Newquay is a very new place; it was projected by Mr. J. T. (Austin)
Treffry, of Place House, Fowey, a very remarkable man, far in advance
of his time, to whom not Fowey only, but Cornwall generally owes a debt
of gratitude. His projects have been worked out since his death with
complete success.
In itself uninteresting to the last degree, it is the key to very fine
coast scenery, and the air is bracing without being cold. It possesses
excellent sands, both at Newquay and Fistral Bays. There is further a
long tract of sand, two and a quarter miles long, to the north of S.
Columb Porth, the Tregurian Beach. The rocks will interest the
geologist as well as form a subject for the artist.
The coast presents examples of several cliff-castles, as at Kelsey,
Trevelgue and Griffith's Heads, and Redcliff above Bedruthan; but the
finest example of a castle is Castel-an-Dinas, near S. Columb Major.
This fortress comprises about six acres of land, enclosed within three
concentric rings of bank and moat, built up of earth and stone
together, about a pyramidal hill. The innermost enclosure contains
about an acre and a half, and there were at one time indications of
habitations therein, but these have now disappeared. There are,
however, traces of a pit that was a well or tank for rain-water, as
there is no spring on the hill. There are two entrances to this
interesting camp or dinas.
According to legend, King Arthur lived here and hunted the wild deer on
Tregoss Moors.
Near Perranzabuloe are Caer Kieff (_eyf_, perfect) and Caer Dane
(dinas).
To the south of Newquay is the curious creek called the Gannel
(_gan-hael_, the mouth of saltings). A very slight thread of sweet
water descends from the land into a creek of three miles of salt marsh
and sand, filled at high water with the tide. Here it was that S.
Patrick's companion, adviser, and friend, Carantock, on leaving
Ireland, set up his residence. He was a remarkable man, for he was one
of the three bishops chosen by Laogaire at Tara to revise the laws of
Ireland. When the Irish accepted Christianity it was obvious that the
laws needed modification. King Laogaire was not and never did become a
Christian, but he accepted the situation, and appointed a commission
for the revision of the laws, and on this sat Carantock. The result was
the Senchus Mor, the great code by which the Irish were ruled till
1600. Carantock was an acquaintance of King Arthur, but he met him, not
at Castel-an-Dinas, but on the Severn at Dinedor, and did not get on
well with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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