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Lanteglos By Camelford

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Lanteglos-by-Camelford parish, (Cornish: Nanseglos), is situated in the Deanery of Trigg Minor and in the Hundred of Lesnewth. Camelford is named after the ford across the River Camel on which the town lies. It is bounded on the north by Minster, on the east by Davidstow and Advent, on the south by Michaelstow and on the west by St Teath. Lanteglos means a valley church (in Cornish).
The town of Camelford is wholly situated in the parish of Lanteglos along the A39 road which traverses the parish. Camelford was made a free borough by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. This was confirmed by Richard II on 20th April 1298. In 1300 there were 62 burgesses. The borough continued to send representatives to Parliament as early as 1552 and continued to do so until the Reform Act of 1832 abolished this.
The River Camel, from which it takes its name, passes through the town. Although originally 'a ford across the River Camel', there has been a bridge at Camelford since the fourteenth century. This is in an area of north-east Cornwall with moorland streams, woodland and narrow valleys. Many believe Camelford is the site of Camelot, for a mile away is Slaughter Bridge - supposidly the scene of King Arthur's death in his last great battle when Arthur killed Mordred. A stone marks the place where Arthur reputedly later fell and lay for three days before being taken away on a barge.

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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Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions for:

  • The Parish Church - 987 entries
  • Methodist Chapel - 149 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. Some additional local information of those included in the censuses is available on-line.
Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

  • 1841. The 1841 Census of Lanteglos-by-Camelford (HO107/140) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • 1851.
    • The 1851 Census of Lanteglos-by-Camelford (HO107/1898), Enumeration Districts 1a, 1b and 1c, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
    • The New Zealand Society of Genealogists have compiled separate surname indexes of the 1851 Census for each Cornish registration district; Lanteglos-by-Camelford is listed in Volume 4. The booklets are available in Cornwall at the Cornwall Centre, (formerly known as the Cornish Studies Library), and is also available in the Cornwall FHS Library.
  • 1861. The 1861 Census of Lanteglos-by-Camelford (RG9/1516), Enumeration Districts 1, 2 and 3 [including Workhouse], is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1871. The 1871 Census of Lanteglos-by-Camelford (RG10/2219), Enumeration Districts 1 to 3, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1881.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Lanteglos-by-Camelford (including Camelford Town) (RG12/1800), Enumeration Districts 1 to 2, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
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Church History

  • Anglican. There have been two Anglican churches in Lanteglos parish.
    • A chapel in honour of St Thomas à Beckett was licensed by Bishop Stapeldon in Camelford on 4th January 1312 as that of St Thomas the Martyr. In this was a chantry, which was dissolved during the reformation of 1538; however, the remains were still standing in the beginning of the 18th century.
      The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX0882 and was dedicated to St Julitta. The church occupies the original site of a Celtic Monastery. It comprises a chancel, nave, south aisle and a north transept. On the north side is a blocked priest's door. The arcade consists of six four-centred arches, supported on pillars of St Stephen porcelain stone and granite. There is a south porch. The tower is of three stages, and is 71 feet in height; it is finished with battlements and pinnacles.
    • A separate church (SX1083)to serve Camelford was built in 1937. The former church of St.Thomas was destroyed over four centuries ago, and Camelford had been without a church for that period; the church people had to walk three miles to Lanteglos church to worship. Work on the new church was started in 1937; it was built in the centre of town over looking the river Camel and is constructed of Delabole stone with slate from the same quarries. On August 6, 1938 the church of St.Thomas was consecrated by the Bishop of Truro. Among gifts donated to the new church was an ancient font by the Cowlard family of Launceston.
  • Non-Conformist. There was a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, a Methodist Association chapel and a Bible Christian chapel in the parish.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Lanteglos-by-Camelford are: C023081/2, E023081, M023081. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1558 - 1812.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1558 - 1836, Burials 1558 - 1973, Marriages 1558 - 1975, Boyd's Marriage Index 1558 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, Non-Conformist records 1800 - 1837.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms in this parish 1684 to 1772 (Bishop's transcripts) are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • Camelford Wesleyan Baptisms (1801 to 1830 and 1837 to 1876) are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD, baptisms 1736 to 1851 for this parish which can be purchased on Parish Chest.
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1556 to 1837, which is available in CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Phillimore's marriages 1558 to 1812 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Burials.
    • Burials in this parish 1684 to 1804 (Bishop's transcripts), and 1886 to 1911, are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • Camelford Chapel street Wesleyan Methodist burials 1805 to 1911 are 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 and CD formats.
  • Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
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Civil Registration

Although originally in the Camelford Registration District, the parish of Lanteglos-by-Camelford is now in the Bodmin Registration District; there were sub-districts at Boscastle and Camelford. Parishes within the Camelford district were: Advent, Davidstow, Forrabury, Lanteglos, Lesnewth, Michaelstow, Minster, Otterham, St. Breward, St. Clether, St. Juliot, St. Teath, Tintagel, Trevalga.

