Cornwall

Nearby places

Talland

The parish of Talland, (Cornish: Tallann), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of West; it is bounded on the north by Pelynt and Duloe, on the east by the estuary of the River Duloe which separates it from St Martin's-by-Looe, on the south by the English Channel, and on the west by Lansallos and Pelynt. Talland is located on the south coast of Cornwall at the head of Talland Bay, between Polperro to the west, and West Looe to east, and surrounded by beautiful cliff scenery. A short distance to the north is the village of Pelynt. According to O.J.Padel, the name is probably derived from tal-lann, meaning a 'hill-brow church site'. The Saint Talland, to whom the church is dedicated, was an invention of the 15th century. Despite its peaceful appearance today it has many stories of smugglers and shipwrecks in the past. One Parson Dodge who was involved in smuggling in the 18th century kept the lanes clear at night by spreading tales of demons and ghosts. John Bevill, sheriff of Cornwall in the 16th century, lived at the nearby former manor house of Killigarth.

The main town of the parish is Polperro. The town of Polperro itself used to be divided between the two parishes of Lansallos and Talland by the River Pol,though in 1875 the boundaries were re-drawn and the whole of Polperro is now entirely within Talland ecclesiastical parish.

Cemeteries

• The Cornwall Family History Society have published Monumental Inscriptions on-line for:
  • The Parish Church - 1032 entries.
  • Sclerder Abbey (Roman Catholic) - 163 entries.
• Some gravestones from Talland are available.
• A picture of the War Memorial in Polperro is available on-line.

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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 Talland (HO107/153) Enumeration Districts 9 and 10, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1851. The 1851 Census of Talland & Polperro (HO107/1903), Enumeration Districts 6a and 6b, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1861. The 1861 Census of Talland (RG9/1531), Enumeration Districts 6 and 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1871. The 1871 Census of Talland (RG10/2242), Enumeration Districts 6 and 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1881. The 1881 Census of Talland (RG11/2287), Enumeration Districts 6, 7 and 8 [Looe Island], is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1891. The 1891 Census of Talland (RG12/1812), Enumeration Districts 6 and 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.

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Church History

• Anglican. There are two Anglican churches in Talland parish:
  • Parish Church. The Talland parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX2251 and was dedicated to St Tallanus. St. Tallanus was the name of the hermit who made his home here sometime in the fifth century AD. The name "Talland" is thought to be derived from this name, although it is suggestive also of the Cornish "Tal Lan" which means the Holy Place (lan) on the brow of the hill (tal). As the Church is on the side rather than the brow of the hill, this may be just coincidence.
    The church consists of a chancel, nave, south aisle called Killygarth aisle, and a north transept. In the course of the summer of 1848, the church was extensively renovated. The arcade consists of six four-centred arches supported on monolith granite pillars. There is a south porch and a transept or vestry door. The porch has two lateral entrances, the southern end being attached to the tower, to which is forms a covered way. The tower has three stages and is 55 feet in height, its south wall resting on a rock 25 feet above the level of the church. It is buttressed and embattled, and the belfry contains six bells.
    Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line. Further information on Talland Church is available.
  • Polperro. St. John the Baptist Church is located in Polperro (OS Grid Square SX2050); as its name implies, it is dedicated to St John the Baptist. It was built in 1838 by the then Rector of Lansallos, to enable the villagers, and particularly the fishing community, to have easier access to worship. This church was built on a plot of land clinging to the valley side, and is reached by climbing Little Laney, a fairly steep but mercifully short path from Lansallos Street. The church seats just under a hundred people, although it has held far more than that for some services.
    Between 1812 and 1813 a fraudster came as curate at Talland, and performed services illegally. When the news of the former curate's real identity reached Polperro, there was considerable consternation for he had officiated at many baptisms, marriage ceremonies and funerals during his time at Talland. Seven couples who had been married by the bogus curate came back to be married again, fearing their first ceremony had been invalid and they were 'living in sin'. The parents of eight babies baptised by the 'Rev. Mr. Whitmore' between July and November 1812 brought them back to be baptised afresh. (The vicar, Nicholas Kendall, wrote a note in the Talland parish register explaining the double entries: "..it being suspected that Mr. Whitmore, the late curate of this parish, was not a minister of the Church of England."). The full story of this situation is available on-line.
• Non-Conformist. It is currently not clear what the arrangements in Talland were for Non-Conformists.

