From Plymouth to the Land’s End; through Looe, Fowey, Lostwithiel, St. Austell, Mevagissey, Tregony, Grampound, Truro, Penryn, Falmouth, Helston, Marazion, and Penzance.

The great importance attached of late years to the towns of Plymouth, Stonehouse, and Dock, in a commercial and nautical respect, has not only tended to render those places of great consequence in the West of England, but as travellers proceeding into Cornwall, generally take this direction in preference to the one which enters the county near Launceston, the following Excursion has been considered the most likely to interest, and display the beauties of the southern part of the county. The scenery of Plymouth and its vicinity are highly pleasing and picturesque, particularly the views of Mount Edgecumbe and those on the banks of the Tamar, which contrasted with the majestic appearance of the numerous fine ships of war riding at anchor, form a picture truly sublime. Previous to quitting this neighbourhood, however, the admirers of the fine arts will derive much pleasure from visiting Saltram, the magnificent seat of the Earl of Morley, which abounds with a great variety of valuable paintings, the most eminent of which are the following:

St. Faith, by Guido—In her right hand she holds her emblem of a white flag, which forms the back ground of the head.

Peasants playing at cards, by John Lingleback; with a view of the neighbourhood of the Forum at Rome, in the back ground.

Galatea surrounded by Nymphs—Domenichino; copied from the exquisite Fresco, by Raphael, in the Farnesine Palace at Rome.

Virgin and Child, by Sassoferrato—This picture recalls the idea of the celebrated Madonna Della sedia of Raphael, of whom the painter was a close imitator.

Landscape and Figures—Karel du Sardin.

Storm at Sea, by Vandervelde.

View near Tivoli—Gasper Poussin.

Group of Soldiers, or Banditti—Salvator Rosa.

Interior of a Cottage, with group of Peasants—D. Teniers.

A Conversation Piece—A. Palamedes.

Landscape, with ruins and antient sculpture—Francesco Milo.

Landscape and Figures—Disk Dalens.

Ditto—Both.

Daphne pursued by Apollo—Francesco Albano.

Landscape with Travellers, halting at a blacksmith’s shop—P. Wouverman.

The incredulity of St. Thomas—Gerard Hoel.

St. Anthony and Christ—Antonio Caracci.

View of the Doge’s Palace at Venice—Canaletti.

A Negro’s Head—Rubens.

St. John and Christ—Antonio Raffaelle Mengs.

A Holy Family-Frederic Baroccio.

Two Views in Venice—Canaletti.

Three Female Figures, as Huntresses, by Rubens; supposed to be his three wives.

Bolingbroke Family—Vandyck.

Seige of Maestricht—Anthony Francis Vander-Meulen.

A group of six Figures, size of life—P. Veronesse.

Adoration of the Shepherds—Carlo Dolce.

Figures with Goats and Sheep—Berghem.

Group of Sheep—Albert Cuyp.

Ulysses discovering Achilles—Angelica Kauffman.

Hector taking leave of Andromache—ditto.

Assumption of the Virgin, with glory of Angels—Lorenzo Sabbatini.

Portrait of Oliver Cromwell—David Beck.

Mercury—Weenix. There are also near 20 fine productions by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

A catalogue of the pictures has been printed at the expense of their noble owner, for the use of strangers, who are at all times allowed to have access to them. The situation of the house is one of the most enchanting spots in England, and commands a number of diversified prospects.

Mount Edgecumbe, the seat of the Right Hon. the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, is another beautiful spot embellished with fine promenades, gardens, and shrubberies, perhaps equal to any in England. The house is a very low building, erected about the year 1550, with battlements and an octagonal tower at each angle. It contains a few fine family portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The beauty of this spot has often awakened the ideas of the poet; and who can quit it without enjoying the same feelings which inspired the following lines?

After crossing the harbour to Tor Point, on the right, is Thankes, a seat of the noble family of Graves, which commands a pleasing view of the Harmoaze and surrounding country.

Antoney House, the seat of the Right Hon. Reginald Pole Carew, is an elegant mansion beautifully situated on a branch of the Lynher Creek. It contains a great variety of family portraits, and a few other fine paintings, by Holbein, Vandyke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and other artists.

