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Lewannick

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Lewannick, (Cornish: Lannwenek), which was anciently called Lawaneck, Lewanecke, and Lawannick, is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of East. It is bounded on the north by Trewen and South Petherwin, on the east by Lezant, on the south by North Hill, and on the west by Altarnun. The name most probably means 'church site of Guenoc' a Breton saint. This parish is five miles south-west of Launceston.

The small hilltop village of Lewannick is centred around a crossroads, which is unusual for Cornwall, where the villages tend to stretch along sheltered valleys. When Methodism arrived in 18th century the local parson, George Parsons, successfully used all his influence to prevent meetings taking place, and it was only after his death the Methodists were able to build their own chapel. In the church is a stone dating from Roman times with carvings in Latin and Ogham, an old British alphabet.

The chief village is Trelaske; this is the Trelosch of the Domesday Survey of 1086. The celebrated Polyphant Quarry has been worked extensively, for building. The principal villages and hamlets besides the Churchtown are Polyphant, Trevadlock, and Tinney Hall.

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 - 810 entries
  • Polyphant Methodist Chapel - 151 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:

  • 1841.
    • The 1841 Census of Lewannick (HO107/134), Enumeration Districts 7 and 8, 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 Lewannick (HO107/1899), Enumeration Districts 4a and 4b, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1861. The 1861 Census of Lewannick (RG9/1517), Enumeration Districts 7 and 8, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1871. The 1871 Census of Lewannick (RG10/2222), Enumeration Districts 7 and 8, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of Lewannick (RG11/2274), Enumeration Districts 7 and 8, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Lewannick (RG12/1801), Enumeration Districts 7 and 8, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
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Church History

  • Anglican.The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX2780; it is dedicated to St Martin. It comprises a chancel, nave, and north and south aisles. The north arcade has six arches; the arches and pillars are of plain granite. The south arcade has five arches of polyphant stone. There is a south porch and a north door. The tower is of three stages, buttressed to the top of the middle stage, thence ther angles are splayed off to the octagonal form, and finished with battlements and pinnacles.
    There are no remains of an ancient chapel which was supposed to have been at Polyphant.
  • Non-Conformist. The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel at Trevadlock Cross, the Bible Christians at Tinneyhall, and the Baptists at Polyphant.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Lewannick are: P002151. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1660 - 1812; it is not believed to be fully covered in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1660 - 1979, Burials 1738 - 1895, Marriages 1755 - 1992, Boyd's Marriage Index 1597 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1800 - 1812, BTs 1597 - 1673.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials.
  • Baptisms.
    • The Parish Chest have published on CD, baptisms 1716 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1597 to 1837, which is available in CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Phillimore's Marriages of Lewannick 1675 to 1812 are available on-line from UK Genealogy Archives.
    • The Parish Chest have published on CD, marriages 1745 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Burials.
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Civil Registration

The parish of Lewannick is in the Launceston Registration District, and has been since 1st July 1837. There were sub-districts at Altarnun, Launceston, North Hill, North Petherwin and St Stephen-by-Launceston, but these are now all closed. Parishes within the district were: Altarnun, Boyton, Egloskerry, Laneast, Launceston, Lawhitton, Lewannick, Lezant, Northill, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Stephens by Launceston, St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Thomas Street, South Petherwin, Stokeclimsland, Tremaine, Treneglos, Tresmeer, Trewen, Warbstow.

The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: Hendra, Dunheved Road, Launceston, PL15 9JG. Tel: 01566 772464.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Lewannick which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"LEWANNICK, a parish in the N. division of the hundred of East, county Cornwall, 5 miles S.W. of Launceston, its post town, and 9 N.W. of Callington. The village, which is small, is wholly agricultural. It is situated on the river Inny and the Launceston and Liskeard road. The surface is hilly. The soil is a rich loam, alternated with sand. A considerable portion of the land is in pasture, and much attention is given to the rearing of cattle, which are chiefly of the North Devon breed. At Pollyfont is a quarry of fine freestone of a rich green colour, with black veins, which, when polished, is used for mantelpieces and ornamental work. There are also several quarries of good building stone, and one of exceedingly hard slate. The impropriate tithes have, been commuted for a rent-charge of £225, and the vicarial for £185. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Exeter, value £242, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to St. Martin, is an ancient freestone structure, with a lofty square embattled tower crowned with pinnacles, and containing six bells. The church has tombs of the Lowers and Archers of Trelaske. There is a National school for both sexes, in which a Sunday-school is also held. The Wesleyans, Independents, Baptists, and Bible Christians, have each a chapel. Trelaske I-louse is the principal residence, situated about 1 mile S.E. of the church."

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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 Lewannick ecclesiastical parish:

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX275806 (Lat/Lon: 50.599234, -4.439409), Lewannick which are provided by:

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Occupations

Apprenticeship Indentures for Lewannick (1761 - 1830) can be found in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Lewannick parish was part of the Launceston Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
  • Overseers' Accounts (1729 to 1750, 1755 to 1774, 1783 to 1806, 1821 to 1834) and Settlement Papers (1787 to 1833) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
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Population

  • Population in 1801 - 548 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 563 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 623 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 643 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 733 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 746 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 685 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 672 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 644 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 531 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 516 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 466 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 456 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 428 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 384 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 350 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 367 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 575 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 714 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 884 persons
  • Population in 2011 - 973 persons.
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Statistics

The parish comprises 4039 acres of land.