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)
Fortunately a fishing-smack picked her off just as the tide was flowing
over it, and brought her back to Trefusis. “Be hanged to you rogues,”
said the husband. “I’d have given you a guinea each to let her drown;
now you shan’t have a shilling from me.”
[Illustration: S. MAWES’ CASTLE]
S. Mawes Castle commands the harbour entrance from the other side, as
also that to S. Mawes Creek. The long promontory, over four miles in
length, that intervenes between the creek and the sea is Roseland.
The neck of land dividing them is in two places very contracted.
Roseland was a great harbour for smugglers, whose headquarters were at
Porthscatho. When employed in conveying their goods ashore in Gerrans
Bay, they always had their scouts on the hills, and as the customs
station was at S. Mawes, no sooner did the preventive boat put forth,
than notice was given, and the boats dispersed; so that by the time
she came into the bay all was quiet. Finding this to be the case,
the officer in command one day took his boat up the river, and had
her carried by the crew across the neck of land, and he dropped into
Gerrans Bay before the scouts were aware that he had left the harbour.
He secured a good prize, and struck a severe blow at the contraband
trade. Porthscatho, perhaps, takes its name from Cado, or Cathaw, the
son of Geraint, and Duke of Cornwall. The whole of the district from
Roseland to Grampound teems with reminiscences of the Cornish royal
family. Lansallos is a foundation of Salomon, or Selyf, son of Geraint;
and in S. Gerrans parish is a holy well of S. Non, mother of S. David,
and sister to Selyf’s wife, S. Wenn. Tregony Church is a foundation of
S. Cuby, son of Selyf, and grandson of Geraint. Filleigh was founded
by a son of Gildas, who was grandson of Geraint. Dingerrein, the royal
palace, is now represented by a mound, but hence hailed one of the
early bishops of Cornwall, Kenstig, who submitted to Canterbury in or
about 850.
S. Mawes was formerly a borough returning two members. It consists of a
row of houses looking upon the creek. It takes its name from an Irish
settler, who perhaps came with S. Ruan. He arrived with two disciples.
Tudy was one, or, as the Welsh call him, Tegwyn, so that in all
likelihood he had halted for some time on his way in Wales, doubtless
at S. David’s. There was formerly a stone chair near the beach, but it
has been built into the sea-wall. From this he taught the many pupils
who came to him.
But whilst they listened to or pondered over his instructions, they
were much distracted by the frolics of a great seal that came near,
stared at them, and made grunting noises. This was so vexing that one
day Mawes jumped out of his chair and, taking a big stone in his hand,
ran into the shallow water to try conclusions with the seal. He got
near enough to throw the stone at it, and to hit it on the head, after
which he was no more troubled with the interruption.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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