St. Piran lies in the hundred of Pider, and hath to the west St.
Agnes, to the north a very troublesome neighbour, the tempestuous
ocean, to the east St. Cuthbert and St. Newlin, to the south St. Allen
and Kenwin; and is so named from that famous Irish saint, to whose
sanctity, saith Mr. Camden, a silly childish writer has attributed the
finding provision for ten Irish kings and their armes, for eight days
together, with no more than three cows, as also bringing to life dead
hogs and dead men. It seems those kings were not very grateful to him,
for he was forced (as the same tradition saith) to swim over from
Ireland hither on a millstone. And saith Mr. Carew (fol. 58), if my
author, the legend, lie not, after that (like another Johannes de
Temporibus) he had lived two hundred and six years with perfect
health, [he] took his last rest in a Cornish parish, (viz. this) which
therethrough he endowed with his name. He is also looked upon as the
patron of the Tinners, who keep his feast on the 5th of March, and
tell twenty idle stories of him, much derogating from his sanctity.
Note, that on that day, 5th of March, there is a fair held near the
church, the profit of which belongs to the parish.
This church is a vicarage, and valued, together with St. Agnes, in the
King’s Book, £24. 9_s._ 0_d._ The patronage in the Dean and Chapter of
Exeter: the sheaf held by lease of the said Dean and Chapter, by
Thomas Tonkin, the writer hereof; the incumbent Mr. John Petvin.
All the lands in this parish, except the manor of Penhall and Halwyn,
are either part of or held from the manors of Tywarnhaile and
Tywarnhaile Tiers. I shall, therefore, first treat of these two
manors, and then of the other most memorable places, &c.
The manor of Tywarnhaile is so called from the situation of the once
principal place in it, and signifies a house on a river of salt water,
it being seated on the west side of Piran Bay, on a small river to
which the tide cometh every day.
This, and the manor of Tywarnhaile Tiers, were originally but one
manor; and the toll of tin is still amain between them, though all the
lands are divided, and the toll of all other metals goes with the
lands and owners of the several divisions; but the royalty is amain,
and they both hold courts cum visu franci plegii, &c.