St. Martin’s Rectory is situate in the hundred of Kerryer, hath upon
the north and east Helford Channel and Constenton, south Manaccan and
St. Kevorn, west Mawgan: under what jurisdiction this parish was taxed
in the Domesday Book in 1087 I know not. In the Inquisition of the
Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, into the value of Cornish Benefices
in Cornwall, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancti Martini in decanatude Kerryer,
was valued at £4. 6_s._ 8_d._ At or before the time of Wolsey’s
Inquisition, 1521, it was consolidated into its superior or mother
church St. Mawgan, and therefore not mentioned by itself. I take it to
have been founded and endowed by the Prior of St. Michael’s Mount, who
formerly was patron of both, now Trevillian; the incumbent Trewinard;
and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, £105.
15_s._
Tremayne, that is the town of stone, or the stone town, in this
parish, is the dwelling of an old family of gentlemen, surnamed Thoms
or Tomys, Anglice Thomas; so called after the Cornish-British manner,
after the font name of some of their ancestors. Of which family was
Robert Thomy, who held by the tenure of knight’s service half a
knight’s fee at Bliston, in Trigshire, now Blissland, temp. Henry IV.
(Mr. Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, page 42). Also one little knight’s
fee at Carnanton, in Pedyr, idem liber, page 43. The present
posssessor is ―――― Thoms, and giveth for his arms, in a field
Argent, a chevron between three talbots Sable. From this family, as I
am informed, by younger brothers sprang, from their dwellings at
Carveth and Carnsew in Mabe, and Roscrow in Gluvias, three families,
who were transnominated after the names of those places, from Thoms to
Carveth, and Roscrow, and Carnsew, who in testimony thereof ever gave
their arms as aforesaid as Thoms did.
Mudgan in this parish, is the corruption of Muchan, as I take it,
which signifies a short chimney,[4] with a lovour or chimney-hole
through the top of the house for the smoke. From whence was
denominated a family of gentlemen, surnamed Mugaun, or Mudgan, whose
sole inheritrix was married to Chynoweth, of Chynoweth, in St. Earth,
temp. Queen Mary, that is new house, so called from a new house, the
first of this name, built in that parish, when he parted with his old
lands and name of Trevillizik there, (now Tre-liz-ik) which signifies
the water gulf, creek, town, as situate upon the sea banks or cliff,
which affords a bad passage over the Hayle river, at low water, for
passengers on foot or horseback. The last gentleman of this family,
viz. Anthony Chynoweth, that married Trevillian, dying without issue,
his brother John Chynoweth’s three daughters, by Lannar, succeeded to
his estate and became his heirs; who were married to Banfeild,
Dunscomb, and Trelevan, lately in possession of Mudgan, and other
lands of value; which I hear is by them all spent through luxury and
ill-conduct.
The arms of Chynoweth are Sable, on a fess Or, three eagle’s heads
erased Gules.