town, is distant from Plymouth 55 miles, and 269 west of London. The
_Harbour_, which is considered one of the very best in England, is so
commodious and sheltered, that the most numerous fleet may ride here in
safety; and when it was surveyed a few years ago by Commissioner Bowen,
buoys for 16 sail of battle ships were laid down.[16]
Much disquisition and doubts have arisen regarding the origin of this
town; but it seems to be generally admitted, that it was a place of but
little consequence until the reign of James I., when the greater part of
the town was then built; neither was it incorporated until the 13th of
Charles II.
The town is chiefly built along the western shore of the harbour, the
houses forming a street nearly half a mile in length. Owing to the
improvements which have been made of late years, Falmouth has a very
prepossessing appearance, and is now inhabited by many respectable
families; but although the population of the parish amounts, by the late
census, to 6374, it is not represented in Parliament, whilst St. Mawes,
a mean fishing cove, on the opposite side of the harbour, possesses that
advantage.
The entrance to the harbour of Falmouth is fortified on each side, by
the _Castles_ of _St. Mawes_ and _Pendennis_. The latter has a very
magnificent appearance, being built on a rock, rising upwards of 300
feet above the level of the sea, and is almost insulated. This castle
was first erected in the reign of Henry VIII., but the works were
materially altered and strengthened in the reign of Elizabeth. It is now
strongly fortified, and contains commodious barracks for troops, good
storehouses, and magazines, besides a comfortable residence for the
Lieutenant Governor. In the time of the civil wars this fortress was
bravely defended against the Parliament forces, by John Arundell, of
Trenie, and was only surrendered on the same conditions as were granted
to other places.
_St. Mawes Castle_, although erected in the same reign as Pendennis, is
very inferior both in size and situation. The hamlet adjoining, is
remarkable only as being one of the Boroughs of Cornwall, and has
returned members to Parliament since the year 1562. The manor is now
vested in the Marquis of Buckingham, but the right of election is
confined to the freeholders only.
The _Church_ of Falmouth is a modern building, with a handsome altar,
&c. It contains several memorials, but none very remarkable. There are
several meeting houses in the town, for different sects, a small Roman
Catholic Chapel, and a Jew’s Synagogue; also a Public Dispensary and
Hospital for the relief and support of disabled seamen, their widows,
and children, which is liberally patronized.
The trade of this town, and its prosperity, have much increased by the
establishment of the packets that sail from hence every week to Lisbon,
Portugal, the West Indies, and other places; also by the detention of
fleets of ships, (particularly those outward-bound) which seek refuge in
its capacious harbour, and frequently remain many weeks till the gales
are more favourable.—Falmouth has a good weekly market, and two fairs
annually.
_Arwenack House_, remarkable as having been the residence of the
_Killigrews_, (one of whom, Sir William Killigrew, of notoriety in the
civil wars, lies buried in the church,) has been much altered from its
original plan, yet still possesses an antient appearance. A manuscript
history of the Killigrews, written by one of the family, says, that
there was only a single house at Falmouth, besides Arwenack (the seat of
the Killigrews,) when Sir Walter Rayleigh, being homeward-bound from the
coast of Guinea, put in there; that he was entertained at Arwenack, and
his men poorly accommodated at the solitary house, which, it is
probable, had been originally built for the entertainment of sea-faring
persons; that this celebrated navigator, being struck with the utility
of providing more extensive accommodations at the mouth of Falmouth
Harbour, for the officers and crews of homeward-bound ships, laid before
the council a project for erecting four houses for that purpose. It is
probable, that the single house here spoken of, was single as a house of
entertainment, and that there were also a few fishers’ cottages, though
too inconsiderable to have been described by Norden, even as a village.
The _Church_ of the village of Maylor, near Falmouth, is a very
picturesque building, containing a number of memorials, among which
there is a monument for Capt. Yescombe, of the King George Lisbon
Packet, who was killed in defending his ship against the enemy, in 1803.
_Trefusis House_, the property of Lord Clinton, in this neighbourhood,
is a very antient building, most delightfully situated; but not having
been inhabited for many years, is going rapidly to decay. Part of it is
now occupied as a farm-house.
