The Church of St. Winnow is beautifully situated on the eastern bank
of the river, at its most beautiful part, between Lestwithiel and
Fowey. The church, with its tower, are fine objects as seen from the
river, which does not yield in this spot to the Dart itself. The
Church contains several monuments.
The vicarage house and glebe partake of the splendour of the scenery;
and during the life of their late proprietor, the Reverend Robert
Walker, were among the most attractive spots in Cornwall. Mr. Walker,
possessed of strong abilities, had an ardent desire to discharge all
the duties attached to him as a clergyman and as a country gentleman,
in a manner the most beneficial to all with whom he had any concern;
in the relations of private life he was equally estimable; and as a
most decisive proof of his real merits and high deserts, it may be
truly said, that, although he was induced on principle to take a
strong part in politics, he had not a single personal enemy.
The chapel, dedicated to the Recluse of Hertland, has still divine
service occasionally performed in it, although it does not form any
practical division of the parish.
The history of Ethy has been brought down to the period immediately
preceding its possession by the Edgecumbe family; the house has been
occupied of late years by several gentlemen, and especially by one who
has done honour to the nation by his naval and military services, and
to Cornwall as a private man. Admiral Sir Charles Vinicombe Penrose
distinguished himself on so many occasions, that to enumerate them all
would be to write a life. Two, which do not relate immediately to the
more obvious features of the military profession, may, however, be
selected.
In the year 1797, when the navy of England underwent the greatest
disgrace it has ever experienced, by the prevalence of a mutiny which
threatened our safety as a country, this excellent officer preserved
his ship in due subordination.
In the year 1814, when the Duke of Wellington invaded France from the
Pyrenees, and his passage was disputed across the Adour, Admiral
Penrose, uniting to scientific acquirements the skill and the bravery
of an English seaman, constructed a bridge of boats where it was
thought impossible to place them, and thus greatly contributed to the
success of this important part of the combined attack.
In the Parliamentary Edition of the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Pope
Nicholas IV. p. 145, the entries respecting St. Winnowe are as follow:
£. _s._ _d._
Eccl’ia de S’c’o Winnico 2 10 0
Vicar’ ejusdem 1 0 0
This parish measures 5,501 statute acres.
Annual value of the Real Property as £. _s._ _d._
returned to Parliament in 1815 4304 0 0
Poor Rate in 1831 603 14 0
Population,――{ in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831,
{ 671 | 782 | 906 | 1048
giving an increase of 56 per cent. in 30 years.
Present Vicar, the Rev. Percival Frye, who succeeded the Rev. W.
Molesworth in 1834, on the presentation of the Dean and Chapter of
Exeter. Mr. Molesworth had been instituted in 1816. The clear
value of the benefice in 1831 was £197.