Truro, the present head Town in the County, seated on a Branch of Falmouth Haven, which here divideth it self into two streams, and almost encircleth its streets. It is a fair, large, well inhabited, frequented, and traded Borough Town, priviledged with a Majoralty, sendeth Burgesses to Parliament; hath the benefit of coynage of the Tynn, is the place where the Western Sessions are held; And its Markets, which are on Wednesdays and Saturdays, are well provided with all Provisions.
The English Counties Delineated
or
A Topographical Description of England 1838
Cornwall
By Thomas Moule
Powder Hundred
TRURO, on the river Fal, 43 miles W. from Launceston, 22 miles from Bodmin, and 255 miles from London, contains 410 houses and 2712 inhabitants. The town, which is the handsomest, and including its suburbs, the largest town in Cornwall, excepting Falmouth, is situated in a valley, at the conflux of the rivers Kenwyn and St. Allen, which direct their streams on each side of the town, and at the bottom unite with the river Fal. Every spring tide a fine lake is formed below the town, two miles in length, and of sufficient depth to be navigable for vessels of 100 tons burden. This advantage of situation has doubtless been the principal cause of the increase of the buildings and trade. The parishes of St. Clement's and Kenwyn extend into Truro, and the town is said to be nearly three times as populous as it appears to be in the above return. The trade of Truro principally consists in exporting tin, copper, and carpeting, and in importing iron, coals, and timber for the mines, and various goods from London, Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, &c. Here are two market days weekly, Wednesday and Saturday, both well supplied with fish and other provisions; on Wednesday there is also a corn market, and there are four annual cattle fairs, Wednesday after Midlent and Whitsunday, 19th November and 8th December.
The corporation of Truro, under Queen Elizabeth's charter, 1589, consists of a mayor, four aldermen, and twenty capital burgesses. The seal of the borough bears a shield charged with the arms of Truro; a ship of three masts, under sail, on each mast a banner of St. George, on the waves of the sea; in base, two fishes. It has no inscription. The Easter quarter sessions are held here, and Truro is one of the coinage towns; of late years, indeed, the coinages, with few exceptions, have been only here and at Penzance. The vice warden's court, of the duchy, is held at Truro. The borough returns two members to parliament, who at present are the Right Hon. Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Hussey Vivian, Bart. K.C.B., of Beechwood Lodge in Hampshire, and William Tooke, Esq.
In the town of Truro was a nunnery of poor Clares, situated at the entrance of what is now Lemon Street, from Boscawen Street. In Kenwyn Street was a house of Dominican friars, the site of which is now occupied by tan pits. The site of the castle of Truro, built by Richard de Lucy, chief justice of England in the reign of Henry II., is discernible, by some remains of the mount, at the top of Pyder Street; the manor was held of the honor of Launceston, by the annual render of an ivory bow. A house formerly belonging to the Robartes' family, is still standing at the N.W. corner of Boscawen or Powder Street, but its front has been altered. Sir Richard Robartes, Bart., was created Lord Robartes of Truro, in 1624. Samuel Foote, the dramatic writer and actor, was born at the house now the Red Lion Inn, 27th January, 1721, he was of the family of the Footes of Lambesso. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is a rectory, value 16l., in the patronage of the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe. It is a very handsome structure, built in the reign of Henry VIII., with a spire of modern date. In the chancel is a monument of John Robartes, who died in 1614, and a tablet in memory of Owen Fitz Pen or Phippen, who had been captive in Algiers, and died in 1636. There is an endowed grammar school at Truro, with two exhibitions at Exeter College. Gentlemen's seats in the immediate neighbourhood, are Penan, the seat of Captain Reynolds; Tregolls, of Admiral Spry; Liskis, of Richard Vincent, Esq.; Cheveyla, of John Trestrail, Esq.; and more distant, Croft West, the seat of Richard Nanis, Esq.
Truro Church has been named as fit for a Cathedral. It consists of a North and South Aisle and a smaller North Aisle. Mr Spry, a late Mayor of that Town, has recorded, in the Report of the Royal Institution of Cornwall for 1840, the dimensions, viz.:
Chancel to outer dooor of Belfry........118 feet
North to South...................................... 38
Height of centre......................................241/2
The chancel is 6 feet under the nave. The smaller North Aisle was erected by William Lemon, Esq. In April, 1842 it was enlarged eastward.....................Examine the pillars, the font, the ancient carved panels of oak, &c. and point out any Church in the County to be compared with it. It has the advantage also of being detached from streets and houses, with an area around it of more than an acre. The ancient Demesne Lands, too, of the Proiry, unincumbered with buildings, adjoin it on the east, which, at the surrender by the last Prior Wandisworth, on the 27th of February, 1538, contained 110 acres....................................