On the right of the road from Penryn to Helston, in the parish of
Constantine, is a very curious massy rock, called a _Tolinen_; it is 33
feet long by 14½ feet wide, 18 feet high, and 97 feet in circumference.
In form it resembles an egg, and is poised on two natural rocks. Much
has been said as to the origin of this curious pile, but it is generally
supposed to have been erected by the Druids.
HELSTON, situated about 10 miles from Penryn, is a large respectable
town, built on the side of a hill, gradually sloping to the River Cober,
and is noticed by historians as a place of considerable antiquity, and
as having once possessed a Castle.[17]
It now principally consists of four streets built in the form of a
cross, with a handsome _Market-house_ and _Town Hall_. The _Church_, a
handsome fabric standing on an eminence, on the north side of the town,
was rebuilt in the year 1762, at an expense of £6,000, defrayed by the
then Earl of Godolphin. It contains a number of monuments, and a neat
altar-piece painted by Lane.
Helston has returned members to Parliament since the reign of Edward I.,
and the government of the town is vested in the Mayor, four Aldermen,
and 24 Assistants: they have exclusively the right of election and other
privileges.
The number of inhabitants, according to the late census, amounts to
2671, or an increase of 374 since the year 1811.
This town has long been noted for its remarkable Jubilee on the 8th of
May, on which day it has been customary with the inhabitants for ages
past, to cease from their labours, and participate in the rural
pleasures of the peasantry. Yet many of the foolish customs on this
occasion, have vanished before modern refinement, and even the
genteelest classes engage in the pleasures of the day, when the greatest
harmony usually prevails, and dancing with its consequent hilarity, is
kept up until a very late hour.
The scenery about the _Loo Pool_ is peculiarly fine and picturesque; it
combines every characteristic excellence for forming a good picture, and
affords many an interesting study for the landscape painter. The rocks
start abruptly from the margin of the lake, and a fine hanging wood
clothes the sides of the neighbouring hills. On the south, the prospect
is only terminated by a narrow bank of sand, which appears almost to
unite the sea with the lake: and indeed upon certain occasions, when the
pool is so full of water as to endanger the submersion of property on
the valley above, it has been found necessary to cut through this sandy
partition, and allow the overplus water of the lake, to flow away into
the main ocean. This indulgence, with the privilege of fishing for a
peculiar and valuable species of trout, is readily granted, on
application to the Lord of the Manor, John Rogers, Esq., of Penrose.[18]
On the western side of the Loo Pool, about two miles from Helston, is
_Penrose_, the seat of John Rogers, Esq., which has been considerably
improved, since it came into the possession of that gentleman.
A ride to the _Lizard Point_ from Helston, a distance of 14 miles, will
be highly gratifying to the lovers of romantic scenery, and which, to
use the expression of a celebrated tourist, “is rarely to be surpassed
in England.” The immense rocks which here rise in awful dignity to a
very considerable height, resisting the mighty violence of the ocean,
cannot fail to make a lasting impression on the minds of those who visit
this interesting spot.
The first place of any note, at about the distance of six miles from
Helston, is the little fishing village of MULLION. The tower of the
_Church_ forms a conspicuous feature in this part of the county.
Three miles from hence, is the celebrated Steatite or _Soap Rocks_,[19]
which have been of great use to the china manufacturers.
_Kynan’s Cove_, situated within a mile of the Lizard Point, is highly
deserving of notice, and is considered one of the most extraordinary
spots on the coast. It is composed of huge rocks of immense height,
partly projecting into the sea, and in one place so singularly formed,
as to resemble an arched grotto.[20]
In _Lanerwednack Church_, almost adjoining the Lizard, is a curious
antient _Font_.
The _Lizard Point_, is remarkable as being the spot from which all ships
leaving the Channel, date their departure; and notwithstanding two
_Light-Houses_ have been built, as beacons to warn the mariner of the
danger of steering too close to the shore, shipwrecks are not
unfrequent, particularly among foreign vessels, whose commanders may be
supposed to be unacquainted with the dangers of this part of the
coast.[21]
Returning to Helston over Goonholly Downs, in the parish of Mawgain, is
_Trelowarrens_, the seat of Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bart., a very curious
and antient embattled mansion, containing fine portraits by Vandyke.[22]
The house and grounds were much improved by the late Sir Vyell Vyvyan,
and adjoining the house is a very neat _Chapel_, well fitted up with an
organ, &c.
