Is situate in the hundred of Pyder, and hath upon the north side
Little Pedyrick, St. Ewyn, and St. Issey; on the east, St. Wenn and
Roach; west, Maugan; south, St. Enedor, Little Collun, and St. Dennis.
At the time of the Norman Conquest the name of this parish or church
was not extant, for then it was taxed under the names of Tollscat or
Todscad, now the duchy manor of Tollskidy, (that is to say, the shady
hole, or pit,) Bodeworgy, and Chiliworgy, places still well known in
those parts. At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln
and Winchester, 1294, into the value of Cornish church revenues,
Ecclesia de Sancte Colombe Majoris in Decanatu de Pedre was taxed
18_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, and Valor Beneficiorum,
it was valued at 53_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._; the patronage in Arundell of
Lanherne, the incumbent Bishop, Pendarves, Collyar, and the parish
rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 306_l._ 9_s._ 4_d._
This church of St. Colomb was erected about the twelfth century of
Christianity; the north and south ailes by the lords of Trenoweth, and
Tresuran’s lands, but who the same were is now past ability of finding
out, though Tresuran’s lands, ever since, are charged with the payment
of 13_s._ 4_d._ per annum towards repair of the south aile aforesaid.
This church consists of three roofs, and the south-east chancel
thereof was built for a peculiar chapel for the Arundells of
Trembleth, or Lanherne, who endowed this church, and have ever since
been patrons thereof; and in testimony thereof, here is yet extant on
one of their gravestones a brass inscription containing words to this
purpose, “Here lieth the body of Renphry Arundell, Knight, patron of
this church and founder of this chapel, who departed this life
the ―――― Anno Dom. 1340.”[33] His lady, as I remember, was Sir
William Lamburn’s heir.
The tutelar patron or guardian of this church is St. Colomb, to whom
the same was dedicated, an Irish gentleman by birth; though, contrary
to this opinion, at the bottom of Camden’s Britannia, in Cornwall, we
are told that this church bears the name of, and is dedicated to one
Sancta Colomba, a holy woman who lived in those parts, and that her
life was written in the Cornish tongue, and in possession of one Mr.
Roscarrock, though now there is no such person or book extant that I
can hear of. Only, let it be remembered that I found it written in the
Sieur D. T.’s French book of the Saints, as also in Surrius’ and
Bosquet’s books, and Baronius (out of them), that there lived at
Senns, in Gallia, now France, in the time of the fifth persecution by
the emperor Aurelian, anno Dom. 276, a holy Christian Virgin named
Colomba, of such exquisite beauty that one of his sons fell
passionately in love with her; but because he could not obtain his
lustful desire of her, offered her marriage, but he being an idolater
she refused his embraces. Whereupon she was much persecuted by
Aurelian and cast into prison; where she suffered much hardship, and
was comparatively starved to death in that place; so that in great
misery she expired there, and was buryed at Senns. At whose grave many
supernatural facts, or miracles, being said to be done, she obtained
the reputation of a saint and martyr, anno Dom. 300.
The feast of the dedication of this church is in November, near Sancta
Colomba Virginis et Martyris day; and the fair depends upon it.
