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Forrabury

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The parish of Forrabury (Cornish: Krugmeur) is situated in the Deanery of Trigg Minor and in the Hundred of Lesnewth. It is bounded on the north by the sea and St Juliot, on the east by Minster, and on the south and west by Trevalga. Forrabury is a very small parish (508 acres) and extends only one and a half miles inland. The western boundary runs from the coast at Grower Gut southwards just taking Welltown Manor. On the east side, the boundary between Forrabury and Minster follows the course of the western branch of the river Jordan, northwards to the coast past Paradise. The Jordan joins the River Valency in Boscastle before flowing out to sea.

This parish is on the north Cornish coast between the parishes of Trevalga and St Juliot. However, Forrabury parish become united with Minster by Act of Parliament in 1779. The parish contains the picturesque village and harbour of Boscastle which lie sheltered by the surrounding hills. The lower part of the village and harbour was badly damaged by severe flooding which occurred in August 2004.

The name 'Boscastle' is derived from Boterel's Castle, which has long since disappeared and is now marked by an empty mound. In the past the port handled a variety of cargoes, such as Lime, coals, and general merchandise, but is not used much today.

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)

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Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 698 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.
Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

  • 1841. The 1841 Census of Forrabury (HO107/140), Enumeration District 10, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1851. The 1851 Census of Forrabury (HO107/1898), Enumeration District 5, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1861. The 1861 Census of Forrabury (RG9/1515), Enumeration District 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1871.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of Forrabury (RG11/2272), Enumeration District 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Forrabury (RG12/1799), Enumeration District 5, 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 SX0990. It comprises a chancel, nave, north aisle, south transept, and vestry. The aisle is separated from the nave by an arcade of four segmental arches of Bath stone, supported on cylindrical monolith pillars of the same material. The first stage of the tower is added to the nave through a well-proprtioned loft arch. The tower is of three stages, and is finished with battlements and stump pinnacles. In consequence os somewhat exposed position of the church, the entrance to both church and tower is confined to a south porch.
    The church is located in the town of Boscastle and is supposedly dedicated to St Symphorian, who is a little known Saint in England, but many churches are dedicated to him in France. Perhaps he was familiar to the Bottreaux family who came over to England with William the Conqueror. He was a native of Autun, in Burgundy and was sentenced to death and beheaded in A.D 282 when he was still a young man for protesting against the worship of the goddess Cybele. He is commemorated on the 22nd of August.
    The mother church of Boscastle has been regarded as that inland at Minster; it was built on the isolated site of a former Priory. Forrabury church, is on a hill above Boscastle, and is actually nearer to the village. There are remains of the Norman Church which can be seen in the south wall of the nave and in the south transept, where a plain round arch is in evidence. The font is also of this age and has a strange change of design from one side to the other. In 1867, the church was almost completely re-built. (Before this the church was described as 'very ancient', and interesting structure being a dimly-lit cruciform Norman Church with a tower dating to 1760). The tower was renovated in 2004.
    The parish is now part of the Boscastle-with-Davidstow ecclesiastical parish.
  • Non-Conformist. There was a Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Boscastle.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records>
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Forrabury are: C026441, E026441, M026441. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1692 -1812.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1710 - 1987, Burials 1710 - 1930, Marriages 1710 - 1987, Boyd's Marriage Index 1611 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, BTs 1611 - 1673.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1710 to 1903 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD baptisms 1710 to 1842 for this parish and these are available for purchase on Parish Chest
  • Banns. Banns 1823 to 1900 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1611 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Marriages 1710 to 1812, 1814 to 1900 (parish transcripts), and Phillimore's marriages 1676 to 1812, for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD marriages 1710 to 1812 for this parish and these are available for purchase on Parish Chest
  • Burials.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book format.
    • Burials 1710 to 1903, and Bishop's Transcripts (BTs) of burials 1692 to 1804 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
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Civil Registration

Although originally in the Camelford Registration District, the parish of Forrabury 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.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Forrabury which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"FORRABURY, a parish in the hundred of Lesnewth, county Cornwall, 5 miles N.W. of Camelford, its post town. It is situated on the Bristol Channel, and includes part of the seaport town of Boscastle. Manganese and slate are obtained. It was once a place of more importance than at present, hut upon the destruction of the castles of Tintagel and Botreaux it rapidly declined. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, value £70. The church is dedicated to St. Simphorian and has an ancient cross. From this point there is an extensive marine view. There are charities of about £5 yearly value. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there is a National school. There are some good residences, of which Barn Park and Pevally House are the principal. J. R. Avery, Esq., is lord of the manor."

"BOSCASTLE, a village and small seaport, partly in the parish of Forrabury, partly in that of Minster, hundred of Lesnewth, in the county of Cornwall, 5 miles to the N. of Camelford. It is pleasantly situated on the spur of a lofty hill, and in part surrounded with orchards and gardens. It was formerly a market town, and the curious old market-house still exists, and is sometimes used; near it are the remains of an old ecclesiastical building formerly used as a chapel. The place derives its name, which is a corruption of Botreaux Castle, from a castle founded by the baronial family of Botreaux, who were settled here as early as the middle of the 12th century. The port is subordinate to Padstow, and the vessels belonging to it are engaged in the coasting trade, exporting corn, slate, and iron ore, and importing coals, timber, and general merchandise. The harbour is most romantic, being enclosed with high rocky eminences. The entrance has been compared with that to the harbour of Balaklava.

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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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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX097907 (Lat/Lon: 50.685018, -4.695507), Forrabury which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Forrabury parish was part of the Camelford Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
  • Overseers' Accounts (1719 to 1764, and 1824 to 1874) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
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Population

Minster parish became united with Forrabury in 1779 and Minster's population are therefore included.

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)

  • Population in 1801 - 140 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 212 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 223 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 358 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 354 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 375 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 366 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 360 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 304 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 310 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 329 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 313 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 775 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 692 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 684 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 658 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 691 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 755 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 829 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 888 persons
  • Population in 2011 - 838 persons
    (Forrabury and Minster)
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Statistics

The parish comprises 539 acres of land.