The village of Antoney is about three miles from Plymouth, and has a very picturesque appearance from the road.—The Church is a small fabric situated on an eminence, and contains several handsome memorials of the Carew family; one of which to the memory of Richard Carew, the author of the Survey of Cornwall, has a long Latin inscription and the following curious verses:

The prospects from the church-yard are extremely pleasing, and justly merit the eulogium of one of our modern poets:

About four miles from Antoney, to the right of the road after passing Craft Hole, is Sheriock Church, an antient building containing some curious tombs of the Dawnay’s, and a superb monument to the memory of Sir Edward Courtenay and his Lady. The following beautiful lines are also engraved on a memorial for one of the Duckworth Family, who died at an early age:

Passing from hence through the hamlet of Hessingford, at a short distance is Bake, the seat of Sir J. S. Copley, Bart., His Majesty’s Solicitor General, which is a handsome modern edifice, built on the site of an antient mansion noted in former times as the residence of the Moyle’s, and which was destroyed by fire a few years ago.

On approaching the towns of East and West Looe, the scenery becomes highly romantic. These towns derive their appellation from the river, on the banks of which they are built, and over which is a low narrow stone bridge of 12 arches. Both places return members to Parliament, but in themselves contain little to interest the traveller. Several delightful modern residences have been built on the banks of the Looe river; among the most prominent, is Col. Lemon’s, near Polvellan. The population of both towns amounts to about 1300, and the inhabitants are mostly engaged in maritime employments.

About three miles west of Looe, is Trelawny House, the seat of the Rev. Sir Harry Trelawny, Bart., a venerable mansion, but built at different periods. It contains a few good family portraits, particularly one by Sir Godfrey Kneller, of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, Bishop of Winchester.

In Pelynt Church, which is not far distant from the house, there is a very curious monument to the memory of Francis Buller, Esq., who died in l6l5.

About five miles from hence, is Fowey,^[5] an antient Borough and market town, situated in one of the most delightful and romantic parts of the county, on the western bank of the river, from which its name is derived. It is distant 24 miles from Plymouth, and 244 from London. The houses are very irregularly built, with foundations composed of a hard bluish slate, (termed by Mineralogists, Fat-quatz, from its greasiness to the touch,) and the principal street extends nearly a mile in length.

Fowey has returned members to Parliament since the 13th year of the reign of Elizabeth, and the right of election is now chiefly vested in the inhabitants paying scot and lot. The Corporation consists of a Mayor, eight Aldermen, a Recorder, and Town Clerk. The number of inhabitants, by the late census, amounts to 1455.

The Church, a handsome fabric, is composed of three aisles, with a lofty pinnacled tower at the west end. In the north aisle is a noble altar-tomb of marble, with a full-length figure of the deceased, in alabaster, richly carved, and inscribed to the memory of John Rashleigh, Esq., who died Aug. 11, 1582, with the following curious inscription:

There are also several other memorials of the Rashleigh and the Trespy families in this church.

On an eminence near the church, is Place or Trespy House, a very antient building, and which is said to have been partly rebuilt in the reign of Henry VI., by one of the Trespy family. It is an interesting building and displays some rich Gothic work on the southern front; yet has been greatly altered by modern improvements. The owner, J. T. Austen, Esq., is a gentleman of considerable ability, and has furnished Mr. Lysons with much information respecting this county.

The Harbour of Fowey is spacious and well secured from the destructive effects of storms, by the hills encircling it; and on rising ground near the sea, are the remains of two Towers, said to have been erected in the reign of Edward IV. There are also two other embattled square Towers on each side the harbour, now fast mouldering to decay, and which in former times supported a chain across its entrance.

Fowey, like many other sea-port towns in early times, has suffered much during the wars: at present its chief dependance is on the pilchard fisheries. Other kinds of fish are also to be purchased in season, at very reasonable rates, and the river abounds with fine salmon.

On the opposite side of the river, is Polruan, said by Leland, to have been in former times, a place of considerable note; but now it consists only of a few picturesque cottages. The ruins of an antient Chapel and an old well, surmounted by a stone cross.

Menabilly, about three miles west of Fowey, the seat of William Rashleigh, Esq. late M.P. and Sheriff for the county, in the year 1820, is a neat edifice of moor stone. The southern or principal front, commands a view of the sea, but it is chiefly remarkable as containing a very valuable cabinet of minerals,^[6] and said to be the finest in England. There are also many other curiosities in the house, and a few fine drawings and portraits.

