Cornwall

Nearby Places

St Agnes

The parish, (Cornish: Breanek), is named after after Saint Agnes; it is in the Hundred and Deanery of Pydar. It is bounded on the north by the Bristol Channel and Perranzabuloe, on the east by Kenwyn and Kea, on the south by Gwennap and Redruth, and on the west by Illogan. The town is just inland from the North coast and lies to the North of Redruth, it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. St Agnes Parish is one of the great mining districts in Cornwall abounding in tin and copper; it is now in the Carrick district and is situated near the North Coast to the North West of Truro. The Earl of Cornwall once had a manor at Tywarnhayle.

Villages in the parish include the Churchtown, Trevaunance Cove, Towan Cross, Mithian and Mingoose. The town of Perranporth is to the North East of the parish. The area is mainly farmland but this was a main tin mining area in the past. The northern boundary of the parish is the rugged Northern coastline of Cornwall. St Agnes Beacon is a raised area of land which was chosen as one of the principal western stations of the Ordnance Survey. The parish is scant of trees. In 1632 an attempt was made to form harbour at Trevaunance (now called Trevaunance Quay), and after repeated failures the effort was resumed in 1710 by the Tonkin family, who were so far successful that this work remained nearly a century, when some portions having become decayed, a new pier of moor-stone was erected in 1794 by a company at a cost of £10,000. The habour was washed away some years later.

Blackwater is a village 3 miles south-east, in the ecclesiastical parish of Mithian which is on the road between Redruth and St Columb. Goonbell, with a "halt" on the Perranporth and Newquay rail motor car branch of the Great Western railway, is also a place in this parish. The new parish of Mount Hawke, was created from part of parish 1847; it is located in the West of the older St Agnes parish.

Further information on St Agnes is available.

Bibliography

• An illustrated History of St Agnes covering the years 1001 to 1999 has been written by Frank Carpenter, and is available from the St Agnes Museum.
• A more detailed description and history of the parish, entitled 'Friendly Retreat', has been written by M H Bizley and published by Troutbeck Press. ISBN 0 9523561 0 4. It also is available from the St Agnes Museum.

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Cemeteries

• A municipal cemetery of two acres was formed in 1876 which included two mortuary chapels. Stilefields Cemetery (which is behind the Museum) has an unconsecrated portion, (i.e. for non-conformists such as Methodists), on the lefthand side.
• The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 1365 entries.
• War Memorial. A photograph of the War Memorial is available on-line. The details on the memorial are separately on-line:
  • World War I.
  • World War II.
• A memorial on the St Agnes Wesleyan Chapel Mural Tablet has been transcribed from old-fashioned snapshots by Elaine Hamby. [References: A. Adherent, C.L. Class Leader, C.S. Circuit Steward, J.S.C. Junior Society Class, L.P. Local Preacher, M. Member of Church, M.C. Member of Choir, S.S.Sup. Sunday School Superintendent, S.S.S. Sunday School Scholar, S.S.T. Sunday School Teacher, S.S. Society Steward, M.T. Missionary Treasurer, T. Trustee]:

