The Parochial History of Cornwall, Volume 4 (of 4)
History
The Parochial History of Cornwall, Volume 4 (of 4)
Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Geology -- England -- Cornwall (County)
Ints or Ince, which is a proper name for an island, though this be
joined, as Insworth is, by a short neck to other parts of the parish
of St. Stephen’s. Here passing, we come by the mouth of the river to
Pembernose, which is in Cornish the head of the night, or midnight, as
if it were said that there is safe coming in there at any time; and
from thence we pass to the uttermost point westward, called Penlee,
which is the headland to the leeward; and so sailing along by the sea
side to the two Gayers, the East and West Gayers near Ramehead, which
may give nomination to families of that name in the west, which are
now worn out there, and have had a good recruit in Plymouth, and from
thence a better in London, by a late Lord Mayor, there so called, but
taking his descent from Cornish original, according to the word.
Rame is a long ridge of rocks, and here called Ramehead, because it is
so formed towards the sea like a ram’s horn, which hath turnings in it
to put mariners in mind thereof: in Cornish Pendenhar. Sailing along
from thence by the sea side, we come to Millan Dreth, that is, a mill
on the sea sand at Loo,[29] or Lough, which is a common name with most
nations for a low or watery place, and so Port-Loo, and Port-pinnion,
the little port, nigh to which also is Denloe, or Delough; and
stepping a little from thence in the land, is Minhinnitt, which is a
hill on a highway, and so indeed it is rightly styled; and the well of
St. Lollo, and the foot of Liskeard. Near to it is Liskeard (a near
neighbour thereto), some say a place affected; others take it from the
Cornish word Leskeveres, like length, like breadth, a square, so it
anciently was, and so fortified, as the castle walls yet in part
remaining show. Some would not have us go so far back, but would have
us take it from a physician so named, and a miracle supposed to be
wrought by him there, and this may be right also; but then we must
suppose that to be St. Luke the physician, and some ground there is
for that also, for the most antient street thereof is to this day
called St. Luke’s street. Luke’s Day also is their day of feasting,
and for choice of their Governor. This agrees well enough with the
former as the fortification of it; and towards the sea again we come
to Lestwithiel. Some hold that to be lion’s tail or lion’s train;
others take it to be ‘enough together.’ The place, though now grown
much in decay, hath formerly been held the only shire town, and where
the Knights of the Shire have been still chosen, and the Convocation
of the Stanneries held, &c. A great hall was lately there, which was
used for those purposes in my knowledge, belonging to the Dukes of
Cornwall, who did the like when under them; and here also they kept
their court and residence, near to which stands yet their castle
Restormell, in Cornish a bellyfull of money, a place of honey; besides
which the Dukes had seven others, Liskeard, Tintagell, Lanceston, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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