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Mawgan In Meneage

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The parish of Mawgan-in-Meneage, (Cornish: Sen Mowgan), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Kerrier, and is so denominated to distinguish it from Mawgan in Pydar Hundred. It is bounded on the north by Wendron and the Helford estuary which separates it from Constantine, on the east by St Martin-in-Meneage, on the south by Cury and on the west by Gunwalloe.

St Meugan was venerated in south-west Wales and also in Brittany, where he was known as Maugan or Mogan. Meneage is believed to be a derivation of 'monk'. Mawgan is an Attractive village in south-west Cornwall between the Helford River and Gunwalloe. There are memorials in the church to the influential Vyvyan family.

Three noble Cornish families, the Roskymers, Carminowes, and Vyvyans, were once settled in this parish. Only the latter remains (1894). Their seat is a fine old castellated building with a chapel, called Trelowarren. The family of Vyvyan dates from the time of Edward VI. In the civil wars they attached themselves with the most devoted loyalty to the royal cause, and suffered severely from the Parliamentary forces. In testimony to the eminent services of Sir Rd. Vyvyan, then the head of the family, there hangs in there house a large painting, by Vandyke, of King Charles I on horseback, presented to the family by Charles II. Another Sir Richard Vyvyan, a lineal descendent of this brave old cavalier, was imprisoned in the tower by George I, on suspicion of being concerned in favouring the design of the Pretender. Still another Sir Richard Vyvyan died at Trelowarren on August 15th, 1879. He was a Tory of the old school, and represented Bristol in Parliament after the passage of the Reform Bill in 1832 until the dissolution of 1837. In 1841 he was returned as Member for Helston, which borough he continued to represent up to 1857, when he finally retired from public life. (The Vyvyans still live at Trelowarren at the beginning of the 21st century). At Mawgan Cross, in this parish, is a very old stone, with an inscription in Cornish, which has been thus interpreted "What lieth here is not the soul.

At Gear, Gweek Wood and Carvallock, are remains of extensive earthworks. On Goonhilly Downs, which extends into this parish, are many barrows, in which have been found coins and weapons of war. A "fogou" or cave exists at Trelowarren near the entrance to an ancient entrenchment, the remains of which can still be traced. This parish was well wooded, and the walks and drives along and about the Helford River are scarely to be equalled for variety and picturesque beauty in the county. Numerous Roman coins have from time to time been found in this parish."

The Churchtown is the chief village of the parish.

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

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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 Mawgan-in-Meneage (HO107/138), Enumeration Districts 8 to 11, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1851.
    • The 1851 Census of Mawgan-in-Meneage (HO107/1912), Enumeration Districts 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, 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; Mawgan-in-Meneage is listed in Volume 32. 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 Mawgan-in-Meneage (RG9/1572), Enumeration Districts 8 to 11, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1871. The 1871 Census of Mawgan-in-Meneage (RG10/2304), Enumeration Districts 8 to 11, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of Mawgan-in-Meneage (RG11/2323), Enumeration District 8 to 11, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Mawgan-in-Meneage (RG12/1840), Enumeration Districts 8 to 11, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.

The OPC will undertake look-ups for this parish.