In _Mawgan Church_, is a very antient tomb to the memory of the Carminoe
family, with the mutilated effigies of a crusader and his lady.
About five miles north of Helston, on the left of the road to Redruth,
is _Clowance_, the property of Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart. It is an
antient building standing in an extensive park, surrounded by high
walls. This estate is said to have been in possession of this family,
ever since the reign of Richard II. Great improvements have been made by
the present noble proprietor, although he seldom resides here: the
plantations and grounds are arranged with great taste and judgment, and
tend greatly to enliven the dreariness of this part of the county. The
interior contains a number of fine family portraits, by Sir Peter Lely
and other eminent artists, besides a valuable selection of rare and
choice prints.
_Godolphin House_ is one of the most interesting mansions in the county,
and although going rapidly to decay, displays much of its former
grandeur. It is situated two miles and a half from Clowance, and about a
mile from the direct road to Marazion. The Godolphin family are said to
have possessed the manor, as far back as the time of William the
Conqueror; but the present mansion was built in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, by Sir Francis Godolphin. It also appears, that by his
successful adventures and perseverance in mining concerns, the customs
were increased above £10,000 per annum. Charles II. created Sir William
Godolphin a Baronet in 1663, and his son Sidney was made Baron Godolphin
of Rialton, in 1689. This nobleman displayed great ability in the House
of Commons, and filled several distinguished offices under the crown. He
died in the year 1712, and was succeeded by his son Francis, whose
youngest daughter married, in 1744, the Duke of Leeds, by which event
the Godolphin estates, are now become the property of the Osborne
family.[23]
_Pengersick Castle_, the remains of which chiefly consist of the keep,
and a machicolated gate, are highly deserving of notice. History is
silent as to the origin of this fortress; it however appears that the
manor and barter were purchased in the latter end of the reign of Henry
VIII., by a Mr. Milliton, (Job Milliton, who is mentioned as possessor
of St. Michael’s Mount, in the time of Edward VI.,) who having slain a
man privately, made the purchase in the name of his son, and immured
himself in a secret chamber in the tower, where he died without being
called upon to account for the offence! The remains are situated at the
bottom of an eminence, on the borders of a creek near the sea, and
although not very extensive, form a very interesting and picturesque
subject for the pencil of an artist.
The manor is chiefly the property of the Duke of Leeds, and William
Aremdell Harris, Esq.
From hence to Marazion, the distance is six miles, and a very pleasing
ride.
MARAZION or MARKET JEW, is a small town distant 286 miles from London,
and exactly 10 from Helston; but few places in England surpass it for
mildness of climate and agreeable prospects. This town is stated in
former times to have been a place of some consequence, and to have
suffered more than once by conflagration. It now consists of about 200
houses, chiefly built at the bottom of a hill, which shelters the town
from the cold north winds, and, by the late returns, contains about 1300
inhabitants. This town is governed by a Mayor, eight Aldermen, and 12
Burgesses, according to a charter granted in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, although it does not return members to Parliament.—It has a
weekly market, and two fairs annually.
The majestic appearance of _St. Michael’s Mount_, which has for ages
past been so much extolled for its singularity and beauty, cannot fail
to arrest the attention and admiration of every traveller.[24] Regarding
the origin of this wonderful object, much dispute has arisen among
antiquarians; but the circumstance that the mount was partly, if not
wholly, covered with wood, seems to be generally credited. When the
mount first became a religious spot, is uncertain; but a _Priory of
Benedictine Monks_ was founded by Edward the Confessor, which after the
conquest was augmented by Robert Earl of Mortaign, and continued until
the dissolution of religious houses in the reign of Henry VIII., when
its revenues were valued at £110 12s. per annum! The monks however were
frequently disturbed in their religious avocations, during the turbulent
state of early reigns; particularly by one Henry de la Pomeroy, who
treacherously took possession of this priory, during the imprisonment of
Richard I. in Germany, but who fearing the king’s anger, is said shortly
after to have died through grief.[25] From this and other circumstances,
the mount was fortified in a castellated manner, and in after times
became a place of considerable notoriety, particularly during the
contentions in the reign of Charles I.[26] After the dissolution, it was
granted to Humphrey Arundell, of Lanherne. In the reign of Edward VI. it
was leased to Job Milliton, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall, and passed through
the hands of several persons, until it became the property of the St.