As for the south aile of this church before-mentioned, it was called
Jesus Chapel, and therein was founded Trinity chantry; towards
building or endowment whereof the Lords of Resurrans tied these lands
for ever to pay to the same 13_s._ 4_d._ per annum, with power of
distress. At the dissolution of this chantry 1 Edward VI. John Chaplin
was chief chanter, or sole priest thereof, and seised of the said
rent, as his predecessors had been long before; and King Edward being
so possessed, by virtue of an Act of Parliament, sold the same, with
other things, to Sir Hugh Pomeroy, Knight, and Thos. Pomeroy, Esq. his
brother; who the 4th Edward VI. sold it to William Saplyn; and ――――
Saplyn, in the 1st and 2nd of Philip and Mary, sold it to John Glyn,
Esq., John Ganergan, William Prye, John Manifield, Richard Carter,
Henry Rouse, John Vivian, and Richard Hancanon, who were trustees for
the parish of Sancta Colomba. After which conveyances the Lord of
Resurrans refused to pay the said rent. Whereupon the parish
distrained those lands, and the owner thereof replevined the goods so
taken, which occasioned the parish bringing an action in replevin
against the replevers thereof; and for plea, by way of avowry, did
allege that those goods they ought to take, for that one John chaplain
of Trinity chantry was seised of the said rent in fee, as his
predecessors time out of mind had been before, in right of the said
chantry, from which it passed to King Edward the Sixth, and the
purchasers under him as aforesaid. Whereupon the issue passed for the
plaintiff, or parish, against the Lord of Resurrans. (See St. Michael
Penkivell, St. Mary Wike; also for Chantry, see St. Cuthbert for
prayer for the dead.)
In the year 1676, the greatest part of this church of St. Colomb was
casually blown up with gunpowder by three youths of the town, scholars
therein, who, in the absence of their master and the rest of their
companions, ignorantly set fire to a barrel of gunpowder, the parish
stores, laid up in the stone stairs and walls of the rood-loft, which
occasioned the destruction of it and themselves together; for the
glass-window, roofs, timber, stones, and pillars, thereby made a
direful concussion together, especially those shot from the walls of
the moorstone stairs aforesaid, to the total defacing the church and
many pews thereof.
In this tragical concussion several accidents were strange and
unaccountable. As, first, that one Nicholas Jane, a hellyar, was on a
ladder mending the healing, or stones on the roof of the church, when
it happened, whereby he himself and the ladder under him were blown up
also; but both fell to the ground without hurt. Secondly, the church
bible and common-prayer book, with their leaves open, in the rector’s
pew, scarce two feet from the rood-loft stairs, where the powder took
fire and broke out, were neither singed, moved, nor so much as any
dust about them, though many thousand stones were cast about the
church. Thirdly, there was at least a ton weight of lime and stone
cast upon the communion table, which was old and slight, having but
one foot or pedestal to stand upon, and yet the same was not broken
nor hurt. Fourthly, the pulpit was in like manner preserved from the
fury and rage of the fire and stones, when the very walls and pillars
near it were shattered to pieces. Let divines and philosophers give a
reason for these things, if there was not a supernatural cause or
Providence for it!
By this sad accident this church of St. Colomb received damage to the
value of about 350_l._; yet was, by the liberal contributions of its
inhabitants, in nine months time built and repaired as it now stands,
and what was wanting in subscriptions to make up that sum, was raised
by a small parish rate on the lands thereof. The chief subscribers,
Sir John Saint Aubyn, of Trekininge, Baronet, 20_l._; his
grandmother-in-law, the widow of Peter Jenkin, Esq. 20_l._; John
Vivian, Esq. of Truan, 20_l._; his three sons, Thomas, John, and
Francis Vivian, 15_l._; Robert Hoblyn, Esq. 10_l._; Edward, his son,
5_l._; Captain Ralph Keate, 5_l._; the writer of this volume 5_l._;
John Day, Gent. 5_l._; Peter Day, Gent. 5_l._; Honour Carter, widow,
10_l._; John Bligh, Gent. 5_l._; Peter Pollard, senior, 10_l._; John
Beauford, rector, 20_l._, with several others.