What is the area of the New Borough of Truro? I does not contain thirty square miles, nor 20,000 persons, which some one, by grasping the four parishes of St Mary's, St Clements, Kenwyn, and Kea, would connect with Truro. Though the boundaries of the New Borough take in St Mary's, with parts of Kenwyn and St Clements, and are sufficiently extensive to include the whold town and suburbs, yet they are not laid down on Symons's recent map of Truro. The Census Commissioners, for 1841, state the population altogether, to be 9,901; but they do not distinguish the proportion in each of the three parishes, nor take any account of the area. In this and some other respects the census of 1841 is inferior to that of 1831, arranged by Mr Rickman. ...............................................................................................
Truro St Mary's: This small parish, containing only 190 acres, is situate in the centre of the town of Truro, surrounded by the parishes of St Clements and Kenwyn.
Mr Spry has printed in the Transactions of the R. C. Institution, for 1840, some interesting notes respection St Mary's. The church was probably completed in 1518. The steeple, 125 feet high, was finished in 1769. Happily a burial ground, without the town, was provided as long ago as 1780. The chapel attached to it has recently been enlarged for a chapel of ease.
Rectors - 1711 Jane. 1746 St John Eliot. 1771 Pye. 1802 T Carlyon. 1826 His son, now Vicar of Egloshayle. 1833 Dix, now vicar of Newlyn. 1839 Harvey.
The borough of Truro has returned two members since 1294. A charter was granted by Elizabeth in 1589. The old borough comprised St Mary's and a small part of Kenwyn: the limits were extended, in 1832, to a small part of St Clements and and additional portion of Kenwyn, so as to include the whole town, with an ample area around it, all which district now enjoys the municipal franchise also, by the Act of 1835.
Truro is by far the neatest and best regulated town in Cornwall, though it has not the most preferable situation. The new borough, in 1841, contained 9,001 persons. The Library was opened in 1792; the Infirmary, in 1799: the Institution, in 1818: and the New Halls and Market House in 1847.
Note by OPC - In reading through the Parish Registers I have found the signature of Charles Pye Rector on the records at the bottom of the page from 1761. For a few years before that there is no signature to the page. I find this very interesting. Books I have read and lists on the internet eg. http://cornovia.org.uk/htexts/spry01.html state Charles Pye was Rector from 1771 – if so why was he signing himself as rector on every page of BMD from 1761!!!!
Truro is west of the river Fale, 251 miles from London. It is a branch of the port of Falmouth, has the benefit of coining tin, and the lord warden of the Stannaries holds his parliament here. Its chief trade is in shipping off tin and copper ore, the latter of which abounds in the hills between this town and St Michael's. It was incorporated in the reign of King John, and since by Queen Elizabeth, with a mayor and burgesses; and it is now governed by a mayor, four aldermen, (chosen out of twenty-four capital burgesses,) and a recorder. It's mayor is also mayor of Falmouth, and quayage of goods laden or unladen there belongs to this corporation. At the mayor's election out of the aldermen, the maces are, by command of the lords of the manor, delivered up by him to their stewards, till six-pence is paid for every house in the town, by way of acknowledgement, and then they are returned to the corporation. The people of this town dress and live so elegantly, that the pride of Truro is one of the bye-words of this county; and the quarter-sessions for its south and west divisions being generally held here, it is pretty well stocked with attornies. --- This town stands at the conflux of two rivers that almost encompass it, and form a large wharf, with a commodious quay, for vessels of about 100 tons. The streets are regular, with a large market-house, and a great old church, not inferior to any in the county for its Gothic building. Here is also a Methodist meeting, a Presbyterian, and two Calvinistic ditto. The markets, which are on Monday and Saturday, are well frequented; the fairs are on Wednesday after Midlent-Sunday, Wednesday in Whitsun-week, Nov. 19, and Dec. 18. It had a market and fair so early as Edward 1 and then began to send members to parliament, who are chosen by the corporation, and returned by the mayor.
The influence in this borough was, for some years, warmly contested between Lord Falmouth and Sir Francis Basset: the latter gained the victory by one vote, in 1780; and the former, by the same majority, in 1784: but, in consequence of their agreement respecting Tregony, Sir Francis discontinued his opposition in this borough; and it is now understood to be entirely the devotion of his lordship.
The post comes down about seven in the evening goes up at seven in the morning. –-- Russell’s wagon up and down once a week.
William Hals History of Cornwall 1750
Extracted from Lakes Porochial History of the County of Cornwall
Truro is situate in the hunderd of Powder, and hath upon the north, Kenwen; east, Clement's south, and arm of falmouth Harbour where twice a day, upon spring tides, the sea makes its navigable flux and reflux to the walls, keys, and streets thereof.
In the Domesday Book 1087, this place was taxed under the appellations of Trewret and Treured, which shows that it then consisted of two privileged manors or jurisdictions, viz., the borough of Trewret and the manor of Treured, now known, and still distinguished, by the names of the borough and manor of Truro, under the like circumstances...........