The Superintendant Registrar of Bodmin can be contacted at: Lyndhurst, 66 Nicholas Street, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 2AG. Tel: 01208 73677.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Lanteglos By Camelford which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"LANTEGLOS-BY-CAMELFORD, a parish in the hundred of Lesnewth, county Cornwall, 12 miles from Bodmin. It is situated on the western bank of the river Camel, and includes the small town and borough of Camelford, and the hamlet of Helston. The surface is very hilly, and the soil shallow and slaty, except by the banks of the river, where there is much good meadow land. There is a large slate quarry called North Delabole or Bowithick. The living is a rectory* with that of Advent annexed, in the diocese of Exeter, joint value £474. The church, dedicated to SS. Lanty and Advent, is an ancient structure with a lofty tower. The parochial charities produce about £92 per annum, of which £20 go to the support of a school, and the remainder in aid of the poor-rates. There is a National school with a small endowment. The Wesleyans have two places of worship-one in the town of Camelford, the other at Helston. At Castle Gough are remains of ancient earthworks."

"CAMELFORD, an ancient borough and market town in the parish of Lanteglos by Camelford, hundred of Lesnewth, in the county of Cornwall, 12 miles N.E. of Bodmin, 16 miles to the W. of Launceston, and 228 miles from London. It is situated in a dreary country, near lofty hills, on the banks of the river Camel, or Alan, and was formerly a free borough, under a charter of Richard Earl of Cornwall, confirmed by Henry III. The present charter, granted by Charles II., places the borough under the government of nine aldermen, one of whom is annually elected mayor. It returned two members to parliament from the reign of Edward VI. till the passing of the Reform Act in 1832, by which it was disfranchised. The streets are broad and paved, and there is a townhall, with a market-house built by the Duke of Bedford, about 1806. The town has of late years been considerably improved by new buildings.

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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.
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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 Lanteglos-by-Camelford ecclesiastical parish:

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Land & Property

  • The parish and town tithe maps, and accompanying survey books of c1840, provide a fascinating snap-shot of land use and ownership in the 19th century. In order to preserve the documents and improve access to them, the Cornwall Record Office are digitising these maps and survey books. The CD ROM tithe package include a map and survey books, together with a reader, for this parish; it is now available from the Cornwall Record Office. Details are on their website.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX100833 (Lat/Lon: 50.618173, -4.687783), Lanteglos By Camelford which are provided by:

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Occupations

  • Apprenticeship Indentures for Lanteglos-by-Camelford (1692 - 1819) can be found in the Cornwall Record Office.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Lanteglos-by-Camelford parish was part of the Camelford Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief. Camelford Poor Law Union was formed on 1st February 1837. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 22 in number, representing its 14 constituent parishes as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):

    Advent, St Breward (2), St Clether, Davidstow, Forrabury, St Juliot, Lesnewth, Lanteglos with Camelford (3), Michaelstow, Minster (2), Otterham, St Teath (2), Tintagel with Bossiney (3), Trevalga.


    The population, falling within the Union at the 1831 census, had been 6,943 - ranging from Lesnewth (population 127) to Lanteglos/Camelford (1,359).
  • Further information on the Camelford Workhouse, including Census information on inmates and staff, is available on-line.
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Population

The population variations during the period 1901 to 1971 (apart from 1931) were probably due to boundary changes. The reasons for these are not known but are being investigated.

  • Population in 1801 - 912 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 1100 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 1256 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 1359 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 1541 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 1740 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 1620 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 1718 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 1524 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 1375 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 7188 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 7385 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 7730 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 1298 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 7587 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 7091 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 7363 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 1770 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 1970 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 2256 persons
  • Population in 2011 - 865 persons
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Societies

The Camelford & District Old Cornwall Society News Page is on-line.

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Statistics

In 1869, the borough of Camelford occupied some 245 acres of the parish, the total size of which is 3537 acres of land.