Cornwall

Devon

Nearby places

Calstock

Calstock (Cornish: Kalstok)is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of East. It is separated on the north and east sides from the Devon parishes of Lamerton, Tavistock and Beer Ferris, by the river Tamar. It is bounded on the south by St Dominick, and on the west by Callington and Stoke Climsland. The parish is named after the old English for a settlement 'stoch' preceded by an unknown word, possibly a personal name. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Calestoch. At that time it had land for 12 ploughs; there were 30 villagers and 30 smallholders with 6 ploughs, and 100 acres of woodland.

This was one of the 228 manors that were given to the Earl of Mortain, the brother of William the Conqueror.

Calstock town is situated on the banks of the Tamar. Cotehele House, the ancient seat of the Edgcumbe Family, is in the parish and is a Tudor mansion owned by the National Trust. It once belonging to the Earls of Mount Edgecumbe; this mansion was built by Sir Richard Edgecumbe during the reign of Henry VII. King Charles II, then Prince of Wales, stayed here for a short period in 1645. Cotehele was visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1846. It is now a National Trust property.

Besides Calstock town, the chief villages are Gunnislake (where there was a chapel-of-ease), Albaston, Harrabear (now Harrowbarrow), Chilsworthy, Latchley and Metherell. Cruising on the river Tamar is now a popular activity in Calstock.

Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions on-line for the Baptist Chapel - 11 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. The Cornwall Family History Society have also published on-line census detail by surname on the FamilyHistoryonLine site.

Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

• 1841
  • The 1841 Census of Calstock (HO107/133), Enumeration Districts 14 to 17, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • The 1841 census for this parish has also been filmed by the LDS church. Film No. 241258.
• 1851.
  • The 1851 Census of Calstock, (HO107/1901), is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
    • Enumeration District 2a.
    • Enumeration Districts 2b and 2c.
  • Ray Woodbine has compiled the 1851 Census for many Cornish parishes. Entries for Calstock are contained in Volume 1-2. This is available in the Library of the Cornwall Family History Society from which it can be purchased.
• 1861. The 1861 Census of Calstock is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • RG9/1461.
    • Enumeration District 14.
    • Enumeration Districts 15 and 16.
  • RG9/1462.
    • Enumeration District 17.
    • Enumeration Districts 18 and 19.
• 1871
  • In 1871, Calstock was enumerated as part of the Holsworthy Registration District, Clawton sub-district, of Devon. The census was published as part of RG10/2145.
  • A transcription of the 1871 Census of Cornwall is available on-line.
• 1881.
  • In 1881, Calstock was enumerated as part of Tavistock in the Holsworthy Registration District, Clawton sub-district, of Devon. The census was published as part of RG11/2215.
  • The 1881 Census of the UK can be searched on-line courtesy of familySearch.org.
• 1891.
  • The 1891 Census of Calstock (RG12/1748), Enumeration Districts 5 to 10 and Merchant Shipping, was conducted as part of the Tavistock Registration District of Devon.
  • The LDS Fiche Number of the 1891 Census of Calstock is 6096858.

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Church History

• Anglican. A chapel, dedicated to SS Cyriacus and Julitta, existed in the parish in 1410. The Rev. Thomas Hullah, rector from 1865-1925, was the instigator of the building of 'Chapels of Ease' at Harrowbarrow (All Saints, built 1871), Gunnislake (St. Ann's, consecrated 1880) and Latchley (St Michael & All Angels, opened in 1883). The two main reasons for the opening of these were: the size and topography of the Parish, and 'competition' from non-conformist chapels.
  • Parish Church. The first Church on this site is said to have been consecrated about 1290, although there are no visible remains. The current parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX4368 and was dedicated to St Andrew in 15th Century. This church comprises a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, a mortuary chapel belonging to the Mount Edgecumbe family, and a vestry. The earliest part of the present Church is the centre aisle which is 14th century. The south aisle was added in 1420 together with a new roof. The porch is interesting in that it still retains a built-in fireplace although its purpose is not known it is probably associated with hygiene and believed to keep disease out of the Church.
    The tower is built in three stages and is buttressed and battlemented with turrets at each corner. There are six bells in the tower all cast by Isaac Pennington of Lezant in 1773. The clock made by Henry Spiller of Exeter is thought to date from 1845. There is a 15th century turret rising from the north wall. The octagonal turrets of the pinnacles remain, but the spires are gone, having been damaged by lightning in the 17th century. Inside the church, the pillars are of granite; these vary in style from 14th century on the north side to 15th century on the south side. The roof of the aisles and nave is a typical West Country "Wagon" roof. Through a door north of the sanctuary is the Edgcumbe Chapel and was built by Sir Richard Edgcumbe, Kt., in 1558 who lived at Cotehele House in this parish and Mount Edgcumbe near Plymouth.
    There is a medieval wall-painting of a horse and rider in the north aisle, over the arches; this was concealed until 1867. The Royal Arms can be seen in the south aisle and is thought to be the work of a journeyman artist because the heraldry is not correct. Of interest to genealogists will be the parish registers, which date back to 1656 (see Church Records below).
  • Harrowbarrow. All Saints church was built in 1871.
    Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
  • Gunnislake. St. Anne's Church was consecrated in 1880.
    Details about the plans of the existing church are available on-line.
  • Latchley. St Michael & All Angels church was opened in 1883. Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
  • Cotehele. There was also an Anglican Chapel at Cotehele but this is now closed.
• Non-Conformist.
  • Baptist Chapels existed at Metherell and Calstock. This is now a private residence.
  • OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
  • Bible Christian Chapels existed at: Albaston (no longer in use), Calstock (1895-1906), Gunnislake (built 1863), Harrowbarrow and Metherell.
  • Plymouth Bretheren had a chapel at Gunnislake.
  • Salvation Army had a citadel at Gunnislake.
  • United Methodist Free Church had chapels at Calstock (Mount Zion, opened 1856 in Church Lane, moved to Sand Lane in 1906; both buildings still remain, though neither as a chapel) and also at Gunnislake.
  • Wesleyan chapels were built at Albaston (New), Calstock (Harewood Road, built 1860), Chilsworthy, Gunnislake (built 1856), Latchley and St Anne's Chapel.