Aubyn family, and now belongs to Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart., of Clowance,
who has converted the remains of the priory into an occasional summer
residence. Attached to it is a very pretty _Chapel_, in which divine
service is occasionally performed; the seats are extremely well carved
and ranged on each side, much in the manner of stalls in cathedrals. At
the western end, an organ has been recently erected, and may be
considered one of the finest instruments in the county. In the
alterations which have taken place, great attention has been paid to
preserve the original character of the buildings, and the dining room
(which was the refectory of the convent) has a curious frieze in stucco,
displaying the mode of hunting several wild animals.
The mount is chiefly composed of granite, and the passage to its summit,
which is on the north side, is extremely steep and craggy. At high water
it appears a complete insulated mass of rock, gradually diminishing in
size from the base, until it forms a pyramid, nearly 240 feet high. The
prospects from the summit cannot fail to raise the most lively emotions,
as the eye ranges over a vast range of the ocean, and which appears the
more noble, when contrasted with the humble dwellings of the poor
fishermen beneath.
During the early part of the last century, the _Pier_ was rebuilt and
enlarged, and is now capable of affording great shelter to vessels; the
advantage of which to the fishermen on the coast is incalculable, as
they often put in here for safety in stormy weather. Most of the persons
who have taken up their abode on the north side of the mount, are
engaged in fishing pursuits, where many cottages have been erected for
them.
After proceeding about three miles over the sands of Mount’s Bay, is
PENZANCE. This town has long been noted for the pleasantness of its
situation, the salubrity of its air, and the beauty of its natives; and
is in consequence much resorted to by travellers, who, in most
instances, have derived more benefit than they had anticipated. Indeed
the mildness of the climate of Penzance, is often compared to that of
Italy. It is situated on the north-west side of Mount’s Bay, and distant
little more than 10 miles from the Land’s End, and 283 from
London.—Owing to the improvements made of late years, Penzance is now
become a very populous and highly respectable place,[27] and altogether
possesses as many claims as any watering place in the kingdom. The
Corporation consists of a Mayor, eight Aldermen, 12 Assistants, and a
Recorder; but, like Marazion, does not return members to
Parliament.—Beside the chapel dedicated to St. Mary, there are separate
meeting-houses for Methodists, Quakers, and Jews.
A very considerable trade is carried on here in the pilchard fisheries,
and from thence great quantities of tin and copper are also exported.
The market here is abundantly supplied with fish, and all kinds of
provisions are remarkably plentiful and reasonable.
About half a mile from the town, is the celebrated _Wherry Mine_, which
has not been worked since the year 1798, owing to the great danger
attending the progress of the works. The opening of this mine, says Dr.
Maton, “was an astonishingly adventurous undertaking. Imagine the
descent into a mine through the sea, the miners working at the depth of
12 fathoms below the waves; the rod of a steam engine extending from the
shore to the shaft, a distance of nearly 120 fathoms; and a great number
of men momentarily menaced with an inundation of the sea, which
continually drains in no small quantity through the roof of the mine,
and roars loud enough to be distinctly heard in it.” Tin is the
principal produce of this mine, and the ore is extremely rich.
On the western side of Mount’s Bay, about a mile and a half from
Penzance, is the small fishing town of NEWLYN, and the village of
MOUSEHOLE; the latter remarkable only as having been the residence of
_Old Dolly Penkeath_, the last person said to have spoken the Cornish
dialect, and who died at the age of 102 years, in the month of January,
1778.