And, as if the fiery element had a particular power over this church,
it is further memorable that several times before a stone pinnacle of
the tower thereof was cast down with thunder and lightning, and had as
often been built up again to no purpose, till at length the workmen
were advised, upon their last operation, to inscribe in the stone
thereof, “God bless and preserve this work;” since which time it hath
stood invincible for about sixty years. But, alas! notwithstanding
this pinnacle hath been thus exempted from the raging of the fiery
element, yet its next neighbour, the lofty spire or steeple on the
said tower, a strong and well-built structure, bound or cramped
together with iron and cast lead through the moor-stones thereof, (so
that, comparatively, according to man’s judgment, it might last till
the final consummation of all things,) yet so it happened on a
Thursday in July 1690, that about one of the clock in the afternoon,
when the people were at their traffic in the market place contiguous
with the churchyard, the said spire or steeple was torn and shattered
to pieces with a flash of lightning, and totally thrown to the ground,
and the iron bars therein wreathed and wrested asunder as threads, to
the great terror and astonishment of the beholders. It was further
observable when this concussion happened, only divers flashes of
lightning appeared, but no sound or crack of thunder was heard; from
whence I infer that when the voice of thunder is heard, the fiery
matter in the middle region, perhaps not three miles above our heads,
hath spent its force and strength. This spire also was soon after
re-edified by the inhabitants of this parish, though much short of its
former height and bigness, as it now stands.
Again, contiguous with this church-yard was formerly extant a college
of Black Monks or Canons Augustine, consisting of three fellows, for
instructing youth in the liberal arts and sciences; which college,
when or by whom erected and endowed I know not. However, I take it to
be one of those three colleges in this province named in Speed and
Dugdale’s Monasticon, whose revenues they do not express, (nor the
places where they were extant,) but tell us that they were dedicated
to the blessed Virgin Mary, the lady of angels, and were black monks
of the Augustines.
In this college, temp. Henry VI., was bred up John Arundell, a younger
son of Renfry Arundell, of Lanherne, Esq. sheriff of Cornwall 3 Edward
IV. where he had the first taste of the liberal arts and sciences, and
was afterwards placed at Exon College in Oxford, where he stayed till
he took his degree of Master of Arts, and then was presented by his
father to John Booth, Bishop of Exeter, to be consecrated priest, and
to have collation, institution, and induct, into his rectory of St.
Colomb. Which being accordingly performed, and he resided upon this
rectory glebe lands for some time, which gave him opportunity to build
the old parsonage house still extant thereon, and moat the same round
with rivers and fish-ponds, as Sir John Arundell, Knight, informed me
afterwards. In the year 1496, he had by Henry VII. bestowed upon him
the bishopric of Lichfield and Coventry, then void upon the
translation of William Smith to Lincoln, (the successor of John Hals,)
in which see he remained till the year 1501, and then, upon the death
or translation of Richard Redman, Bishop of Exeter, he was removed to
that diocese by Henry VII. then possessed of great revenues, but died
at London, 1504, and was buried at St. Clement’s Danes Church.
Before this church of St. Colomb was erected, within the borders of
its now parish were extant four free chapels, wherein God was
worshipped in former ages, viz. at Tregoos (i. e. the wood towne),
Tre-sithan-y (the weekly town, the town frequented on the Sabbath);
Ruth-es (i. e. the multitude is); and Lan-hengye (i. e. the church or
temple of sentence, judgment, or deliberating cases). The old
cemeteries of which are now all converted to orchards and gardens, or
arable ground.
The town of St. Colomb, by the mediation of its lords, the Arundells
of Lanherne, is privileged with a weekly market on Thursdays, wherein
all things necessary for the life of man are vended at a moderate
rate; as also with fairs on Thursday after Midlent Sunday, and on
Thursday after Allhallows.
This place was heretofore for a long time notorious for the vice of
excessive topling or toping, not only to the damage of many of the
inhabitants’ healths and wealth, but also to the loss of too many
lives; I mean in the time of Charles II. when the practice of
quaffing, toasting, or healthing, debauch and immorality, overspread
the land in general.
