Cornwall

Nearby places

St Breward

St Breward, (Cornish: Havosti), commonly called Simonward, is situated in the Hundred of Trigg and Deanery of Trigg Minor. It is bounded on the north by Advent and St Clether, on the east by Altarnun, on the south by Blisland and St Mabyn, and on the west by St Tudy and Michaelstow. The parish is named after St Breueredus. The parish is often referred to as Simonward and this is possibly a corruption of the saint's name.

The village of St Breward boasts the highest Church in Cornwall at about 700ft above sea-level, and is well known for granite and china clay quarries. Within the parish lie two of Cornwall's best known landmarks: Roughtor and Brown Willy. St Breward is also famous for its granite. It had three quarries: Tordown, Hantergantic and De Lank. Moorland Granite has been used for centuries to build local houses and churches, and stone from the De Lank Quarry was used for important and famous landmarks, such as the Eddystone Lighthouse (1882), the Beachy Head Lighthouse (1900) and London's Tower Bridge (1890). The river De Lank rises and passes through the parish; it is a tributary of the river Camel.

The villages of the parish are the Churchtown, Treswallock, and Higher and Lower Lank.

Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 446 entries.

Return to top of page

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 Breward (HO107/152), Enumeration Districts 5 and 6, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1851.
  • The 1851 Census of St Breward (HO107/1898), Enumeration Districts 7a and 7b, 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; St Breward 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 St Breward (RG9/1516), Enumeration District 5 and 6, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1871.
  • The 1871 Census of St Breward (RG10/2220), Enumeration Districts 5 and 6, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of St Breward (RG11/2273), Enumeration Districts 5 and 6, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of St Breward (RG12/1800), Enumeration District 9, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.

  Return to top of page

  Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX0977 and was dedicated to St Brueredus in 1278, although it is not clear by whom. By the middle of the 19th century, the church had fallen into a considerable state of decay. In 1863 the church was re-roofed and the walls rebuilt and replastered as necessary.
    The church comprises a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, and a north transept and a vestry. The south arcade has five obtuse granite arches, supported on pillars of the same material; the north arcade has five segmental arches supported on circular piers with cushion capitals. This arcade is purely Norman, and one half of it it constructed of Caen stone. The tower is of three stages, embattled with stump crocketed pinnacles.
    Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
  • Non-Conformist. The Wesleyans and Bible Christians both had chapels here.

  Return to top of page

  Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for St Breward are: E017301, M017301, P017301. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1558 - 1875.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1558 - 1917, Burials 1558 - 1893, Marriages 1558 - 1850, Boyd's Marriage Index 1558 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1813 - 1937.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1868 to 1911 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD baptisms (1863 to 1900) of the Camelford United Methodist Circuit. Areas include: Camelford, Boscastle, Tintagel, St Gennys, St Teath, St Kew, St Minver, St Mabyn, Michaelstow, St Endellion, Altarnun, St Breward, St Tudy, Advent, Lanteglos, Minster and Wadebridge.
    • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1836 to 1900) of the Camelford Wesleyan Circuit. Areas include: Camelford, Advent, St Teath, Lanteglos, St Breward, Wadebridge, Boscastle, Port Isaac, St Breock, St Minver, St Endellion and St Mabyn.
    • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, baptisms (1869 to 1900) of the Michaelstow Bible Christian Circuit. The Circuit covers Michaelstow, Blisland, St Teath, Minster, Advent, Tintagel, St Breward, Forrabury, Lanteglos, St Endellion, Trevalga, St Neot, Temple, St Minver, Altarnun, Lesnewth, St Tudy, Davidstow, and Camelford.
    • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, burials (1805 to 1900) of the Camelford Wesleyan Chapel. The area covers Camelford, Michaelstow, St Teath, Minster, Tintagel, St Juliot, Blisland, St Breward, Forrabury, Advent, Trevalga, St Kew, Lanteglos and St Endellion.
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1558 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Marriages 1558 to 1812 (Phillimore's) and 1837 to 1911 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Burials.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1818 to 1837, which is available in Book format.
    • Burials 1893 to 1911 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).

