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Creed

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Creed is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. The parish (Cornish: Sen Krida) is bounded on the north by St Stephen-in-Brannel, on the east by St Ewe, on the south by St Ewe and Cuby, and on the west by Probus. The parish is named after its patron St Crida. Creed was anciently taxed under the name of Tybesta, a manor formerly giving its name to a hundred now comprising a large portion of Powder.

The ancient borough of Grampound is also situated in the deanery and Hundred of Powder; it is actually sited in the parishes of Creed and Probus. The town of Grampound had a charter as early as 26th October 1334. It sent two members to parliament from the time of Edward VI up to 1824; in that year it was disfranchised for bribery, being the only borough so treated prior to the Reform Bill of 1832. It had the honour of introducing to parliamentary life two very notable men, William Noye, the great lawyer (1604 to 1611), and John Hampden, the hero of the ship-money dispute (1620), both good friends of the people, though, as all know, the former deserted the popular cause. In 1768 it was represented by Grey Cooper, Secretary to the Treasury, and Charles W. Cornwall, afterwards speaker of the house, a man of great ability, whose career was, however, impeded by a love of drink. The parliamentary history of Grampound is of much interest, and is fully told in W.P. Courtney's Parliamentary Representation of Cornwall to 1832.


In essence, the main place of the parish is Grampound, but the Church is located at Creed. A short but interesting account is in 'The histories of Creed church and the borough of Grampound', by O.B. Peter (Launceston, 1904). There was once a small woollen trade carried on here, a manufacture of gloves, and a tannery. In the market place is the shaft of a gothic cross. There are earthworks at Nantellan and Pencoyse.

Most parish and church description(s) on these pages are from Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall by J Polsue (Truro, 1867 - 1873)

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Bibliography

Index to The Book of Grampound with Creed by Amy Bane and Mary Oliver.

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Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 591 entries.

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Census

Census information for this parish (1841 - 1901) is held in the Cornwall Record Office. The Cornwall Family History Society offers a census search service for its members.
Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

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Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SW9347 and was dedicated to St Crida. It comprises a chancel, nave, south aisle and north transept. The arcade consists of five four-centred arches of St Stephen's stone, with pillars of the same material. There is a south porch and a north door. The tower was built in 1733; it is of three stages, with battlements and pinnacles, and is buttressed on the square.
    The church of St Creed is a building of much interest and beauty; the south aisle (in pre-reformation days, known as the Jesus aisle, with its own altar) is of the 14th century, the north transept and part of the north wall appear to be of the 13th, while the base of the font carries us back to Norman times. The tower is relatively modern. In spite of the dilapidated state into which the church was allowed to fall, during the restoration carried out in 1904, under Mr O.B. Peter, much of historical interest and beauty was able to be preserved, notably an early altar slab, a dwarf pillar piscina of unusual design, some good oak work (partly 15th century), and two medieval bells, one without inscription, and the other inscribed in black letters with small Lombardic capitals, 'Sancte Thome Ora Pro Nobis'. The third bell, named in the inventory of Edward VI, has disappeared. There is an old church house in the yard.
    The chapel of St Naunter in the town (the earliest licence of which that we have was in 1370), in which divine service was performed on Sunday afternoons by the vicar of Creed until 1815, when it had fallen into ruins; it was rebuilt and opened again in 1869.
    Details about the plans of the existing churches are available on-line.
  • Non-Conformist. There were chapels for the Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians and Independents in Grampound.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Creed are: C052751, P006441. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1603 - 1837; it is NOT believed to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  • The Cornwall Record Office Holdings: Baptisms 1653 - 1895, Burials 1654 - 1950, Marriages 1653 - 1837, Boyd's Marriage Index 1602 - 1668, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, BTs 1602 - 1668.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms in the parish 1813 to 1895 are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Parish Chest have published on CD, baptisms 1699 to 1842 for Creed parish.
  • Banns. Banns in the parish 1889 to 1911 are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Marriages.
    • Phillimore's marriages in the parish 1611 to 1837, and parish register transcripts 1755 to 1900, are also available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1613 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
  • Burials.
    • Burials in the parish 1763 to 1911 are also available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book format.
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Civil Registration