About a mile from this place, in a very sequestered spot, called Polredmouth, stands an octagonal Grotto of curious workmanship, close to the sea, composed of an immense number of minerals, fossils, &c. In the centre of it stands a very handsome table of 32 species of polished granite.

As the parish church of Tyarwardeth is more than two miles distant from Menabilly, a neat Chapel has been built at the expense of Mr. Rashleigh, adjoining his grounds.

The road from hence to Lostwithiel, is extremely dreary; the Church Tower of Lanlivery, a small village to the left, forms a pleasing object.

Lostwithiel is a very ancient Borough and market town, situated on the high road to Falmouth from Plymouth, and 28 miles west of Tor Point. The Corporation, consisting of a Mayor, six Aldermen, and 17 Burgesses, have the right of electing the members to serve in Parliament.

The Church is rather a handsome edifice, with one very lofty aisle and two small ones; the tower at the western end is surmounted by a singularly beautiful Gothic spire. The chief attraction of the interior is a very curious and antient octagonal Font. It is supported by five clustered columns, and charged with a representation of a huntsman riding an ass, accoutred in a short jacket with a sword by his side, a horn in his mouth, a hawk on his finger; a dog seizing a rabbit; an ape’s head entwined with a snake; a representation of the crucifixion, with a female figure on each side; and the arms of the Earl of Cornwall: but the whole has been much obliterated and disfigured by a thick coat of whitewash. The accompanying engraving, it is presumed, will be found an accurate representation of this interesting relic of antiquity.

Lostwithiel is at present a town of little trade, although barges are navigable to the quay, every tide, from Fowey. The houses are chiefly built of stone with slated roofs, and amount to about 150 in number, and the parish contains, according to the late census, 933 inhabitants.

At a short distance south of the church, are some considerable remains of an antient Exchequer or Shire Hall. It was no doubt formerly a magnificent building; the walls are of great thickness, supported by massy buttresses, and the interior contains a number of gloomy apartments, ill calculated for the purpose for which it is now converted into a Stannary Prison. On the exterior are the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall with supporters, surmounted with the Prince’s plume well carved. There is also here a neat Town Hall, erected in 1740, at the expense of Richard Edgecumbe, Esq., in which the Summer Quarter Sessions for the county are held.

The weekly market is well supplied with all kinds of provision, and there are three fairs annually in this place.

About a mile and a half of Lostwithiel, on the summit of an artificial mound, stand the venerable remains of Restormel Castle,^[7] which in former times was a place of considerable importance. History, however, is silent as to the origin of this highly interesting fortification; and as it is not even mentioned in the Doomsday Survey, it is generally supposed to have been erected by Robert, Earl of Mortaign, and was the principal residence of himself, and the subsequent Earls of Cornwall. Prior to the reign of Henry the VIII., this place is said to have been in a dilapidated state. The present remains chiefly consist of a circular area of 110 feet diameter; the walls of which are nine feet thick, secured by a deep moat, now choaked up with brambles and wild plants. The entrance, on the south side, (which had formerly a draw-bridge,) has an outer and inner arch supporting a square tower in ruins. Round the area, the foundations of three regular suites of apartments are easily traced, connected by two dark narrow stone staircases leading to the top of the ramparts. The ruins are richly overgrown with ivy, and being almost embosomed in wood, are very pleasing objects to the lovers of the picturesque. It is now the abode of owls, bats, and jackdaws; and unless disturbed by the occasional visits of the curious traveller, they have seldom reason to complain of

Restormel House, the residence of John Hext, Esq. is a low embattled structure, said to have been erected on the site of an antient chapel. The demesne attached thereto, is now the property of the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe. The valley in which Restormel House is built, with the castle on the eminence, form for the artist a very pleasing picture, and have often been admired.

Boconnoc House, formerly the seat of the late Lord Camelford, is now the property of the Right Hon. Lord Grenville. It is a large plain building, situated about three miles east of Lostwithiel, in a richly wooded park well stocked with deer. The interior contains many handsome suites of apartments, a good library, and among other works of art, a fine bust of the late Earl of Chatham, on which the following panegyric lines have been written:

On a commanding eminence, a short distance from the house, stands an elegant-proportioned obelisk, 123 feet in height, with the following inscription carved on the pedestal.

The country between Lostwithiel and St. Austell is pleasing, and most delightful views of the ocean occasionally present themselves.

