A Guide to the Mount's Bay and the Land's End: Comprehending the topography, botany, agriculture, fisheries, antiquities, mining, mineralogy and geology of West CornwallParis, John Ayrton
History
A Guide to the Mount's Bay and the Land's End: Comprehending the topography, botany, agriculture, fisheries, antiquities, mining, mineralogy and geology of West Cornwall
Paris, John Ayrton
Cornwall (England : County) -- Guidebooks
At CARN BOSCAWEN, on this coast, is to be seen a very extraordinary
group of rocks, consisting of a large flat stone, the ends of which
are so poised upon the neighbouring rocks, as to leave an opening
underneath; _Dr. Borlase_, with his accustomed zeal, insists upon its
Druidical origin, and ever ready to supply the deficiency of both
history and tradition by the sallies of an active imagination, very
confidently informs us, that "this said opening beneath the pensile
stone was designed for the seat of some considerable person, from which
he might give out his edicts, and decisions, his predictions, and
admissions to Noviciates"!--_Risum teneatis geologici?_
In our road to Saint Paul, we pass _Trouve_, or _Trewoof_, an estate
situated on the side of a woody hill, overlooking a romantic valley,
which is terminated by _Lemorna Cove_, a spot which should be visited
by every stranger who delights in the "lone majesty of untamed Nature."
Within the estate of Trouve are the remains of a triple entrenchment,
in which runs a subterranean passage; and, it is said, that during
the civil wars a party of Royalists were here concealed from the
observation of the forces of Sir Thomas Fairfax. There is a fine
chalybeate spring on this estate.
At KERRIS, in the parish of Paul, about five miles from Penzance, is
an oval enclosure called "_Roundago_," which is stated to have been
connected with Druidical rites; time and the Goths, however, have
nearly destroyed its last remains, so that the antiquary will require
the eyes of a Borlase to recognise its existence by any description
hitherto given of it.
PAUL CHURCH is a very conspicuous object from its high elevation,[45]
and interests the historian from the tradition, already stated, of its
having been burnt by the Spaniards, upon which occasion the south porch
alone is said, in consequence of the direction of the wind, to have
escaped the conflagration. A pleasing confirmation of this tradition
was lately afforded during some repairs, when one of the wooden
supporters was found charred at the end nearest the body of the church.
It also deserves notice that the thick stone division at the back of
the _Trewarveneth_ pew, which has so frequently occasioned enquiry, is
a part of the old church, which escaped the fire. In the church is the
following curious notice of its having been burnt, "_The Spanger burnt
this church in the year 1595_."
Most tourists inform us that in this church-yard is to be seen the
monumental stone, with the epitaph of _Old Dolly Pentreath_, so
celebrated among antiquaries, as having been the last person who spoke
the Cornish language. Such a monument, however, if it ever existed, is
no longer to be found, nor can any information be obtained with regard
to its probable locality. Her Epitaph is said to have been both in the
Cornish and English language, viz.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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