As we proceed on the Morvah road toward Lanyon, the rugged top of Carn
Galva is seen rising over the northern hills. The first sight of this
huge carn, piled up against the sky, suggests the thought that the good
old giant who lived there in ancient times could not have selected a
better place for his stronghold. We now approach the town-place of
Lanyon, Lanion, or rather Lanine, for every one here calls the place by
the latter name, as well as the family, who probably took their name
from this, their ancient home. If you enquire of any person hereabouts
for Lanyon, they will wonder where you came from, and it is not at all
easy for a stranger to get any information out of our good folk by
abrupt questioning, which they detest. The best way is to tell them
frankly what you want. Then, they will do their utmost to gratify your
wishes. So now we are here, we shall always speak of the place as
Lanine, and tell a yarn to get two in return.
Many fanciful meanings have been given for the name of Lanyon or
Lenine; yet there appears to be little doubt that the name is a
contraction of Lanython, which is composed of Lan, an enclosure, and
Ython, or Eithin, furze (the adjective comes after the noun in
Cornish); or the name may be simply the plural form of Lan. This word
Lan (often contracted into la) enters into the construction of many
names of ancient places, as Landithy, Lamoran, Lamorna, &c. In Wales
and Brittany, names are equally common, which are formed of Llan or
lan, followed by some qualifying word; and as some of the oldest
settlements or enclosures were the first places in which Churches were
erected, the word Lan came to be regarded as designating the Church. In
Lamorna and other similar words the n is dropped, from a natural
disposition to avoid the exertion which the pronunciation of certain
combinations of consonants entails on the speaker. The strongly-built
dwelling-house of Lenine shows that Madron masons of the last century
were good craftsmen. Note the sturdy strength of the broad
chimney-stacks, which seem determined to put a hard face on all the
fierce blasts they encounter in this unsheltered place. The sturdy
expression of this simple building harmonises well with the bleak
character of surrounding scenery.