This parish seems to be inserted among others belonging to the hundred
of East, in the valuation of Pope Nicholas, under the name Ecclesia de
Sacre, and valued at £5.
Trecarrell, but slightly noticed by Mr. Tonkin, appears to have been a
place of considerable consequence. The last of the original family
bearing the same name, was living there in the year 1540, when, having
lost his only son, Sir Henry Trecarrell built the beautiful church at
Launceston. On this gentleman’s decease, the property became divided
among his three daughters; but at the period of the Civil Wars
Trecarrell had passed into other hands, and Mr. Maneton, then
proprietor, entertained King Charles the First, on the 1st day of
August 1644, previously to his proceeding to Leskeard, and from thence
to the surrender of the army commanded by Lord Essex. Mr. Maneton died
in 1654, since which time it has ceased to be a mansion. The property
is now vested in Sir Thomas Acland, and Mr. Geake who resides on the
place, where some portions of the ancient building are still to be
seen, especially the remains of a hall, and of a chapel dedicated to
St. Mary Magdalen.
Landew also bestowed a name on its ancient proprietors, or received it
from them; two of whom occur in the list of Members returned to
Parliament for Launceston.
Mr. Tonkin has mentioned the early death of Mr. Northmore Herle: this
gentleman devised Landew to one of his half-sisters, daughter of Dr.
Kendall, from whom it descended to the late Mr. Humphry Lawrence, of
Launceston, who sold it to Mr. William Bant. But the place has been
sold again, and is now the residence of John Thomas Phillipps, Esq.
representative, with Mr. Carpenter of Mount Tavy, of the Phillippses
of Newport and Camelford.
Landew had formerly a chapel dedicated to St. Bridget; and there was a
third in the parish, dedicated to St. Lawrence.
Carthamartha, a part of the great manor of Lawhitton, leased by Bishop
Lavington to his daughter, is the occasional residence of Mr. John
Gould, a place beautifully situated on the banks of the Tamar river,
the most romantic of all the mountain torrents in the West of England.
The church and tower are of granite; and in it are several monuments
to the eminent possessors of Trecarrell and of Landew.
There is also one to the Rev. Charles Mayson, D.D. late Rector of
Lezant, and who is stated to have succeeded his father, the Rev. Peter
Mayson, in 1784, and to have died here in 1815.
Lezant measures 4357 statute acres.
Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._
returned to Parliament in 1815 3303 0 0
Poor Rate in 1831 613 19 0
Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831,
{ 610 | 671 | 853 | 841
giving an increase of 38 per cent. in 30 years.
Present Rector, the Rev. John Bull, D.D. Canon of Christ Church.