Calstock, or Calstoke, has of late become a mining parish on an
extensive scale. The manor having been sold by the Duchy for the
redemption of Land Tax, has ultimately become the property of Mr. John
Williams, one of the most skilful and successful miners in Cornwall.
Cotehele is preserved by Lord Mount Edgecombe as a faithful
representative of what were the residences of country gentlemen or
barons in the ancient acceptation of that word.
“It came,” says Lysons, “into the possession of the Edgecombe family,
by the marriage of Hilaria, daughter and heir of William de Cotehele,
with William de Edgecombe, in the reign of Edward III. After this
marriage, Cotehele became for a while the chief residence of the
Edgecombe family.” Carew, speaking of this place, says, “the buildings
are ancient, large, strong, and fayre, and appurtenanced with the
necessaries of wood, water, fishing, park, and mills, with the
devotion of (in times past) a rich-furnished chapel, and with the
charity of almshouses, for certain poor people, whom the owners used
to relieve.”
The beauty of its situation, the river and ancient ponds, united with
the antiquities of the place, render Cotehele one of the most curious
and worthy of attention in the West of England; and the following
description, taken in 1830 by an architectural correspondent of the
Gentleman’s Magazine, is therefore extracted from that miscellany for
1833.
“There is a singularity about this Mansion, which requires
to be accounted for. It cannot claim an origin in very
remote antiquity, the earliest parts being not older than
the reign of Henry the Seventh; yet the narrowness of the
windows and other openings, and the tower above the gateway,
would lead to the idea that it was built in an early
insecure period. This, I think, may be accounted for from
the fact that the builder, Sir Richard Edgecombe, had
encountered personal danger in the wars of the Roses, and
probably erected his mansion in the early part of the reign
of Henry the Seventh, so soon after the conclusion of the
conflict, that he might be impressed with the fear that the
reign of the newly enthroned monarch might not be more
peaceable than that of his predecessors, and he adopted
under these impressions the style which the mansion now
displays.
“The house is quadrangular, with a court-yard in the centre;
and, like the generality of the mansions of antiquity, has
the appendage of a hall and chapel. It is built of
moor-stone in irregular courses, though some of the blocks
are exceedingly large. The west front is not imposing, from
the want of height, which detracts from its general
appearance. The entrance is not in the centre, and is only
wide enough for foot passengers; it consists of an obtuse
pointed arch, slightly moulded with foliage on the
spandrils, which is inclosed within another of larger
dimensions with a weather cornice, and on the space between
the two is a blank shield accompanied by two bold leaves.
The windows are situated high in the wall; they are of small
dimensions, being in fact little more than enlarged
loopholes. The chimneys are square, having caps formed with
coping stones. Above the entrance is a tower of a cubical
form, with an embattled parapet. On entering the court
through the gateway, the Hall is seen in the front, and near
it, on the west side of the quadrangle, the lantern window
of the Chapel.
“The interior of the Hall is very interesting. The roof is
timber, and arched; and on the walls hang various pieces of
armour and weapons of considerable antiquity, with a
complete suit of armour, which is probably not older than
the Civil wars. In the end walls are apertures in the shape
of a quatrefoil, which admit a view of the hall from
adjacent apartments, and would allow the motions of persons
assembled in it to be watched. There are some specimens of
ancient furniture in the hall; in particular a chair having
the date 1627. In the windows are several armorial shields
in stained glass.
[Illustration: CHAPEL AT COTEHELE.]
“The Chapel projects from the western side of the mansion.
It is small and neat, and has a small bell-tower. The square
window in the west end is unglazed; the aperture being
secured by wide bars; but allowing any person standing on
the outside to see the altar. At the distance of a few feet
from the door lies an ancient font, 19 inches square by 14
inches deep; it is formed of a block of moorstone, and
panelled at the sides. The interior of this chapel is
approached from the mansion by the hall, to which it
communicates through a small room. The roof is timber,
ribbed and panelled; and coved in the form of an obtuse
arch. In the south window St. Anne and St. Katherine are
represented in painted glass. The altar is oak, with upright
panels, having quatrefoil heads. An ancient altar cloth is
preserved in the house; it is formed of red velvet powdered
with fleur-de-lis, and the part which was shown when it was
laid on the altar, had a crucifix in the centre, accompanied
by the twelve apostles in rich embroidery, and the arms of
Edgecombe.
“The limit of a single visit would not allow me to
particularize the various articles of furniture contained in
the mansion. In the drawing-room the screen to the doorway
appears to be of the date of the building; on the door
itself are roses in lozenges. The bedroom, called King
Charles’s, has a fine ancient state bed, with a profusion of
carved work about it; and a steel mirror. The dog-inns, some
of which are probably as old as the mansion, remain in the
fire-places. Two chairs commemorate a visit from King George
the Third and Queen Charlotte in 1789.
“In the grounds is another chapel, which derives its
interest from the circumstance of its having been erected by
Sir Richard Edgecombe in commemoration of his escape from
his pursuers by concealment near the spot. It is much
injured by modern alterations made in 1769, and externally
retains little of its original features. In the interior are
several ancient paintings, which probably formed the
decorations of an ancient altar-piece; when entire, it
represented the Annunciation. In the east window are St.
George, and a female saint with a sword, in painted glass,
and several coats of arms. There is also an ancient painting
of the monument of the founder of the chapel, who was buried
in the conventual church of Morlaix in Bretagne, in
September 1489; and a carving in wood of St. Thomas a
Becket.”
It is a curious circumstance in the history of Cornwall, that several
of the principal gentlemen from this remote county, took active parts
on either side between King Richard the Third and his antagonist Henry
the Seventh: many were present at the battle of Bosworth. Mr. Carew
relates (p. 269, Lord Dunstanville’s edition) the almost miraculous
escape of Sir Richard Edgecombe of Cotehele, when he was pursued (as I
apprehend) by Bodrigar, who, in his turn, found himself obliged to fly
after the defeat of King Richard; and his property was divided between
Edgecumbe and Trevanion, with whom a large part of it still remains.
The river from Cotehele to New Bridge exhibits a magnificence of
scenery very rarely to be found: the cliffs on the east and
north-eastern bank affording here the steep and bold scarpment, as in
all other similar situations throughout the country.
Harewood, in this parish, although in the different style of a modern
seat, almost rivals Cotehele: this spacious and elegant house was
built almost forty years ago by Mr. Foot; but the place was sold after
his decease, and it is now the property and residence of Mr. William
Salusbury Trelawney, heir of that ancient and distinguished family.
Mr. Trelawney married Miss Carpenter, of Mount Toby, near Tavistock,
and now (1833) represents the eastern division of Cornwall in
Parliament.
Sandhill is another handsome seat in this parish, occupied by Mr.
Williams, who, since his purchase of the manor, has improved the waste
lands, planted such elevated or steep portions as were unfit for
agriculture, and in every way contributed to the prosperity of the
place and of its inhabitants.
This parish contains 5035 statute acres.
Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._
returned to Parliament in 1815 5801 0 0
Poor Rate in 1831 1426 0 0
Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831,
{ 1105 | 2064 | 2388 | 2328;
being an increase of about 111 per cent. in 30 years.
Present Rector, the Rev. Edward Morshead, presented by the King in
1796.