On approaching the village of St. Blazey, about half a mile to the right, is Prideaux Place, at present the residence of David Howell, Esq.; but what perhaps engrosses the particular attention of the traveller, is a very fine bold promontory, nearly opposite the house, and the lands about it are ornamented with young plantations. The Church is a small antient fabric, standing on an eminence close to the mail road. From hence to St. Austell the distance is four miles.

Within one mile of that town, on the left, is Porthmear or Charlestown, now become of some considerable consequence, owing to the spirited and laudable exertions of Mr. Charles Rashleigh. Since the year 1791, a Pier has been built, and the pilchard fishery carried on. Some pilchard seans have been put on, and several buildings erected for that purpose. Here from this place also, most of the China clay brought from St. Stephen’s is exported.

St. Austell is situated in a highly cultivated part of the county, on the side of a hill. It is now become a very considerable and populous market town, and with the parish, which is one of the largest extent, contains no less than 6175 inhabitants. Although it has no claim to antiquity, it is noticed only as a poor village in Leland’s times; but the numerous Mines in its vicinity,^[8] have caused its present rapid rise. The Church, which stands nearly in the centre of the town, is a handsome fabric, ornamented with fanciful and grotesque sculpture.^[9] Over the principal entrance on the south side, are some curious cyphers, the meaning of which has not been satisfactorily explained, by the most intelligent antiquarians. The interior is commodious, and contains a few good monuments. The Font resembles that in Bodmin church.

The benefices of St. Austell and St. Blazey, are coupled together, and are in the gift of the crown: it is now enjoyed by the Rev. Richard Hennah. St. Blazey is famous for being the landing place of Bishop Blaze, the patron of the woolcombing trade; whose effigy is in the parish church, to whom it was dedicated, and from whom its name was derived. In this parish also is held an annual festival, on the very period which is observed for the commemoration of the great blaze by all the woolcombers in the kingdom. In a field near the church is a stone above seven feet high, and not above 18 inches square, whose inscription is totally obliterated; but tradition says it was a sepulchral monument of a West Saxon Chief. On it are several crosses engraven.

The market of St. Austell is held on Friday, the charter for which was first bestowed by Oliver Cromwell, as a grateful reward for the heroic exertions of one May, who had a seat near the town; and for his particular gallantry displayed in a battle fought near Boconnoc, in Cornwall. It is plentifully supplied with all sorts of provisions. A large market, equal to a fair, is held annually on the day preceding Good Friday. It has two fairs for bullocks, sheep, coarse woollen goods, &c. The first is held on Whit Thursday, and the other on the 30th of November. Since the year 1792, there have been two additional fairs, or shows of cattle, held annually at this place; the one to be constantly on the third Tuesday in July, and the other on the third Tuesday in October. Both these last mentioned fairs are for horses, bullocks, sheep, &c.

Although the manufactured commodities in St. Austell are not deserving of mention, except it be in coarse woollens; yet its commerce in various branches is very considerable, and its inhabitants numerous. They are in general remarked for an industrious thriving people, deriving their subsistence from trade.

Not far from the western parts of the town, are three very spacious Blowing Houses. In two of them, cylinders are adopted instead of the common-formed bellows, and this mode of operation is considered preferable to the other.

There are Quarries in this neighbourhood, which produce what is commonly called china clay. Sometimes not less than 1000 tons per year is shipped at Porthmear, and conveyed to Bristol, Liverpool, and Wales, and from those places to Staffordshire; where it is manufactured into porcelain.

Near this town, at a place called Menacuddle, is a waterfall, over which is a small dilapidated arched Chapel, supposed formerly to have been used as a place of retirement, for the sake of holy purification. Although it is near the road, yet, being in a wood, is not easily seen. It is a very pleasing subject for the pencil as a vignette, and has been engraved on more than one occasion.

Penrice, which is only two miles south of St. Austell, is an antient mansion, but has lately undergone a complete modernization by the proprietor, Joseph Sawle Sawle, Esq.: it contains a few good family portraits.

The ride from St. Austell to Mevagissey, a distance of six miles, is very pleasing. The opening bay of the sea is a striking feature, and bursts suddenly upon the traveller at a place called Portuan, within two miles of Mevagissey.

As a fishing town, Mevagissey ranks before any other in the county. It has a spacious Harbour; and the town, having very narrow streets, is chiefly built in a bottom; but has an imposing appearance when viewed from the neighbouring heights, with the beautiful mansion and plantations of Helegan forming the back ground.