By the charter of its incorporation from King John, the town was incorporated by the name of Burgus de Trewrow.
In Wolsey's Inquisition 1521, this church's revenues were valued at 16 pounds. The patronage formerly in Bodrigan or Trenowith, now Edgcumb. The incumbent Pagett; and the borough of Truro was rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax for one year, 1696, 187 pound 7. That here was a Christian free chapel before the Norman Conquest I doubt not, implied in the word Trewrow, now a rectory church; in the glass windows of which the north side thereof, is yet extant the arms of John Earl of Cornwall, who succeeded to the Crown of England, 1199............
In the centre of this town was a nunnery of Clare closed up, who had considerable revenues, now in possession of Sir John Sayntaubyn and others; their consecrated walled well at Edles in Kenwen, and their house called Anhell, i.e. the hall or tabernacle, was fairly built of freestone, though lately pulled down, and converted to shops and dwelling houses.
The town of Truro was made a coinage town by King John as aforesaid, and had all its privileges confirmed by a charter from Queen Elizabeth, by the name of the Mayor and capital Burgesses; and consists of a Mayor, Recorder, and twenty-four Capital Burgesses. The members of Parliament are elected by the majority of inhabitants of the said Corporation; the arms of which are a ship man-of war in full course, with sails spread on the seas, wherein are fishes swimming. .
This place is more notable as being the birthplace and honorary title of John Lord Robards, Baron Robarts, of Truro. It is also privileged with fairs annually, on the 19th November, the 8th fo December, Wednesday after Midland Sunday, and on Whitsun Monday or Tuesday, and Markets weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays; wherein all commodities necessary for the life of mand are vended in great plenty at a moderate rate, viz., fresh fish, oysters, lobsters, and crabs of all sorts, corn, fruits...........
The chief inhabitants of this town are John Manly, Esq., barrister-at-law, Mr Gregor, Dr. Maye, Dr. Cloake, Graduates in Physic; Mr Hawes, Mr Hickman, Mr Granville Hals, Mr Hickes, Mr Herle, Mr Sanders, Mr Mayow, Mr Williams, Mr Foxworthy, Mr Grebble, Mr Pawley, Mr Michell, and others.....
In this town at some time lived Capt. William Upcott that married Bruce of Scotland, daughter of Edward Bruce, Esq., of Edinburgh; after her death, Ann, daughter of Adam Bennet, of this town, Gent. son of John Bennet of Penton in Devon, Gent. a man of approved valour and conduct in the war, who in all the unjappy Civil Wars between King Charles 1 and his Parliament, was bred up in the school of Mars from his youth, first and Ensign, then a Lieutenant, lastly made a Commander of a foot company under the Earl of Essex and Sir Thomas Fairfax's armies for the Parliament; afterwards he was made Coronet of General Monk's Hors Troop or Brigade, who specially favoured him, and in that capacity accompanied him thoughout all the fatigues of the English, Scots, and Irish Wars, managed by him and Cromwell against King Charles 1 and 11; and when Monk came out of Scotland and returned into England with his army, and restored King Charles 11 to his throne.
This page was last updated: June 2, 2008
John Leland's Itinerary
about 1533
John Leland born in London in the early sixteenth centry was chaplain and librarian to Henry V111. In 1533 Henry V111 appointed him his 'Antiquary' and sent him to search old writings and records wherever he could find them throughout the dominion. His findings are deposited in the Bodlean Library and British Museum. His trip through Cornwall is very interesting reading. This is what he has to say about Truro -
'..........a stone bridg caullid Carr Bridg in the way thens to Truru. Betwixt Restrongith Creke, and the creke of Truru, be two creekes. Truru Creeke is next, and goith up a 2 miles creking up from the pricipal streme. This creke brekith withyn half a mile of Truru, and castith yn a creke westward by Newham Wood. This creke of Truru, afore the very toun, is devidid into 2 partes, and eche of them hath a brook cumming doun, and a bridge, and the toun of Truru betwixt them both. The White Freres house was on the west arme, yn Kenwyn streate. Kenwen streat is severid from Truru with this arme; and Clementes streat by est is seperate on the est side from Truru with the other arme. One paroche church in Truro self. Kenwen and Clementes streates hath several chirches, and bere the name of the sainctes of the paroch chirches. Coynage of Tynne at Midsomer and Michelmas at Truru. Truru is a borow toun and privilegid. There is a castelle a quarter of a mile by west out of Truru, longging to the Earl of Cornwale, now clene doun. The site therof is now usid for a shoting and playing place. Out of the body of Truru creke on the est side, brekith a crek estwarde a mile from Truru, and goith up a mile dim. to Tresitlian Bridge of stone. At the entry and mouth of this creeke is a rode for shippes, caullid Maples Rode. Here faught a late xviij sail of Marchant Spaniardes, and 4 shippes of warre of Depe. The Spaniardes chac'd hither the French men......' (sic)
