Hide

St Mewan

hide
Hide

St Mewan, (Cornish: Sen Mewen), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. It is bounded on the north and east by St Austell, on the south by St Ewe, and on the west by St Stephen-in-Brannel. This parish is on the western boundary of the town of St Austell; it is a parish composed of villages and detached residences on the high road to Truro. It is named after St Mewan, the Celtic saint who founded a monastery in Brittany (now St Meen). He is believed to have been an aristocrat of south-east Wales and related to St Samson.

The pricipal villages are: Sticker, Polgooth and Trewoon.

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)

Hide
topup

Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 661 entries.

topup

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:

topup

Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SW9951; it is dedicated to St Mewanus. The church of St Mewan is an ancient building supposed to date from the 13th century, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, north transept, south aisle with porch. The arcade consists of three four-centred arches of St Stephen's porcelain stone, with pillars of the same material. The tower of two stages, strongly buttressed on the square, with a low pyramidal roof of slate; it contains five bells, all recast in 1748. the stained east window was placed in 1874 in memory of F Stephens esq. of Hembal, and there are five other stained windows. There are various tablets commemorating, and tombs to, the families of Hocker, Oliver, Carws, Borlase and others. The church was thoroughly restored in 1854. The register dates from the year 1693.
    The parish is now part of the Team Ministry of Mevagissey and St Mewan. Details of the modern Anglican parish of St Mewan are on-line.

    A Mission Church was built at Sticker in 1876; details about the plans of this church are available on-line.
  • Non-Conformist. There were Wesleyan Methodist chapels at Trewoon, Sticker, and Polgooth; there is also a chapel for the United Methodist Free Church at Treloweth, which has an on-line website.
topup

Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for St Mewan are: C021781/2, E053231, M053231. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of the parish is 1607 - 1875.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1693 - 1978, Burials 1693 - 1962, Marriages 1693 - 1970, Boyd's Marriage Index 1607 - 1673, BTs 1607 - 1673.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1682 to 1770 (Bishop's transcripts), and 1813 to 1829 (parish transcripts), for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Parish Chest have published on CD, baptisms 1692 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Marriages.
    • Marriages 1682 to 1770 (Bishop's transcripts),and 1693 to 1711 and 1837 to 1906 (parish transcripts), for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1607 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
  • Burials.
topup

Civil Registration

The parish of St Mewan has been in the Registration District of St Austell continuously from 1st July 1837. There were sub-districts at Fowey, Grampound, Mevagissey and St Austell, but these have now been abolished. Parishes within the district are: Creed, Fowey, Gorran, Grampound, Mevagissey, Roche, St. Austell, St. Blazey, St. Dennis, St. Ewe, St. Mewan, St. Michael Carhays, St. Sampson, St. Stephen in Brannel, Tywardreath. The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: 12 Carlyon Road, St Austell, PL25 4LD. Tel: 01726 68974. Fax: 01726 68974.

topup

Description & Travel

    You can see pictures of St Mewan which are provided by:

    topup

    Gazetteers

    The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

    "ST. MEWAN, a parish in the hundred of East Powder, county Cornwall, 1 mile W. by S. of St. Austell. It contains the hamlets of Burganlo and Trewoon, and the celebrated tin mine of Polgooth, which is partly in this parish. The rocks are chiefly granite and felspar, with veins of copper and tin, and in some places traces of silver and gold. The village is considerable but primitive. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £276. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, value £284. The church is dedicated to St. Newan.

    topup

    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.
    • The OPC has put a genealogical webpage on-line.
    topup

    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 Mewan ecclesiastical parish:

    topup

    Maps

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW988531 (Lat/Lon: 50.343624, -4.82876), St Mewan which are provided by:

    topup

    Names, Personal

    The webpages of some St Mewan families. which are being researched are detailed on-line.

    topup

    Newspapers

    St. Mewan Parish News, from the West Briton newspaper, is available on-line.

    topup

    Poor Houses, Poor Law

    St Mewan parish was part of the St Austell Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

    topup

    Population

    • Population in 1801 - 780 persons
    • Population in 1811 - 626 persons
    • Population in 1821 - 1174 persons
    • Population in 1831 - 1306 persons
    • Population in 1841 - 1146 persons
    • Population in 1851 - 1234 persons
    • Population in 1861 - 1227 persons
    • Population in 1871 - 1078 persons
    • Population in 1881 - 1018 persons
    • Population in 1891 - 1018 persons
    • Population in 1901 - 1092 persons
    • Population in 1911 - 1158 persons
    • Population in 1921 - 1327 persons
    • Population in 1931 - 1337 persons
    • Population in 1951 - 1442 persons
    • Population in 1961 - 1460 persons
    • Population in 1971 - 1507 persons
    • Population in 1981 - 2527 persons
    • Population in 1991 - 2955 persons
    • Population in 2001 - 3071 persons
    • Population in 2011 - 3402 persons
    topup

    Statistics

    This parish comprises 2600 acres of land.