In this parish stands Castell-an-Dinas. It consists of about six acres
of ground, within three circles or intrenchments, upon the top of a
pyramidal hill, composed or built of turf and unwrought stones, after
the British manner, without lime or mortar, comparatively a hedge;
each of those circles or ramparts rising about eight foot above each
other towards the centre of the castle, consisting of about an acre
and a half of land, in the midst whereof appear the ruins of some old
dilapidated houses; near which is a flat vallum, pit, or tank, wherein
rain or cloud-water, that falls down from the middle regions, abides
more or less in quantity as it falls one half of the year; which, I
suppose, heretofore supplied the soldiers’ occasions, as no fountain,
spring, or river water is within a thousand paces thereof. There were
two gates or portals leading to this fort, the one on the east, the
other on the west side thereof, which, on a stony causeway now covered
with grass, conducts you up and down the hill towards Tre-kyning, that
is to say the king’s, prince, or ruler’s town. Moreover, contiguous
with this castle are tenements of land or fields, named Tre-saddarne,
that is to say god Saturn’s town, a place where the god Saturn was
worshipped by the soldiers, who probably had their temple or chapel
here before Christianity.
Near this castle, by the highway, stands the Coyt, a stony tumulus so
called, of which sort there are many in Wales and Wiltshire, as is
mentioned in the Additions to Camden’s Britannia in those places,
commonly called the Devil’s Coyts. It consists of four long stones of
great bigness, perpendicularly pitched in the earth contiguous with
each other, leaving only a small vacancy downwards, but meeting
together at the top; over all which is laid a flat stone of prodigious
bulk and magnitude, bending towards the east in way of adoration, (as
Mr. Lhuyd concludes of all those Coyts elsewhere,) as the person
therein under it interred did, when in the land of the living; but
how, or by what art this prodigious flat stone should be placed on the
top of the others, amazeth the wisest mathematicians, engineers, or
architects, to tell or conjecture. Colt, in Belgic-British, is a cave,
vault, or cott-house, of which coyt might possibly be a corruption.
Not far from this coyt, at the edge of the Goss-moor, there is a large
stone, wherein is deeply imprinted a mark, as if it were the impress
of four horseshoes, and to this day called King Arthur’s Stone; yea,
tradition tells us they were made by King Arthur’s horse’s feet, when
he resided at Castle Denis, and hunted in the Goss Moor. But this
stone is now overturned by some seekers for money.
On another part of this parish, near Retallock Barrow (that is to say,
Retallock Grave), is a notable tumulus, wherein some human creature of
that place was interred before the 16th century. Retalloch signifies
exceeding or too much buckler or target, not far from which is still
extant, in the open downs, nine perpendicular stones, called the Nine
Maids, in Cornish Naw-voz, alias the nine sisters, in Cornish
Naw-whoors, which very name informs us that they were sepulchral
stones, erected in memory either of nine natural or spiritual sisters
of some religious house, and not so many maids turned into stones for
dancing on the Sabbath Day, as the country people will tell you. Those
stones are set in order by a line, as is such another monument also
called the Nine Maids in Gwendron, by the highway, about twety-five
feet distance from each other; or it is rather in Stithian’s parish.
Truan, Truin, Truyn, Trevan, Trewyn, are all synonymous words,
signifying a nose, nook, or beak of any matter or thing; here to be
construed as a nose, nook, or beak of land, extant or notable amongst
others; which place and Trenouth, for four descents, hath been the
dwelling of the gentle family of the Vivians, who have flourished here
in worshipful degree.
The present possessor of this place is my very kind friend John
Vivian, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall about 20 Charles II. and one of His
Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, a gentleman famous for his
hospitality and charity. He married three wives; the first, Jane,
daughter of Sir John Trelawny, Bart., but had no issue by her that
lived; his second was Mary, daughter of John Glanvill, of Killyvor,
Esq., in Devon, by whom he had issue Thomas, John, Francis, Anne, and
Jane; his last wife was Specott, the relict of ―――― Nicholls, by whom
he had no issue. His father married two wives, ―――― Buller and ――――
Cavall; his grandfather married ―――― Lure; his great-grandfather one
of Tresaster’s heirs, as I am informed.
