Morva is situated in the hundred of Penwith, and is bounded to the
west by St. Just, to the north by the sea, to the east by Zennor, to
the south by Sancred and Maddern. It is a daughter church to Madderne,
the vicar of which performs divine service, and preacheth in the
morning on the first Sunday in every month. The said vicar hath the
small tithes.
Morva signifies Locus Maritimus, a place near the sea, as this parish
is. The name is sometimes written Morveth, implying much the same
sense.
The chief place, and almost the only one of note in this little
parish, is Tregamynyon, that is, the stony dwelling, which was for
several generations in the family of Lanyon, and the residence of a
younger branch thereof ever since the 30th of Queen Elizabeth; for in
Trinity term the 31st year of her reign was a fine passed at
Westminster between William Lanyon, gent. and Richard Lanyon, esq. and
John Lanyon, gent. of three messuages, ten acres of meadow, sixty
acres of pasture, one hundred and fifty acres of furze, one
water-mill, &c. in Tregamynyon. Here his posterity flourished in good
repute till the reign of Queen Anne, when John Lanyon, of this place,
gent. and John Lanyon, jun. his son and heir, joined in the sale of
this estate to John Borlase, of Pendeen, esq. who is the present
possessor thereof. The said John Lanyon, jun. married to his wife
Frances Brydges, sister to James Lord Chandos, and aunt to the Duke of
that name, who is since dead without issue, being well stricken in
years when he married, and twice a widower before. John Lanyon, the
father, married ―――― Borlase, of Pendeen. His grandfather was commonly
called the Golden Lanyon, as having gotten great riches by tin, which
he divided among his numerous issue; but before I quit this place I
must relate for the benefit of my readers what Mr. Lanyon, sen. told
me respecting the covering of his house, as it may be of great use to
persons building in high and exposed places. That not being able to
keep his house here in good repair, it being rifled and uncovered by
every storm, he at last resolved to plaster it with lime and hair on
the lathes within, where the stones are fastened; after which he had
not the least stripping of his healing for thirty years. This same
thing was tried with the same success by Mr. Hector Trelevant, of St.
Agnes; and it is, I verily believe, a certain and cheap prevention of
damage.