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Church Records

• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for Talland are: C053261, E053261, P020991, M053261. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage for this parish is 1617 - 1837.
• The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1653 - 1882, Burials 1653 - 1978, Marriages 1653 - 1988, Boyd's Marriage Index 1617 - 1673, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, BTs 1617 - 1673, Non-Conformist records 1818 - 1837.
• The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
  • 1813-37 Marriages.
  • 1813-37 Burials.
• Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
• Baptisms.
  • Baptisms 1685 to 1773 (BTs with gaps), and 1813 to 1911, in this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Baptisms for the Polperro Wesleyan Church 1818 to 1837 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility (C-PROP).
  • Pallot's Baptism Index (1780-1837) of Talland parish is on-line courtesy of Ancestry.com. However, the link requires a subscription to Ancestry.
  • The Parish Chest have published on CD baptisms 1735 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, records of the Liskeard Bible Christian Circuit. These comprise baptisms (1837 to 1863). The areas cover Liskeard, St Ive, St Cleer, Altarnun, Menheniot, St Neot, Broadoak, Talland and certain other parishes.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, records of the Liskeard Wesleyan Circuit. These comprise baptisms 1834 to 1900. The areas cover Liskeard, Boconnoc, Broadoak, Callington, Linkinhorne, Looe, Menheniot, Morval, Pelynt, Quethiock, St Germans, St Ive, St Martins, St Neot, St Pinnock, St Veep, St Winnow, South Hill and Talland.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, records of the Looe Bible Christian Circuit. These comprise baptisms 1848 to 1900. The areas cover Looe, St Keyne, St Pinnock, Lansallos, Talland St Veep, Duloe, Liskeard, Lanreath, Boconnoc, Pelynt, St Martins, and Polperro.
• Banns. Banns 1824 to 1910 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
• Marriages.
  • Callington Area Heritage Centre have placed on-line marriage records for Talland parish 1813 to 1837.
  • Marriages 1685 to 1773 (BTs) and 1837 to 1911 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.
  • Pallot's Marriage Index (1780-1837) of Talland parish is on-line courtesy of Ancestry.com. However, the link requires a subscription to Ancestry.
• Burials.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book format.
  • Burials 1685 to 1773 (Bishops transcripts), and 1672 to 1936 (parish registers), in this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (CPROP).

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Civil Registration

The parish of Talland was in the Liskeard Registration District. There were sub-districts at Callington, Lerrin, Liskeard and Looe, but these closed in the 1930's. Parishes within the district are: Boconnoc, Broadoak, Callington, Calstock (1837-60), Duloe, East Looe, Lanreath, Lansallos, Lanteglos, Linkinhorne, Liskeard, Liskeard Borough, Menheniot, Morval, Pelynt, St. Cleer, St. Dominick, St. Ive, St. Keyne, St. Martin's, St. Neot, St. Pinnock, St. Veep, Southill, Talland and West Looe. The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: Graylands, Dean Street, Liskeard, PL14 4AH. Tel: 01579 343442.

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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 Talland are available on-line.
• Some additional information and more photographs of Talland Bay are also available.

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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.
• Polperro Families. Because of its isolated situation, the indigenous families living within the two parishes, Talland and Lansallos, tended to inter-marry among themselves until the 19th century thus making it easier for family historians to trace their Polperro ancestors. In addition, a remarkable record of over 50 Polperro family pedigrees was compiled at the beginning of the 20th century by a local historian, Frank Perrycoste. A copy of his work is now deposited with the Polperro Heritage Museum; extracts can be viewed on microfiche and copies obtained.
• Compiled information on local families is available on-line.

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History

A webpage giving short histories of all the most famous and celebrated people of Polperro is available on-line.

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Historical Geography

• Kilminorth (Gluinauuit, Clvnewic), Grid Reference 234539.
• Porthallow (Portatlant), Grid Reference 225518.

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Maps

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

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• Talland parish was part of the Liskeard Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
• Overseers' Accounts (1695 to 1784) are availabe in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Population

Talland civil parish was abolished 1934; the area was distributed between Looe and Lansallos parishes.

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Statistics

The parish comprised 2569 acres of land.

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Societies

The Polperro Family History Society has recently been formed. Members of the Society have special access to the exclusive Members' area on thier website which include a Message Board for exchanging information and contact details for other members. In addition, the Society publishes a Journal for members twice a year. The first issue, published in October 2002, contained a number of articles about Polperro families, a contact list and other useful information.

A Membership Application Form is available. For further details, you can email the Society.

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