Sithney is situate in the hundred of Kerrier, and hath upon the north
Crowan, east Helleston and Gwendron, south the Loo Pool and British
Channel.
In the Domesday Book 1087, this district was taxed under the
jurisdiction of Trew-thall or Truthall. In the Inquisition of the
Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester 1294, into the value of the Cornish
Benefices, Ecclesia de Sancti Sithany, in decanatu de Kerryer, was
rated at £6. 6_s._ 8_d._ Vicar ibidem xxxiii_s._ iiii_d._ In Wolsey’s
Inquisition 1521, it was valued to first fruits £19. 11_s._ 4_d._ The
patronage formerly in the master or governor of St. John the Baptist’s
Hospital in this parish, who endowed it, now in the Bishop of Exeter;
the incumbent ―――― Hawkins; the rectory in possession of ―――― Paynter;
and the parish rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax, 1696,
£147. 9_s._ by the name of Sithney.
In this parish at St. John’s formerly stood an hospital, commandery,
or preceptory, dedicated to St. John Baptist, and distinguished by the
name of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist of Jerusalem, for
Christians that were sick or wounded in the war; also for
entertainment of Christian pilgrims and travellers that came to that
city. This hospital of St. John’s in this parish was subject to the
master of St. John’s Hospital in London, as all other in England were,
and was valued at the suppression thereof 26 Henry VIII. at £12. 6_s._
8_d._ saith Dugdale, £14. 7_s._ 4_d._ Speed. This sum it seems was the
value of their rents on leases, so what their domains were I know not.
Here the MS. is again deficient.
However, those who pretend to skill in taste and palate eating, prefer
the saltwater trout before this Loo trout; nevertheless, I take it to
be a fish of good taste and digestion, and when killed in his proper
season not inferior in redness to the sea-trout; this pool on the one
side being situate on Mr. Penrose’s lands, hath entitled him to free
fishing therein time out of mind.
But the absolute royalty and jurisdiction of this river pertained to
the ancient earls now dukes of Cornwall, or to the kings of England,
in right of their adjacent manor of Helleston in Kerryer; and for
further proof thereof, I will give an ancient testimony out of the
pleas of the Crown in the Exchequer 12 Edward I. 1282, (See also
Blount’s Ancient Tenures, from thence, p. 52.) where we may read these
words.
Wilhelmus de Trevelle tenet unam acram terræ Cornubiensem, in Degemue
et Eglesderry in Kerrier, per serjantiam inveniendi unum Batellum et
Rethiam, ad piscandum in Lacu de Helleston, quandocunque Dominus Rex
venerit apud Hellestone, et quamdiu moram ibi fecerit.
From whence I conclude that this William de Trevelle either had or was
keeper of the royalty of this lake or pool by inheritance, and held
one Cornish acre of land in Eglesderry, that is to say, one hundred
and eighty English acres by the tenure of Sergeanty for that purpose,
and providing a fishing hook or iron crook and a net, as long as the
king should stay or tarry in the manor of Helleston, fishing or so
doing. This Degemue and Eglesderry are lands in the manor of Helston
Chaumond in Kerrier. This name and tribe of Treveale are still extant
in Roach and elsewhere in Cornwall.