A book of the west. Volume 2, Cornwall : $b being an introduction to Devon and CornwallBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
A book of the west. Volume 2, Cornwall : $b being an introduction to Devon and Cornwall
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County)
The East and the West Looe rivers unite above the bridge, where also
formerly stood a most picturesque tidal mill. Each stream runs through
a narrow, well-wooded valley, and passes points of some interest.
Ascending the East Looe, we have on the right the creek of Morval with
the ancient house of the Bullers. Further up on the left is Duloe, with
S. Cuby’s holy well, and a so-called Druidical circle. The place takes
its name from being between the two Looes. Higher up again on the same
side is S. Keyne, with an interesting church and a well, the story of
which is sufficiently known, made the subject of a ballad by Southey.
Liskeard is a town that was surmounted by a castle that has now
disappeared. Its name implies that it was a _lis_ or court on a rock.
A copious spring, once a holy well, pours forth from the rock and
supplies the town. But no ancient masonry remains about it.
Liskeard Church has an interesting lych-gate, a fine tower, and a good
pulpit of 1627. At Menheniot (_Maen-hên-Niot_, the old stone of S.
Neot) are some fine camps, Padesbury and Blackaton Rings. Clicker Tor,
under which runs the line, is an outcrop of serpentine, which stone
does not reappear till the Lizard is reached. A visit to S. Neot, with
its superb old windows, should on no account be omitted. No collection
of ancient stained glass comparable to it exists elsewhere in Devon or
Cornwall.
The West Looe flows past several camps, two of which are in Pelynt
parish. The church here is dedicated to S. Nun, mother of S. David, and
her gabled holy well remains in tolerable condition. In this parish
also is Trelawne, the seat of the Trelawny family, an ancient house,
but much modernised. It contains some fine portraits, and in the church
is a model of the pastoral staff of Bishop Jonathan Trelawny, one
of the non-juring prelates who were turned out of their sees on the
accession of Dutch William. He was one of the seven bishops who had
been committed to the Tower by James II. Of him the song was sung:--
“A good sword and trusty sword!
A merry heart and true!
King James’s men shall understand
What Cornish lads can do!
“And have they fixed the where and when?
And shall Trelawny die?
There’s twenty thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why.
“Out spake their captain brave and bold,
A merry wight was he;
If London Tower were Michael’s hold,
We’ll set Trelawny free!
“We’ll cross the Tamar, land to land,
The Severn is no stay--
With One and All and hand in hand,
And who shall bid us nay?
“And when we come to London Wall,
A pleasant sight to view,
Come forth! come forth! ye cowards all,
Here’s men as good as you.
“Trelawny he’s in keep and hold,
Trelawny he may die--
But twenty thousand Cornish bold
Will know the reason why!”
With the exception of the choral lines--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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