The Church is a small edifice, standing at the north-east entrance of the town; but the tower has not been rebuilt, since it fell down a few years back. The interior contains a handsome monument, with effigies of the deceased, erected to the memory of Otwell Hill, Esq., and his wife, who died in 1614, with the following curious inscription:

Mevagissey contains near 400 houses, and according to the late census, 2450 inhabitants. About two miles from the town, is Helegan, the seat of the Rev. Henry Hawkins Tremayne, a very elegant and substantial residence, most beautifully situated and embellished with fine gardens and shrubberies, and when perfectly finished, will be as handsome a residence as any in the county. The present liberal proprietor possesses great taste, and is daily improving the grounds, &c. The walk to the Battery close to the sea is really delightful, and the woody plantations add greatly to the beauty of this residence.

Caerhays, the seat of John Bettesworth Trevanion, Esq. Lieutenant Colonel in the Cornish Militia, is another beautiful mansion of a castellated form, lately rebuilt at a very considerable expense from designs of that eminent architect Nash.

About four miles from hence is Tregony, a very antient Borough-town, and in former times a place of some consequence. It formerly had two Churches, a Castle, and Priory; but one of the former has long since gone entirely to decay, and the one now remaining at the head of the town, though very small, has a respectable and venerable appearance. Scarcely a vestige remains of the Castle, which stood at the lower end of the town. This is said to have been built by Henry de Pomeroy, on behalf of John, Earl of Cornwall, at the time that King Richard I. was in the Holy Land: it was standing, and was the seat of the Pomeroys, in the reign of Edward VI.

In the year 1696,^[10] Hugh Boscawen, Esq., founded an Hospital for decayed housekeepers, and endowed it with lands, now let at 30£. per annum, but capable of being soon raised (at the expiration of the present lease) to about three times that sum.

Tregony returned members to Parliament in the reign of Edward I., and the right of election is vested in the principal housekeepers paying scot and lot. According to the late census, the inhabitants amount to 1035, being an increase of only 112 since the year 1811. Tregony has a market weekly, and five fairs annually.

On the north side of the town stood what is called Old Tregony, where was a church dedicated to St. James, the walls of which were standing when Tomkin made his collections about the year 1736: part of the tower remained many years later. This church was a rectory, the advowson of which belonged to the Abbey de Valle, in Normandy, and was given by that convent, in the year 1267, to the prior and convent of Merton, in Surrey, in exchange, together with the Priory of Tregony, a small cell to that alien monastery. Mr. Whitaker says, that the site of the Priory of Tregony was opposite the old mount of the castle, and speaks of a doorway belonging to a stable, as having been the gateway of the Priory. The rectory of St. James is held with the vicarage of St. Cuby.

There was also in the Borough of Tregony, a chapel of St. Anne, which was a chapel-of-ease to the church of St. James.

Trewarthenick, about two miles from this place, the seat of the late Francis Gregor, Esq., formerly M.P. for the county, is a pleasant and comfortable residence, with a good library and a few portraits; one, of Oliver Cromwell, is very fine.

Ruan Lanyhorne, a small village two miles south-west of Tregony, is remarkable as having been for upwards of 30 years, the residence of the Rev. John Whitaker, the learned author of the Ecclesiastical History of the Cathredral of Cornwall, who died in the year 1808, aged 73 years.—A few days after his decease, the following lines appeared in the Cornwall Gazette, and are supposed to have been written by the late Fortescue Hitchins, Esq. author of the poem called “Tears of Cornubia,” founded on the melancholy loss of the St. George, in which Admiral Reynolds and many Officers perished.

From Tregony to Grampound the distance is about two miles, within half a mile of which, on the left, is the parish church called Creed, a neat embattled structure, pleasantly surrounded by foliage. Here, till very lately, as rector, lived the Rev. William Gregor, one whom fame will ever eulogize as a being of a superior order; he is well known as a very scientific gentleman, and was the intimate friend of Mr. Whitaker. In this parish is a capital modern-built house, with beautiful gardens and fish ponds, the residence of the Rev. George Moore.

Grampound is remarkable as having been, till lately, one of the Borough-towns of the county.^[11] It principally consists of one street, the houses having a decayed and mean appearance. Nearly in the centre stand a very antient Chapel, and Market-house: the former, now fast mouldering to decay, has a small septangular cross in front of it. Grampound contains, according to the late returns, 668 inhabitants, being an increase of only 67 during the last 20 years.

