Cornwall

Devon

Nearby places

Lezant

The parish of Lezant, (Cornish: Lannsans), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of East. It is bounded on the north by South Petherwin and Lawhitton, on the east by the River Tamar which separates it from Bradstone and Dunerton in Devon, on the south by Stoke Climsland and Linkinhorne, and on the west by North Hill, Lewannick and South Petherwin. The parish was probably a church site originally; (Lann) plus personal name of the Saint.

This quiet parish is immediately south of Launceston. Mining, once an important local industry, has ceased in the area and people now tend to work in Launceston or Plymouth.

Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for:

• The Parish Church - 823 entries
• Trebullet Methodist Chapel - 267 entries
• Treburley Methodist Chapel - 70 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 Lezant (HO107/134) Enumeration Districts 6 to 8, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • The 1841 census for this parish has been filmed by the LDS church - film No. 241258.
• 1851.
  • The 1851 Census of Lezant (HO107/1899), Enumeration Districts 2a and 2b, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • Ray Woodbine has compiled the 1851 Census for many Cornish parishes. Entries for Lezant are contained in Volume 9-5. This is available in the Library of the Cornwall Family History Society from which it can be purchased.
• 1861. The 1861 Census of Lezant (RG9/1521), Enumeration Districts 8 (including Trewarlett) and 9, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1871.
  • The 1871 Census of Lezant (RG10/2207), Enumeration Districts 8 and 9, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • The 1871 Census of Lezant is also available from the Cornwall Family History Society in manuscript form.
• 1881. The 1881 Census of Lezant (RG11/2278), Enumeration Districts 8 and 9, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1891. The 1891 Census of Lezant (RG12/1805), Enumeration District 8 and 9, 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 SX3379 and is now dedicated to St Michael. The church of Lezant or Lanzante (i.e. Holy church) was originally dedicated to St Briocus on 25th September 1259. It comprises a chancel, nave, north and south aisles and a vestry. The arcades have each four obtuse arches of granite supported on monolith pillars of the same material. There is a south porch, over the door of which there is a bracket, and a north door. The tower is of three stages and is finished with battlements and octagonal battlemented turrets, surmounted by crocketed pinnacles. The belfry contained six bells. The church was considerably restored in 1869.
  Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
  There was an ancient chapel at Trecarrell dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, and another, supposed to have been at or near the churchtown, dedicated to St Lawrence. Both no longer exist.
• Non-Conformist. The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel in the village of Trebollet, the cemetery of which was first used for interment in 1819. There was also another chapel and cemetery at Tregeda. Non-conformist Chapels in the parish are:
  • Rezare Chapel is recorded on the 1841 Tithe Map as a Methodist Chapel, along with its field. The apportionment records it as a Wesleyan Methodists Association Chapel, signed in 1891. However, descendants of members have described it as a Bible Christian Chapel. It had been given the "nickname" of "White Weskit Chapel" as the preacher wore a white waistcoat. The date stone on the cottage is "1887"; it is recorded as 'Rezare Cottage, 1887'.
  • Treburley Chapel is a Free Methodist Chapel; its memorial stone was laid on Thursday 14th July 1880. (Cornish & Devon Post dated 24 July 1880). It is recorded in the 1881 Census as a Free Methodist Chapel and Treburley United Methodists. The 1888 map shows Treburley Methodist Chapel (United). It has recent closed - in the mid-1990s. It is currently being converted into living accommodation. The Sunday School had been demolished by the end of the 20th century!
  • Trebullett Chapel is recorded, in the apportionment of 1891, as a Wesleyan Methodists Chapel and Yard. Its position is marked on Tithe Map, but there is "no" label!! The present Chapel was built in 1871, (date stone). The 1888 map shows Trebullett Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan) as a thriving Chapel.

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Church Records

• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for Lezant are: P002121. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1539 - 1812; it is not thought to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
• The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1539 - 1981, Burials 1539 - 1874, Marriages 1539 - 1837, Boyd's Marriage Index 1539 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 -1812.
• The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
  • Pre 1813 Marriages
  • 1813-37 Marriages
  • 1813-37 Burials.
• Baptisms.
  • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD, baptisms 1709 to 1845 for this parish.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms 1837-1900 of the Launceston wesleyan Circuit. The areas cover Launceston, South Petherwin, Lewannick, North Hill, Altarnun, Linkinhorne, St Stephens, Lezant, Egloskerry, Egloskerry, Treneglos, Stoke Climsland, Laneast and Lawhitton.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, records of the Liskeard Primitive Methodist Circuit. These comprise Liskeard Primitive Methodist Circuit baptisms 1856 to 1900, and Greenbank Chapel baptisms 1870 - 1900. The areas cover Liskeard, St Ive, St Cleer, Menheniot, Callington, Calstock, Lezant, Linkinhorne and Landrake.
• Marriages. Marriages 1837 to 1910 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
• Burials.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, burials 1818-1880, and St Thomas Wesleyan burials 1842- 1892). of the Launceston wesleyan Circuit. The areas cover Launceston, South Petherwin, Lewannick, North Hill, Altarnun, Linkinhorne, St Stephens, Lezant, Egloskerry, Egloskerry, Treneglos, Stoke Climsland, Laneast and Lawhitton.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, Trenant Chapel burials 1843 - 1900 in the Liskeard Primitive Methodist Circuit. The areas cover Liskeard, St Ive, St Cleer, Menheniot, Callington, Calstock, Lezant, Linkinhorne and Landrake.

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Civil Registration

The parish of Lezant 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

• 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).
• Photographs of Lezant are available on-line.

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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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Manors

• Trecarrell Manor, Trebullet (no longer a manor in 1806)
• Greystone Manor
• Bottonet Manor.

Additionally, Hexworthy Manor or Barton (in the Parish of Lawhitton), also held land in Lezant, as did Lawhitton Manor.

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Maps

• Map of the Launceston Registration District in which the parish lies.
• An old map of the parish of Lezant in the 19th century is also available.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

Lezant parish was part of the Launceston Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

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Population

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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 Lezant are available on-line.

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Statistics

The parish comprises 4812 acres of land and 29 acres of tidal water.

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