  James ANGWIN M. died at Goonown 1866 Kezia ANGWIN M. died at Goonown 1886 Thomas BARTLEY M. died at Goonbell 1890 Prudence A. BARTLEY M. died at Rosemundy Hill 1884 Rev. Thos. R. BARTLEY M. died at St. Helena, Calif. 1901 Rev. John BARTLEY M. died at Exeter 1938 Samuel BENNETTS T. & C.S. died at Truro 1889 Ann BENNETTS M. died at Truro 1900 Elizabeth J. OSBORNE M., S.S.T., & Organist died at Liskeard 1935 Richard H. BENNEY C.L., L.P. & S.S. Sup. died at Illogan Hway 1937 James BILLING C.L. died at Higher Bal 1873 Jane Agnes BILLING M. died at Higher Bal 1902 Thomas BLANKENSHIP M. & T. died at Truro 1864 William BUTSON M. & T. died at Goonown 1890 Richard DAVIES T. & L.P. died at Vicarage Road 1894 John DAVIES M. died at Goonbell 1873 John J. DELBRIDGE C.L. died at Peterville 1899 Sarah DELBRIDGE M. died at Vicarage Road 1909 Irvin Ashley DELBRIDGE S.S.S. aged 9 years died 1907 James EVANS A. died at Beacon House 1898 Ann EVANS A. died at Beacon House 1904 Mary HANCOCK M. & S.S.T. died at Vicarage Road 1908 Robert HANCOCK M. died at British Road 1888 Muriel Alberta HARPER J.S.C. & S.S.S. died at Churchtown 1912 Frank HENWOOD M. & M.C. died at Rosemundy 1910 John HIGGINS M. died at Goonlaze 1912 Mary Ann HIGGINS C.L. & S.S.T. died at Goonlaze 1914 James HOOPER C.L. died at Rosemundy 1895 Jane HOOPER M. died at Goonbell 1891 Joel Carter HOOPER T.C.L. & S.S.Sup. died at Rosemundy Hill 1915 Martha HOOPER M. died at Rosemundy Hill 1916 Janie HOOPER M. & M.C. died at Rosemundy Hill 1913 Nicholas LANGDON T. & L.P. died at Mingoose 1876 Mary LANGDON M. died at Truro 1903 Matthew LANYON C.L. died at Beacon 1887 James LETCHER M.& T. of Wheal Butson died 1915 Thomas LAWRY M.& S.S.S. died at Goonown 1907 William LUKE M.& S.S.S. died in London 1915 William Kent MITCHELL L.P.,C.L. & S.S.Sup. died at Goonown 1901 Alfred MITCHELL M.C. died at Michigan 1910 Lola MITCHELL J.S.C. & S.S.S. died at Water Lane 1911

  Rev. John NANCARROW M. died at Stockport 1907 Thomas Martin NINNIS T.C.S. & S.S.Sup. died at Churchtown 1890 Susan Martin NINNIS M. died in London 1911 Rev. Jabez OVERTON Resident Minister died at St. Agnes 1883 John James PROUT M. died at Brixham, Devon 1910 Ann PROUT M. died at Brixham, Devon 1910 Joseph PROUT M. died at Bridge Villa 1911M John REYNOLDS A. died at Goonown 1911 H.K. REYNOLDS M. & S.S.T. died at Goonown 1918 Josiah REYNOLDS M.C. of Goonown died 1911 Ths. Henry Lobb RICHARDS M. died at Water Lane 1913 Richard RICKARD T. & C.L. died at Vicarage Road 1870 James RICKARD C.L. died at Vicarage Road 1890 Jane Trezise RICKARD M. died at Wisconsin, U.S.A. 1886 Joseph ROBERTS T.C.L. & S.S.T. died at Goonown 1918 James ROBERTS M. & M.C. died at West Coast of Africa 1888 James ROGERS T.C.S. & S.S. Sup. died at Churchtown 1879 Hannah ROGERS M died at Churchtown 1881 Elisha ROWE M. & T. died at Churchtown 1872 William ROWE M. died at Churchtown (Goonown) 1857 Rachel ROWE M. died at Churchtown 1902 K.R. BREWER M. died in China 1886 Sarah Ann ROWE M. & S.S.T. died in Churchtown 1926 Thomas STRIBLEY L.P., C.L. & S.S.Sup. died at Churchtown 1885 Mary STRIBLEY M. died at Churchtown 1883 George Herbert STRIBLEY T. & S.S. died at Churchtown 1907 Harry STRIBLEY T.C.L.S.S. & S.S.Sup. died at Stenalees 1942 James TREGELLAS C.L. died at Churchtown 1884 James TREGELLAS C.L. died at Goonvrea 1903 Clara TREHAIR M. died in London 1882 James TREMEWAN M. & S.S.T. died at Penwinnick Villa 1899 John Ernest TREMEWAN S.S.T. died at Vicarage Road 1910 John WATERS M. died at Rosemundy Hill 1891 Mary Ann WATERS M. died at Rosemundy Hill 1893 Elizabeth HAWKINS M. & S.S.T. died at Ruanlanihorne 1925 William WATERS A. died at Johannesburg 1912 Henry WHITWORTH M.D. C.S. & M.T. died at Vicarage Road 1883 Fanny WHITWORTH M. died at Vicarage Road 1875 Fanny REMINGTON M. & S.S.T. died at Selby 1880 Samuel WILLIAMS M. died at British Road 1878 Eleanor WILLIAMS M. died at Rosemundy Hill 1911

