The Parochial History of Cornwall, Volume 1 (of 4)
History
The Parochial History of Cornwall, Volume 1 (of 4)
Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Geology -- England -- Cornwall (County)
This church of St. Colomb was erected about the twelfth century of
Christianity; the north and south ailes by the lords of Trenoweth, and
Tresuran’s lands, but who the same were is now past ability of finding
out, though Tresuran’s lands, ever since, are charged with the payment
of 13_s._ 4_d._ per annum towards repair of the south aile aforesaid.
This church consists of three roofs, and the south-east chancel
thereof was built for a peculiar chapel for the Arundells of
Trembleth, or Lanherne, who endowed this church, and have ever since
been patrons thereof; and in testimony thereof, here is yet extant on
one of their gravestones a brass inscription containing words to this
purpose, “Here lieth the body of Renphry Arundell, Knight, patron of
this church and founder of this chapel, who departed this life
the ―――― Anno Dom. 1340.”[33] His lady, as I remember, was Sir
William Lamburn’s heir.
The tutelar patron or guardian of this church is St. Colomb, to whom
the same was dedicated, an Irish gentleman by birth; though, contrary
to this opinion, at the bottom of Camden’s Britannia, in Cornwall, we
are told that this church bears the name of, and is dedicated to one
Sancta Colomba, a holy woman who lived in those parts, and that her
life was written in the Cornish tongue, and in possession of one Mr.
Roscarrock, though now there is no such person or book extant that I
can hear of. Only, let it be remembered that I found it written in the
Sieur D. T.’s French book of the Saints, as also in Surrius’ and
Bosquet’s books, and Baronius (out of them), that there lived at
Senns, in Gallia, now France, in the time of the fifth persecution by
the emperor Aurelian, anno Dom. 276, a holy Christian Virgin named
Colomba, of such exquisite beauty that one of his sons fell
passionately in love with her; but because he could not obtain his
lustful desire of her, offered her marriage, but he being an idolater
she refused his embraces. Whereupon she was much persecuted by
Aurelian and cast into prison; where she suffered much hardship, and
was comparatively starved to death in that place; so that in great
misery she expired there, and was buryed at Senns. At whose grave many
supernatural facts, or miracles, being said to be done, she obtained
the reputation of a saint and martyr, anno Dom. 300.
The feast of the dedication of this church is in November, near Sancta
Colomba Virginis et Martyris day; and the fair depends upon it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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