, knight, Sheriff of Cornwall,
31st of Elizabeth 1591, that married ――――, but had no legitimate
issue: so that his brother Philip’s daughter Elizabeth became his
heir, and was married to Sir Bernard Grenvill of Stowe, knight, father
of Sir Bevill Grenvill, knight, that sold this lordship of Killygarth
to Killygrew, from whom it passed to Hallet, and from him to Kendall
of Middlesex, now in possession thereof.
The arms of Bevill are Ermine, a bull passant Sable.
Hen-darsike in this parish is a contraction of Hen-dowers-ike, i. e.
old, ancient cove, creek, lake, or bosom of waters, lands probably
under such circumstances. It is the dwelling of John Morth, esq. that
married ―――― Buller of Morvall; his father William Morth was Sheriff
of Cornwall 2 William III.
This family in genteel degree hath flourished in this place for many
generations, though I am not informed as to the particulars.
In this parish at Trenake is the dwelling of Thomas Achym, gent. which
family hath flourished in those parts for many generations in genteel
degree, and give for their Arms, in a field Argent a maunch mantail
Sable, within a bordure of the First charged with cinquefoiles of the
Second. If the name of Achym be a monosyllable, it signifies in
British a descendant, issue, offspring, or progeny.