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Church History

  • Anglican. A history of the parish church is available. It is located in OS Grid Square SW7025
    The church is dedicated to St Mawgan (Mauganus. It comprises a chancel, nave, north aisle, north transeptal recess, south transept, and vestry. The arcade consists of seven four-centred arches with monolith pillars; the material is porcelain stone, probably coming from the neighbouring parish of Germoe. The entrances are a south porch, a priest's door, a vestry door, and the Trelowarren pew door (for the Vyvyan family). The tower is of three stages and is finished with battlements and pinnacles. The belfry contains three bells.
    In the church is a stone effigy of a recumbent crusader, one of the Carminowes, and in the north aisle are hung the helmet and sword used by Sir R. Vyvyan in the Civil Wars.
    The neighbouring parish of St Anthony became a united benefice with Manaccan by an order in council dated 15 February 1916. St Martin was added to this benefice by another order in council dated 22 December 1982, since when Mawgan has been added. The Rectory of Mawgan now forms one benefice with these parishes.
  • Non-Conformist. There was a chapel for the Wesleyan Methodists in the Churchtown; there were also chapels for the United Methodist Free Church at Garras and Bowgyhere.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Mawgan-in-Meneage are: C020931, C053571/2. These are searchable by surname. Marriages are not available.
    • This parish is NOT believed to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI), the coverage of which for this parish is 1559 - 1875.
    • Parish Registers - LDS Films. Researchers can order the following parish registers on Microfilm, for viewing at LDS Family History Centres:
      • Baptisms 1559-1959, Marriages 1563-1756 and Burials 1662-1665 & 1810-1890. - Film No: 226169.
      • Marriages 1754-1959, Banns 1754-1812, Burials 1813-1959 - Film No: 254168.
      • Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1559-1812, Marriages 1754-1812, Baptisms 1813-1837, Marriages 1813-1837, Burials 1813-1858, Baptisms 1837-1900, Marriages 1837-1900, Burials 1858-1900, Banns 1886-1900 Film No: 1595967.
        • Transcript of Parish Register 1559-1837 and Bishop's transcripts 1663-1665. - Film No: 916949 item 3.
        • Parish Register Printouts baptisms 1559-1640 - Film No: 933393 Item 8.
        • Parish Register Printouts baptisms 1559-1837 - Film No: 1037037 Item 4.
        • Parish Register Printouts baptisms 1559-1875 - Film No: 472768 Item 4.
        • Parish Register Printouts baptisms 1559-1875 (2nd filming) - Film No: 1145613 Item 2.
      • Bishops Transcripts. Baptisms, marriages and burials, 1681 to 1773. - Film No: 90258 Item 6.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1559 - 1914, Burials 1559 - 1918, Marriages 1563 - 1971, Boyd's Marriage Index 1563 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1800 - 1812.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials
  • Parish Registers - General. The following Parish Registers survive:
    • Baptisms - 1559 to 1959. The OPC can undertake 'Lookups' - 1695 to 1841.
    • Marriages - 1563 to 1959. The OPC can undertake 'Lookups' - 1563 to 1812.
    • Burials - 1559 to 1959.
    • Bishops Transcripts for this parish comprise:
      • Baptisms - 1663 to 1773.
      • Marriages - 1663 to 1773.
      • Burials - 1663 to 1773.
  • Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
  • On-line Parish Records.
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Civil Registration

The parish of Mawgan-in-Meneage was originally in the Helston Registration District; there were sub-districts at Breage, Crowan, Helston, St Keverne and Wendron. It is now in the Kerrier Registration District. Parishes in this registration district are: Breage, Crowan, Cury, Germoe, Gunwalloe, Grade, Helston, Landewednack, Manaccan, Mawgan in Meneage, Mullion, Ruan Major, Ruan Minor, St. Anthony in Meneage, St. Keverne, St. Martin in Meneage, Sithney, Wendron.

The address of the Registration Office is: The Willows, Church Street, Helston, TR13 8NJ.
Tel: 01326 562848.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Mawgan In Meneage which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"MAWGAN-IN-MENEAGE, a parish in the hundred of Kerrier, county Cornwall, 4 miles S.E. of Helston, its post town. The parish, which is situated near the head of Hefford Creek, under the Goonhilly-Downs, comprises a portion of the small port of Gweek. There are several barrows in which coins, urns, &c., have been found. The soil is light, with a subsoil of gravel, marl, and rock. From Point Downs a view is commanded over the valley of Mawgan, with a branch of the small river Hel. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £600. The living is a rectory* annexed to that of St. Martin in Heneage, in the diocese of Exeter, value £910. The church, dedicated to St. Mawgan, is an ancient stone structure with a tower containing three bells. The interior of the church contains a cross of great antiquity, also monuments of the Vyvyan and Carminow families. There is a National school for girls, in which a Sunday-school is also held for both sexes. There are two chapels for Association Methodists, and one each for Wesleyans and Baptists. Trelowarren, about 1 mile distant, is the residence of Sir Richard R. Vyvyan, Bart., who is lord of the manor and principal landowner. It was erected in 1644, with a splendidly decorated chapel annexed. A feast day occurs on the nearest Sunday to November Il. Fairs are held on the first Tuesday after Lady Day, second Tuesday in August, and first Tuesday in December, for cattle."

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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.
    • There is a genealogical website for the parish.
  • Persons living in a parish but born elsewhere are known as "Strays". Strays found in Mawgan-in-Meneage in the 1861 Census are available on-line.
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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 Mawgan-in-Meneage ecclesiastical parish:

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW693240 (Lat/Lon: 50.071138, -5.224718), Mawgan In Meneage which are provided by:

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Occupations

Apprenticeship Indentures for Mawgan-in-Meneage (1772 - 1835) can be found in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Mawgan-in-Meneage parish was part of the Helston Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
  • Overseers' Accounts (1793 to 1827, 1833 to 1837), Settlement Papers (1755 to 1829) and Bastardy records are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
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Population

  • Population in 1801 - 785 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 800 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 1050 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 1094 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 1084 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 1010 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 895 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 853 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 861 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 752 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 713 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 690 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 720 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 633 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 2042 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 1644 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 1467 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 1845 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 1565 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 1117 persons
  • Population in 2011 - 1110 persons
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Statistics

The parish comprises 5453 acres of land.