Thomas Vivian, Esq., eldest son of the aforesaid John, married ――――
Blathwayte, sister to William Blathwayte, Esq. Secretary at War to
King James the Second and William the Third, but had no issue by her.
His second wife was the daughter of ―――― Dodson, Esq. but died without
issue by her. His second brother, John Vivian, Esq. barrister-at-law,
married also two wives: the first Anne, daughter of Matthew Hals, of
Efford, Esq., but she also died without issue; on whose death her
father-in-law made this epitaph fixed on her hearse, 1682:
Who underneath this mournful sable lies,
But one that did all worldly pomp despise?
It’s not adorned with painted pageantry,
To blazon forth her great antiquity;
Nor were’t more necessary to be done,
Than lighting candles in the mid-day sun;
Her shining virtues did so far exceed,
That of this lesser lustre there’s no need.
These praise her in the gates; these speak on earth,
Her higher extract and her heavenly birth.
And now she’s parted hence, but to go home;
For where she born was, thither must she come.
Could cares, or tears, or prayers have her repriev’d,
She had, to our great comfort, longer lived.
Farewell, then, dearest Saint, till thou and I
Do meet in bliss, to live eternally. J. V.
His second wife was Mary, daughter of Joseph Sawle, of Penrice, Esq.
by whom he hath issue John, Mary, and Thomas.
Francis Vivian, Esq. third son of the aforesaid John, married Anne,
daughter of Henry Mynon, gent., sole heir to her mother Bridget, the
only surviving child of Sir Samuel Coswarth, Knight (see Colan), by
whom he had issue one only daughter named Mary, now wife of Sir
Richard Vivian, Baronet. Ann Vivian married Simon Leach, gent. some
time her father’s clerk; Jane married James Beaufort, clerk.
The arms of those Vivians are the same as was borne and given by Prior
Thomas Vivian, of Bodmin, with some small difference. (See Bodmin.)
In the town of St. Colomb, for three or four descents, lived the
gentle family of the Carters (originally descended from the Carters of
Staffordshire), where by trade and merchandise they got a great
estate, and married with Vivian, Arundell of Solverne, and Moyle of
Bake; and lastly, Richard Carter, Esq., a Justice of the Peace, and
Member of Parliament for Mitchell, married Elizabeth King, alias
Lucas, alias Shepard, of the City of London, spinster, a woman
destitute of fame and fortune, whereby he was led into such excess of
riot and expence of monies that he was forced to sell all his lands,
and reduced himself to about 50_l._ per annum during life. Part of his
lands were sold to his younger brother, John Carter, who married ――――
Lawry, whose three daughters and heirs were married to William Silly,
Esq., Giles Risdon, of Badleigh, Esq., and Thomas Hoblyn, gent.
attorney-at-law, now in possession thereof. The arms of Carter were,
In a field Argent, two lions combatant Sable, armed and langued Gules.
Trevethick, in this parish, alias Trevidick, i. e. the rustic or
farmer’s town, for several descents had been the dwelling of the
gentle family of the Arundells, a younger branch of Lanherne stock,
particularly Thomas Arundell, who married the daughter of Sir Giles
Montpesson, Knight, by whom he had issue Thomas Arundell, Esq. that
died without issue, but not without wasting a great part of his
estate.
Trekyning aforesaid was for two descents the seat of the Jenkyns,
descended from James Jenkyn, gent., attorney-at-law, temp. James I.
who (from a mean origin, his father being a miller), by the inferior
practice of the law, got a very great estate, and married ―――― Carter,
the relict of ―――― Brabyn, and had issue Peter Jenkyn, Esq. Sheriff of
Cornwall temp. Charles I.