Crossing an antient bridge over the Fal at the bottom of the town, from which its name is derived, the distance to Probus is two miles and a half, and within one mile of that village, on the left, is Trewitham, the seat of Sir Christopher Hawkins, Bart., M.P. It is a spacious mansion, commanding a number of diversified prospects; the interior is embellished with a few good paintings and portraits, and also contains a very valuable selection of books. Much praise is due to its owner, for his unwearied endeavours to promote the mining interests of the county. He is a scientific gentleman, and has written a small interesting Treatise on Tin, &c.

The Church of Probus has often been noticed for the simplicity of its architecture, the tower of which rises majestically to the height of 108 feet, which, contrasted with the low humble thatched cottages surrounding it, has a very picturesque appearance. Each angle of the tower is supported by a double buttress, diminishing in size as they approach the top, which is embellished with embrasures, and 40 pinnacles in eight clustres. The plinth, cornices, and upper story, are decorated with a variety of sculpture, consisting of small figures, foliage, fleurdelis, animals, and other objects. On the north and south sides are three Gothic niches.^[12] The interior contains a large marble monument to the memory of Thomas Hawkins Esq., of Trewitham, on which is a female figure reclining on an urn. The accompanying view of the church was engraved from a drawing by the Rev. George A. Moore, of Garlennich, near Grampound.

At a distance of two miles north from Probus, in the parish of Ladock, in one of the most picturesque vales in the county, stands Pessick, which, though a very small village, possesses great beauties.

Tregothnan, the seat of the Earl of Falmouth, is indeed a beautiful mansion lately erected at a very considerable expense, from the designs of W. Wilkins, Esq., and, in point of beauty, is surpassed by none in the county. The situation of the house is really delightful, and may be considered as one of the most enchanting spots in the kingdom. It is built on a gentle eminence commanding a great variety of extensive prospects, which are enlivened by the winding courses of the river Fal.

In the construction of this mansion, the architect has made a very choice selection of the most perfect examples extant. Its irregularity of form, and variety of ornament, closely resemble the style of the buildings erected during the reign of Henry VII. The great staircase is 42 feet in height, and occupies the large central tower, around which are placed the drawingroom, (54 feet long by 28 feet wide,) book room, dining room, billiard room, &c. A wide terrace with a parapet extends round the south-western part of the building; the Park is embellished with some very fine timber, and a very pleasant ride has been formed along the banks of the river, extending some miles.

The Church of St. Michael Penkervil, which almost adjoins the park, is an antient fabric, and contains a handsome monument by Rysbrach, to the memory of the late Admiral Boscawen.

From Tregothnan, after passing Nopus Passage, the distance to Truro is two miles.

The town of Truro, which is generally and not improperly denominated the metropolis of the county, is pleasingly seated in a valley, at the conflux of the rivers St. Allen and Kenwyn, which (united with a branch of the river Fal) become navigable for vessels of 100 tons. This town appears to have been a place of some consequence even prior to the Conquest, and, according to Leland, once possessed a Castle, and enjoyed many privileges. Truro has returned members to Parliament since the reign of Edward I.: the right of election, however, like most other Boroughs in this county, is confided to the privileged few: the Mayor and others of the Corporation, to the number of 18 or 20, are the only voters.

The alterations and improvements made of late years at Truro, have certainly given the town a very respectable and handsome appearance; the streets being also well paved and lighted, this town is rendered more comfortable than any other in the county. The Rev. Mr. Warner, in his Tour through this county, published in the year 1809, says, “here all the modes of polished life are visible in genteel houses, elegant hospitality, fashionable apparel, and cautious manners;” which observation, although not incorrect, may be attributed to the success of the inhabitants in mining transactions.^[13]

The Church is a very beautiful Gothic fabric. It consists of three aisles, with a modern tower at the west end, surmounted by a lofty spire. On the north side the chancel is a monument, with a long inscription to the memory of the courageous Owen Phippen, who died in March, 1636:

There are several other memorials in this church, but none particularly deserving of notice. Besides the church, there are no less than seven other places of worship, for the different denominations of Christians.