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Church Records

• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for Calstock are: P006411. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1684 - 1772.
• The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1658 - 1969, Burials 1658 - 1915, Marriages 1656 - 1987, Boyd's Marriage Index 1602 - 1673, BTs 1602 - 1673 .
• Births/Baptisms.
  • Baptisms in the parish church 1624 to 1901 (with gaps) are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Baptisms in Gunnislake Circuit of the Wesleyan Church 1843 to 1866 and 1871 to 1901 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility (C-PROP).
  • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD baptisms 1716 to 1837 for this parish.
  • Some baptisms at Calstock Parish Church are available on-line. Strays are separately recorded.
  • Some Non-Conformist baptisms of the Tavistock and Gunnislake Circuits are also available on-line. It should be noted that these records are unlikely to be complete.
  • Some other Non-Conformist baptisms at Calstock 1843 to 1902, by Surname, are also available on-line.
• Banns.
  • Some Banns 1805 to 1808, 1823 to 1849 and 1850 to 1898 are available on-line.
• Marriages.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1602 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
  • Marriages 1614 to 1901 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Some marriages 1600 to 1899 are available on-line. Strays are separately recorded.
• Burials.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book or CD formats.
  • Burials 1614 to 1901 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Some burials are available on-line. These are complete for the parish church 1614 to 1812 and 1834 to 1881. Strays are separately recorded.
• Other Non-Conformist Records.
  • OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, records of the Liskeard Primitive Methodist Circuit. These comprise Liskeard Primitive Methodist Circuit baptisms 1856 to 1900, Greenbank Chapel baptisms 1870 - 1900, and Trenant Chapel burials 1843 - 1900. The areas cover Liskeard, St Ive, St Cleer, Menheniot, Callington, Calstock, Lezant, Linkinhorne and Landrake.

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Civil Registration

The parish of Calstock has moved several times in civil registration terms. It was originally in the Liskeard Registration District (1837 to 1860) of Cornwall; then there were sub-districts at Callington, Lerrin, Liskeard and Looe. It was then transferred into the Tavistock Registration District of Devon. Then it was in the Holsworthy Registration District of Devon where it was enumerated in the 1861 census. However, it is now back in Cornwall in the St Germans Registration District of Cornwall.

The Superintendant Registrar of St Germans can be contacted at: Ploughastel Drive, St Germans, Cornwall. Tel: 01752 842624.

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Description & Travel

• ePodunk's Cornwall page - providing general, plus some historical and genealogical information, about Cornwall and its parishes, together with links (mainly relating to general sites and services, rather than ones that are specific to Cornwall or particular parishes).
• Pictures of Calstock are available.
• More photographs of Calstock are available.
• Photographs of Gunnislake are also available.
• An old map of the parish of Calstock in the 19th century is also available.

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Directories

• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1856.
• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1883.
• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1893.
• Venning's Directory of South-East Cornwall - 1901.
• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1902.
• The Cornwall Trades Directory 1908-9 for Calstock.
• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1910.
• Kelly's Directory for Calstock - 1930.

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Genealogy

• 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.
• The OPC for Calstock has developed a genealogical website for the parish.

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History

• There is a website devoted to the history of Calstock.

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Historical Geography

• Calstock (Kalestoc, Calestoch), Grid Reference 437685.

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Maps

• Map of the St Germans Registration District in which the parish lies.
• An old map of the parish of Calstock in the 19th century is also available on-line.

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Names, Personal

A list of surnames in Calstock, which are being researched by those who are email-capable, is available on-line.

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Newspapers

On-line newspaper articles about people from Calstock are available.

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Occupations

• Mining was important in Calstock and surrounding parishes from Mediaeval times. Minerals exploited in the area included copper, tin, arsenic, lead, silver, wolfram and manganese, but it was the discovery of copper in 1844 which started a mining boom. Information on mining in Calstock, including lists of people involved in the industry, is available on-line.
• Information about the Callington, Calstock and Gunnislake Mines is available on-line.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• Calstock parish was part of the St Germans Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief. However many parishoners in need of Poor Law relief were treated by the Tavistock Union Workhouse.
• Some Poor Law Union Rate entries are available on-line.
• Overseers' Accounts (1807 to 1816, and 1832 to 1836) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
• There is a specific website dedicated to people who are mentioned in the Tavistock Workhouse records. These records include birth, deaths, census records, Workhouse indentures, photographs, election of Guardians, and more. Many of these people originate in Calstock.

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Population

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Probate Records

A Calendar of Wills, Administrations & Accounts for Calstock parish is available on-line.

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Statistics

The parish comprises 5760 acres of land, 70 acres of water, 44 acres of tidal water and 21 acres of foreshore.

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