Nans-widdon, Nanc-widd-an, i. e. the valley of trees, or the tree
valley, in this parish, for four descents has been the dwelling of the
gentle family of the Hoblyns, of Leskeard or Treburge, in St. Pinoch,
as I am informed. The present possessor, Robert Hoblyn, Esq., married
―――― Carew of Penwarne; his father ―――― Apeley; his grandfather ――――;
and giveth for his arms, Argent, a fess Gules, between two flanches
Ermine. By Carew Mr. Hoblyn had issue, viz. Edward Hoblyn, Esq. his
son and heir, who married Avant’s heir, and left issue only a
daughter, married to ―――― Bickford, Esq.; Richard Hoblyn, bred a
merchant factor at Smyrna, that married ―――― Striblehill, but died
without issue; Robert Hoblyn, clerk, rector of Ludgvan, and a
commissioner of the pence and land taxes, that married the heir of
Burgess of Truro, and left issue only Francis Hoblyn, Esq., that
married Godolphin, and died leaving issue only a son named Robert,
heir; Thomas Hoblyn, attorney-at-law, that married one of Carter’s
heirs, and left issue by her John Hoblyn, of Kenwyn, Carew Hoblyn,
clerk, and other children, and three daughters; Anne, married to
Bishop, rector of St. Colomb Major; Grace, married to Pendarves,
rector of Maugan; Mary, married to William Cock, attorney-at-law, of
Helston. From this house are descended the Hoblyns of St. Enedor,
Bodmin, Egleshayle, Helland, and Gurran.
Bode-worgye, now Bos-worgy (on part of the lands whereof are yet
extant the ruins and downfalls of an old chapel or cemetery extant
before the Norman Conquest), formerly the voke lands of a man taxed in
Domesday Roll, 20 William I. 1087, for four or five descents was the
seat of the genteel family of Keates, and was till lately in the
possession of my very kind friend Capt. Ralph Keate, who died without
marriage or issue, and therefore settled this Bosworgy, and other
lands, upon Sir Jonathan Keate, Bart. of the Hoo, in Hertfordshire,
patent 478, 12 Chas. II. whose father married the only dau. and heir
of W. Hoo, of Hoo, Esq. Sheriff of Hertfordshire 5 Charles I., a
younger branch of the Baron Hoo of that place, whose heir was married
to the Earl of Huntingdon temp. Henry VIII., and in testimony thereof
gave the same arms as those barons, viz. Quarterly, Argent and Sable.
Those Keates within the memory of man, as they branched downwards,
married with Bear, Hals, Avery, and others, and gave for their arms,
Argent, three cats Sable. Keate, Ceate, in British, is fallacy, cheat,
or delusion.
Gauer-y-gan, in this parish, id est, the goat’s downs, gave name and
original to the genteel family of the Gauerigans, who for several
generations lived here in good reputation, till the middle of Queen
Elizabeth’s reign, at which time the last two daughters and heirs of
this family were married to Godolphin and Trefusis, whose heirs are
now in possession of their estate. Which family gave for their arms,
in allusion to their names, in a field Vert, a goat passant Argent, as
I am informed; the form of which is still extant in their pew or seat,
the foremost in one of the middle rows of seats in this church.
At Tre-sugg-an (id est, the town on the Saggor Bog), in this parish,
is the dwelling of Peter Day, gentleman, that married ―――― Brabyn. He
left issue only two daughters, that became his heirs, married to
Richard Williams, of Trewithan, Esq., and John Williams, of Carmanton,
Esq.
Trekyninge Vean, i. e. Trekininge the Less or Lesser, is the dwelling
of Joseph Hankey, gent., attorney-at-law, who, by his care and skill
in that profession, hath got himself considerable wealth and
reputation in those parts. He married two wives, Matthews of
Tresangar, and Buroughs of Ward Bridge; but hath issue by neither. His
father married Hoblyn of St. Stephen’s.
Upon Bodeworgy lands aforesaid, or contiguous with it as aforesaid,
are still extant the ruins of an old chapel, wherein God heretofore
was worshipped, before St. Colomb church was erected, called
Bes-palf-an.