  Return to top of page

  Civil Registration

  Although originally in the Camelford Registration District, the parish of St Breward 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.

  Return to top of page

  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 St Breward are available on-line.
  • A website describing the parish is available.

  Return to top of page

  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.
  • Mailing Lists. There is a mailing list for anyone with a genealogical and or historical interest in Bodmin Moor and its surrounding villages. Villages covered are: Advent (Tresinney), Alternun, Blisland, Bodmin, Boventor, Camelford (Lanteglos), Cardinham, Davidstow, Egloshayle, Helland, Laneast, Lanteglos by Camelford, Launceston, Lewannick, Liskeard, Michaelstow, North Hill, St Breward, St Breock, St Cleer, St Clether, St Mabyn, St Neot, St Tudy, Temple, Tresinney, Trewen, Wadebridge (Egloshayle & St Breock), and Warleggan. This list is in support of the OnLine Parish Clerk system. You can also subscribe to the ENG-CON-BODMINMOOR-L for the List version, or ENG-CON-BODMINMOOR-D (digest) for the Digest version.

  Return to top of page

  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 St Breward ecclesiastical parish:
  • Hamatethy (Hamotedi), Grid Reference 099785.

  Return to top of page

  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 town; it is now available from the Cornwall Record Office. Details are on their website.

  Return to top of page

  Maps

  • Map of the Camelford Registration District in which the parish originally lay.
  • An old map of the parish of St Breward in the 19th century is also available.

  Return to top of page

  Occupations

  • Information about the Caradon and Liskeard Mines is available on-line.

  Return to top of page

  Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

  St Breward parish was part of the Camelford Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

  Return to top of page

  Population

  Population in 1801 - 513 persons Population in 1811 - 506 persons Population in 1821 - 554 persons Population in 1831 - 627 persons Population in 1841 - 724 persons Population in 1851 - 627 persons Population in 1861 - 705 persons Population in 1871 - 815 persons Population in 1881 - 728 persons Population in 1891 - 779 persons

  Population in 1901 - 863 persons Population in 1911 - 845 persons Population in 1921 - 862 persons Population in 1931 - 881 persons Population in 1951 - 809 persons Population in 1961 - 762 persons Population in 1971 - 776 persons Population in 1981 - 735 persons Population in 1991 - 885 persons Population in 2001 - 880 persons

  Return to top of page

  Religion and 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 St Breward are available on-line.

  Return to top of page

  Statistics

  The parish comprises 9415 acres of land and 20 acres of water.

  Return to top of page

  ---

  Find Help, report problems, or contribute information.
  GENUKI is a registered trade mark of the charitable trust GENUKI. Copyright © GENUKI 2001-2008
  [Last updated: 7th July 2008 - Ian Argall]
  
  

  Are you lost in the GENUKI hierarchy or arrived here from a Search Engine?
  If so, use the up-arrow(s) at the top of the page to go up the hierarchy.

  Copyright and Disclaimer The information on the GENUKI (www.genuki.org.uk) website must not be used for commercial purposes, and all specific restrictions concerning usage, copyright notices, etc., that are to be found on individual information pages within GENUKI must be strictly adhered to. Violation of these rules could gravely harm the cooperation that GENUKI is obtaining from many information providers, and hence threaten its whole future. Whilst we take every care to keep the information on our web pages accurate, we disclaim any warranty or representation, express or implied about its accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for a particular purpose. Thus, you assume full responsibility for its use, and you understand and agree that neither GENUKI as an organisation nor any of its maintainers or providers are responsible or liable for any claim, loss or damage as a consequence. GENUKI contains many hyperlinks and directives to sites developed by others. They are provided for your convenience only. We do not control nor guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of such sites, and in the event of a link to such a site being 'broken', or otherwise unavailable, our only recourse is to remove that link. Thank you for your cooperation. GENUKI is a registered trademark of the charitable trust GENUKI - see About GENUKI as an Organisation.