  John WILLIAMS T.S.S. & M.C. died at Churchtown 1923 Nancy WILLIAMS M. died at Churchtown 1913 John M. WILLIAMS M. & S.S.T. died in Johannesburg 1931 Nannie P. WILLIAMS M.M.C. & S.S.T. died at Churchtown 1932 Henry WILLIAMS A. died at Goonown 1898 Mary WILLIAMS A. died at British Road 1916 Henry WILLIAMS M. & S.S.T. died in Colorado USA 1893 Jane WILLIAMS C.L. died at Vicarage Road 1902 James Thomas RILLSTONE S.S.T. & M.C. died at Goonown 1916 Ann DAVIES M. died at Goonbell 1917 Wm. WHITWORTH M.R.C.S.E. T. & M.T. died at Vicarage Rd. 1917 Edw. B. PELLEW M.R.C.S.L.R.C.P. A. died at St Agnes 1914 Catherine WHITWORTH M. & S.S.T. died at Vicarage Rd. 1917 Mark LUKE A. died at Goonown 1915 Philip H. REYNOLDS T.L.P. & C.L. died at Vicarage Rd. 1918 John LAWRY T.S. S.S.S. T. & M.C. died at Goonown 1917 Hannah BARKLE M. & S.S.T. died at Goonown 1922 Amelia TREMEWAN M. & S.S.T. died at Penwinnick Villas 1923 Elizabeth E. SMITH M. died at St Agnes 1924 James LAWRENCE M. & S.S.T. died at Vicarage Rd. 1926 Tom Silvester TREZISE T.S.S. C.L.& S.S.T. died at British Road 1927 John WILLIAMS T.L.P. C.L. & S.S.T. died at Newquay 1928 Alexandra TREMEWAN M. (1929) died at Bournemouth Rev. Charles RICKARD L.P. & M.C. died at Southsea 1924 Richard ENDEAN M. & S.S.T. died at Goonown 1895 Jane ENDEAN M. died at Goonown 1905 Henry HARRIS L.P. & C.L. died at Vicarage Road 1931 Thomas H. BLACKNEY T. & L.P. died at Rosemundy Hill 1934 Annie BLACKNEY M. & S.S.T. died at Helston 1948 James ANGWIN M.& T. died at Goonbell House 1934 Catherine ANGWIN M. died at Goonbell House 1937 James TREDINNICK T.S.S. C.L. & S.S.Sup. died at Mingoose 1926 Emily TREDINNICK M. died at Mingoose 1937 Ellen WILLIAMS M. & S.S.T. died at Plymouth 1937 Joseph RADCLIFFE Organist 1889-1892 died at Plymouth 1937 Edward James OATS C.L. & T. died at British Road 1937 Edmund Marks UGLOW S.S.Sup. C.L. & T. died at Vicarage Rd. 1939 Jane TREDINNICK M. died at Truro 1915 Frances TREDINNICK M. died at Mingoose 1930 Lieut. A.L. TRELOAR RN-VR M. & S.S.S. died at Penzance 1945 John ANGWIN T.& C.L. [indecipherable] died at Vicarage Rd 1946

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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 St Agnes (HO107/149) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • Enumeration Districts 1 to 5.
  • Enumeration Districts 6 to 10.
  • Enumeration Districts 11 to 15.
• 1851.
  • The 1851 Census of St Agnes (HO107/1909), Enumeration Districts 2m, 2n, 2o, 2p, 2q and 2r, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • Part of the 1851 Census of St Agnes is also available from the West-Penwith resources as part of the 1851 British Census 2% sample - Cornwall.
  • The New Zealand Society of Genealogists have compiled separate surname indexes of the 1851 Census for each Cornish registration district; St Agnes is listed in Volume 18. The booklets are available in Cornwall at the Cornwall Centre (formerly known as the Cornish Studies Library), and is also available in the Cornwall Family History Society Library.
• 1861. The 1861 Census of St Agnes (RG9/1555) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • Enumeration Districts 11 to 13.
  • Enumeration Districts 14 to 16.
• 1871. The 1871 Census of St Agnes is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • RG10/2276. Enumeration Districts 1 to 9.
  • RG10/2277. Enumeration Districts 11 to 13.
  • RG10/2278. Enumeration Districts 14 to 16.
• 1881. The 1881 Census of St Agnes is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • RG11/2308. Enumeration Districts 11 to 14.
  • RG11/2309. Enumeration Districts 15 and 16.
• 1891. The 1891 Census of St Agnes (RG12/1828) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • Enumeration Districts 1 to 7.
  • Enumeration Districts 8 to 12.
  • Enumeration Districts 13 to 14.