The parish of Creed with Grampound has been in the Registration District of St Austell continuously from 1st July 1837. There were sub-districts at Fowey, Grampound, Mevagissey and St Austell, but these have now been abolished. Parishes within the district are: Creed, Fowey, Gorran, Grampound, Mevagissey, Roche, St. Austell, St. Blazey, St. Dennis, St. Ewe, St. Mewan, St. Michael Carhays, St. Sampson, St. Stephen in Brannel, Tywardreath. The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: 12 Carlyon Road, St Austell, PL25 4LD. Tel: 01726 68974. Fax: 01726 68974.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Creed which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"CREED, a parish in the W. division of the hundred of Powder, in the county of Cornwall 5½ miles S.W. of St. Austell, its post town, and 7 W. of Truro. It is situated on the river Fal, and contains the old borough of Grampound. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, value £351, in the patronage of C. H. T. Hawkins, Esq. In the vicinity are two ancient camps or entrenchments."

"GRAMPOUND, a township and post town in the parishes of Creed and Probus, W. division of the hundred of Powder, county Cornwall, 7 miles N.E. of Truro, and 14 S.W. of Bodmin. It is situated on the main road from the first-named town to St. Austell. The river Fal flows through the township. This was formerly a market town and parliamentary borough, but was disfranchised in 1821. The Romans are believed to have had a station here called Voluba. Divine service is performed on Sunday evenings in a small chapel, dedicated to St. Naunter. The Independents and Wesleyans have places of worship, and there is a National school. Here are some remains of an ancient church. Fairs are held on the 18th January, 11th June, and the Tuesdays following Lady Day and Michaelmas Day."

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Genealogy

  • OPC Assistance. The On-line Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme operates a service to help family historians; the OPC page for this parish is available on-line, from where the OPC can be contacted by email.
  • Some genealogical material about Grampound is available on-line.
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Historical Geography

The Domesday Settlements of Cornwall, a study undertaken by the Cornwall Branch of the Historical Association, has identified and located settlements listed in the Exeter and Exchequer Domesday Survey of AD 1086. The following places have been identified in Creed ecclesiastical parish:

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW951482 (Lat/Lon: 50.298181, -4.877801), Creed which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Creed with Grampound parish was part of the St Austell Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
  • Overseers' Accounts in respect of Creed (1746 to 1882), and separately for Grampound (1700 - 1701 and 1832 - 1837), are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
  • Also available from the Cornwall Record Office are Creed Settlement Papers (1785 to 1828) and Grampound Settlement Papers (1671 to 1819), as well Grampound Bastardy Bonds (1679 and 1816).
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Population

Except where stated to the contrary, Creed and Grampound have usually been enumerated separately. However, from 2001 the parish was enumerated as "Grampound-with-Creed".

Creed

  • Population in 1801 - 217 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 226 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 279 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 258 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 758 persons (Grampound with Creed)
  • Population in 1851 - 764 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 265 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 241 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 244 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 645 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 232 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 239 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 238 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 231 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 219 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 203 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 203 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 140 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 155 persons
  • Population from 2001 is now included under Grampound.

Grampound

  • Population in 1801 - 325 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 601 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 688 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 715 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 758 persons (Grampound with Creed)
  • Population in 1851 - 589 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 573 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 478 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 482 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 495 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 491 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 430 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 419 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 388 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 447 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 412 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 401 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 440 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 465 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 638 persons (Grampound with Creed)
  • Population in 2011 - 654 persons (Grampound with Creed)
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Religion & Religious Life

In the May of 1641 it was agreed and ordered that every Member of the House of Commons and House of Lords should make a protestation (declaration of loyalty) to the crown. The Protestation was printed and then distributed by the Members to their counties. The Protestation was to be made by everyone and the Rectors, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, had to appear before the Justices of the Peace in their Hundred to make their protestation and, on returning to their parishes, any two of them were to witness the taking of the Protestation Oath by all males over the age of 18 years. All names were listed and anyone who refused was to be noted.

The Protestation Returns of 1642 for Creed and Grampound, are available on-line.

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Statistics

The parish of Creed-with-Grampound comprises 2661 acres of land and 5 acres of water.

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Taxation

The Hearth Tax entries for Grampound Borough (1662-1689) are available on-line.