Near the town, on a commanding healthy spot, stands the County Infirmary, opened in the year 1799, under the patronage of his present Majesty, but maintained entirely by voluntary subscriptions and contributions. Truro has also a neat Assembly Room, convertible into a Theatre; besides a County Library, established in the year 1792. A Literary Society has lately been set on foot, and their Museum is already worth seeing. The Easter Quarter Sessions are also held in this town; and the markets, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, are well supplied with all kinds of provisions. The parish of St. Mary’s, with the adjoining streets, contained, according to the late returns, 2712 inhabitants, or an increase of 230 since the year 1811.

The celebrated Samuel Foote, of dramatic celebrity, was a native of this town.

The scenery in the immediate vicinity of Truro, is particularly beautiful, and such as must delight every traveller; the town itself has a very picturesque appearance, particularly so, when viewed from the spot exhibited in the accompanying engraving.

The Smelting house for tin, about a mile from Truro, on the Falmouth road, is well deserving of notice, as it contains no less than 10 furnaces. Culm coal is used as the flax in the proportion of about one-eighth to the ore, of which nearly 600 cwt. is smelted within six hours, and yields about 350 cwt. of tin.^[14]

About seven miles from Truro, is Carclew, the seat of Sir William Lemon, Bart., M.P. and one of the most beautiful mansions in the county. It is situated on an eminence in an extensive and rich wooded park, rising from the valley through which the celebrated Carnon Stream Works are conducted, and commands a number of delightful prospects. The house is an elegant building of the Ionic order, composed of granite. The portico in the centre, is connected with the wings, by colonnades. The interior is not so spacious as many other residences in this county, but contains some very handsome apartments, and the following paintings:

Portrait of Pontius Pilate, by Rembrant.

Two Boys at Dinner, and a View in India, by Murillo.

Angels singing, by Amioni.

Landscape, with Water falling over a Rocky Precipice, by Wheatly.

A View in Italy, by Stalbent.

Landscape and Castle, by Pynaker.

Portrait of William Lemon, Esq. grand-father to the present Baronet.

Portrait of Sir William and his Lady, by Romney.

Penryn is a large antient Borough and market town, pleasantly situated about nine miles from Truro, at the head of a branch of Falmouth Harbour. It was formerly embellished with a College, founded in the thirteenth century, by Walter Stapeldon, Bishop of Exeter, for 12 prebends, which continued until the dissolution of religious edifices in the reign of Henry VIII., when its annual revenues were valued at £205 10s. 6d. This building is said by Leland, to have covered a space of three acres, and to have been surrounded by embattled walls; but every vestige of it has long since been entirely obliterated. Penryn was incorporated in the 18th year of the reign of James I. and is governed by a Mayor, eight Aldermen, 12 Common Councilmen, a Recorder, and inferior officers. The right of returning two members by the same charter, is vested in the Mayor, Aldermen, and all the inhabitants paying scot and lot.—There is a silver cup and cover belonging to the corporation, given by Jane, Lady Killigrew, with this inscription, “From maior to maior to the town of Permarin, when they received me that was in great misery, J. K. (Jane Killigrew) 1633.” Hals says, that this lady had gone on board two Dutch ships with a party of ruffians, and having slain two Spanish merchants, their owners, robbed them of two barrels of Spanish pieces of eight. The lady, he adds, was by means of great interest pardoned; but her accomplices all executed. Hals’s stories are not much to be depended upon; it is more certain that she was divorced from her husband, and that in consequence she was protected by the inhabitants of Penryn, who bore no good will to Sir John Killigrew, and his rising town of Smithick. Jane, Lady Killigrew, was daughter of Sir George Fermor, Knt. of Easton Neston, ancestor of the Earl of Pomfret: she died in 1648.^[15]

In the centre of the principal street, which is composed of many antient and irregular built houses, stand the Market House and Town Hall, the appearance of which is not very pleasing.

St. Gluvias, or the Parish Church, is over a branch of the river, the tower of which, with the surrounding scenery, appears highly picturesque, and attracts the attention of every one passing. The interior contains a variety of handsome memorials to the Pendarves family, once of Roscow, in this parish, and the following lines are inscribed on a monument to the memory of the Rev. John Penrose, who died in 1776, aged 63, after being 35 years vicar of this parish.

Eny’s House, the seat of Francis Ens, Esq., near Penryn, which was erected before the reign of Edward I., has been in his family from that time, and is noticed by Camden for its fine gardens and shrubberies: it is still a residence of great respectability.

Falmouth, which is now become a very important and populous sea-port 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.

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.