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Church History

• Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SW7250 and was dedicated to St Agnes the Virgin in 1327.
  St Agnes was originally part of the large Celtic monastery of Lanpiran, which was centred on Perranzabuloe. Although the date when the first church was built is lost in antiquity, it must have been long before 1331, as there is an account, in Bishop Grandisson's register, of that year, of a visitation to St. Agnes Church which was described as sadly neglected. Around the middle of the 13th century, a Chapel was allowed and from that time St Agnes was regarded as a Chapelry of Perranzabuloe. The need for a separate church community was recognised in 1482 and a second church was constructed in 1484; a separate priest, responsible to the vicar of Perranzabuloe, appointed to the living. The parish of St Agnes, although still continuing as a chapelry, became a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1653, during the Commonwealth period. So, from earliest times (until 1846) St. Agnes, while being the chief centre of population of the large parish of Perranzabloe, was but a chapelry to that parish. Various Bishops of Exeter tried to adjust the relations between the Church at Perran and the Chapel at St. Agnes, and in 1374 Bishop Brantyngham was compelled to interdict the latter, the inhabitants having refused to observe an arrangement made by him. A giant grievance was the lack of the right of burial, which was only obtained for St. Agnes by application to Bishop Courtenay in 1482. Hitherto the inhabitants of St. Agnes had had to attend the parish church at Perranzabloe. However, it was not until 1846 when St Agnes was constituted an independent ecclesiastical parish and the first Vicar was appointed replacing the previous curates.
  By 1846, the population had increased to such an extent that the church building was too small, and authority was given to pull down the old church and build a new one. This work started in 1848 and the the services in the new church began within a year. On 28 May 1851, the new building, consisting of a nave with north and south aisles was dedicated by the Bishop of Exeter. Only the lower stages of the old tower was incorporated into the new building.
  In 1931, when the floor was relaid, a wall was found that ran along the nave. Subsequent investigation showed that this was part of an oblong structure which had existed before the church building of 1484. In the south-west, bases of 15th cent. pillars were found confirming the early site of the first church.
  Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line. Further history of the church and parish is available on-line.
• Roman Catholic. The Roman Catholic Parish developed a Mass Centre started in the time of the Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century. A Catholic chapel had been built in 1882 on Trevellas Downs, near Cligga Head, and was served from Camborne. Between the two world wars, people had to walk to the nearest Mass centre at Perranporth.
  The present Church, Our Lady, Star of the Sea in Trevaunance Road, St Agnes, was built in June 1958 as a Chapel-of-Ease to Redruth Parish. Previously Mass had been held in the Womens' Institute room in St. Agnes village.
• Non-Conformist. There was a Wesleyan Methodist church in St Agnes. There were also Primitive Methodist and United Methodist chapels in St Agnes.