About three miles from hence, at a place called BOSCAWENUN, close to the
sea, is a very curious piece of antiquity, composed of two large flat
stones, one resting on a natural rock, and the other on three large
stones; but whether this singular pile is the remain of some Druidical
monument, or may be classed under the denomination of _Roman
Antiquities_, is a matter not easily determined. The most interesting
Druidical remains in this neighbourhood, are a pile of stones, between
St. Burian’s and Sarund, consisting of 19 in number, set upright in a
circle 25 feet diameter, one large stone being in the centre.
ST. BURIAN, the next place of any note, was once remarkable as having
possessed a college of Secular Canons, said to have been founded by King
Athelstan, after the conquest of the Scilly Isles; but not a vestige of
this antient edifice now remains. St. Burian’s, however, is an
independent deanery, in the gift of the King, and under the jurisdiction
of the Bishop of Exeter.
The _Church_, which stands on a commanding eminence, and serves as a
land mark, is a spacious fabric, consisting of three aisles, and
contains several curious monumental remains; but when it was repaired in
1814, a handsome carved screen and other relics of antiquity were
removed. Near the south porch, which is ornamented with embrasures and
pinnacles, is a small cross,[28] raised on four steps, with a circular
head perforated with four holes, and on one side is a representation of
the Crucifixion. In this parish are several decayed seats, now mostly
occupied by farmers, which formerly belonged to several eminent persons
in the county.
The celebrated _Logan_ or _Rocking Stone_ at Treryn Castle, in the
parish of St. Levan, is highly deserving of notice, and indeed is
considered as great a curiosity as any thing in Cornwall. This
extraordinary stone, or immense block of granite, supposed even to weigh
90 tons, is so balanced on the summit of an immense pile of rocks, that
one individual, by placing his back to it, can move it to and fro
easily.
“Behold yon huge
And unhewn sphere of living adamant,
Which, pois’d by magic, rests its central weight
On yonder pointed rock, firm as it seems,
Such is its strange and virtuous property,
It moves obsequious to the gentlest touch.”
The stupendous and majestic appearance of the rocks which form the
Promontory of the _Land’s End_, the raging of the ocean beneath, the
incessant screaming of sea gulls and other wild birds, when disturbed by
the sight of man, raise the strongest emotions of admiration and
astonishment. On a ridge of rocks, called the Long Ships, a
_Light-House_ was erected in the year 1797, by a Mr. Smith, under the
sanction of the Trinity Board.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXCURSION II.
_From the Land’s End to Stratton; through St. Ives, Camborne,
Redruth, St. Columb, Padstow, and Camelford._
St. Just, about five miles from the Land’s End, is the first place of
any note in this direction, and is situated about seven miles from
Penzance; but chiefly remarkable as the birth-place of the celebrated
Dr. Borlase, the historian of the Natural History and Antiquities of
this county.[29]
“The road to St. Ives,” says Dr. Maton, “when returning from the western
part of the county, passes near numerous shafts of mines, which render a
journey over this part of the country by night extremely dangerous. The
moor stone or granite lies dispersed in detached blocks, many of them
huge enough for another _Stone Henge_. Scarcely a shrub appears to
diversify the prospect, and the only living beings that inhabit the
mountainous parts are the goats, which browse the scanty herbage.”
ST. IVES is a very antient and populous sea-port town, situated near the
north-east angle of a very fine bay, about eight miles from Penzance;
seven from Marazion; 13 north-west from Helston; 14 west from Redruth;
and 277 from London. In antient records, this town was called
_Porth-Ia_; and it is said to have derived its name from St. Hya, or Ia,
an Irish saint, who came over to Cornwall accompanied by St. Breaca and
others, and was buried in the church at this place.
It has a good _Pier_, erected by Smeaton, about 40 years ago; but the
streets being very narrow, irregular, and dirty, the town has but a poor
appearance in itself, yet when viewed from the environs, it has a very
picturesque effect. It is also one of the Borough-Towns of Cornwall, and
the right of electing the Members of Parliament, is vested in the
Corporation and all the inhabitants of the town and parish paying scot
and lot. According to the late returns, the parish contains upwards of
3000 inhabitants. A considerable traffic is carried on at St. Ives, with
the Bristol merchants, besides the Pilchard Fisheries; but this port,
like most others on the north coast, is much incommoded by the quantity
of sand driven in by the north-west winds.