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Church Records

• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for St Agnes are: C053061, E053061, M053061, Peterville Independent chapel C045211, Goonown Wesleyan Methodist Chapel C065371. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1596 - 1837.
• The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1653 - 1934, Burials 1674 - 1865, Marriages 1674 - 1969, Boyd's Marriage Index 1596 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, Non-Conformist records 1799 - 1837.
• The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
  • Pre 1813 Marriages
  • 1813-37 Marriages
  • 1813-37 Burials
• Baptisms.
  • The OPC has made the following baptisms at St Agnes available on-line:
    • Baptisms for 1834.
    • Baptisms for 1835.
  • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD baptisms 1718 to 1777 for this parish.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published Baptisms of St Agnes Wesleyan Circuit 1837 - 1900 on CD. The Circuit covers St Agnes, Perranzabuloe, Cubert, St Columb Minor, Newlyn East, Crantock and Mithian. Blackwater Chapel baptisms 1839-1900) and Mount Hawke Chapel baptisms 1850 - 1867 are included.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, of the Perranzabuloe Methodist Chapels. Rose Chapel baptisms (1848 to 1900) and Bolingey Chapel baptisms (1841 to 1890), includes Perranzabuloe, St Agnes, Perranporth and Mithian.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1839 to 1900) of the Redruth Methodist Circuit. The Circuit covers Redruth, Gwennap, Illogan, St Agnes, Portreath, and Carn Brea.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1863 to 1900) of the Truro Bible Christian Circuit. The Circuit covers Truro (all parishes), St Allen, Probus, Grampound, Perran, Creed, Gwennap, Cornelly, Goonhavern, Kea, Tregony and St Agnes.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1837 to 1862) of the Falmouth Bible Christian Circuit. The area covers Falmouth, Camborne, Lanner, Penryn, Gwennap, St Agnes, and Kenwyn.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1843 to 1900) of the Falmouth, Redruth & Camborne Bible Christian Circuit. The area covers Falmouth, Redruth, Camborne, Lanner, St Agnes, and Kenwyn.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1857 to 1900) of the St Day Primitive Methodist Circuit. The area covers: St Day, Scorrier, Gwennap, St Agnes, Kea, Kenwyn, Perranzabuloe.
• Marriages.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1596 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf formats.
  • The Cornwall Legacy have published on CD marriages 1837 to 1900 for this parish.
• Burials.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book or CD formats.
  • Lesley Morgan has produced an on-line list (in alphabetical order) of some burials, which are recorded in the St Agnes parish registers, as follows:
    • July 1791 to 1799.
    • July 1800 to 1809.

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Civil Registration

The parish of St Agnes has been in the Truro Registration District continuously from 1st July 1837. There were sub-districts at Kea, Kenwyn, Probus, St. Agnes, St. Clement and St Just-in-Roseland, but these have now been abolished. Parishes in this registration district are: Cornelly, Cuby, Feock, Gerrans, Kea, Kenwyn, Ladock, Lamorran, Merther, Perranzabuloe, Philleigh, Probus, Ruan Lanihorne, St. Agnes, St. Allen, St. Anthony in Roseland, St. Clement, St. Erme, St. Feock, St. Just in Roseland, St. Michael Penkevil, Tregavethan, Tregony St. James, Truro St. Mary, Veryan.

The address of the Registration Office is: Dalvenie House, New County Hall, Truro, TR1 3AY.
Tel: 01872 322241.

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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).
• There is a website for St Agnes available.
• Photographs of St Agnes are available on-line.

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Directories

• Post Office 1856 Directory of St Agnes.
• Kelly's 1873 Directory of St Agnes.
• Kelly's 1889 Directory of St Agnes.
• Kelly's 1914 Directory of St Agnes.

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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..
• There is a genealogical website for the parish.

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Land & Property

• The parish and town tithe maps, and the 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.

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Maps

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

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Manors

• The parish contained the manors of Mithian and Tywarnhayle.

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Occupations

• Some information on the Tin Mines of St Agnes is available on-line. More information about Mines in St Agnes is also available.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• St Agnes parish was part of the Truro Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
• Overseers' Accounts 18241 to 1834 are available in the Cornwall Record Office

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Population

Up to 1971, population figures include Mount Hawke; from 1981, the figures for this parish was counted separately.

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Societies

• The St Agnes Museum Trust is open to anyone interested in the parish of St Agnes and its heritage. The Trust promotes the recording, preservation and display of the history of St Agnes and the conservation of historic sites within the parish. Members of the Trust receive a free copy of the Annual Journal, regular newsletters and notification of all meetings and activities. Membership details can be obtained from the Membership Secretary: Beryl Thomas, who can be contacted by e-mail.
• The St Agnes Old Cornwall Society News Page is on-line.

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Statistics

St Agnes comprises 8438 acres of land and 4 acres of water. Mount Hawke was created from part of parish 1847.

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