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Menheniot

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Menheniot, (Cornish: Mahunyes), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of East. It is bounded on the north by St Cleer and St Ive, on the east by Quethiock and St Germans, on the south and west by Morval and Liskeard. The parish of Menheniot lies east of the town of Liskeard. The parish is intersected on the south side by the River SEATON, and bounded on the north by the river Tidi. In a Valor of Pope Nicholas circa 1291, the name of this parish is written as Manhunyhet. At one time there was an Iron Foundry at Roseland Vale; part of this later became a sawmill, and part a flour mill.

The village of Menheniot is about two miles south-east of Liskeard close to the A38 and main railway line to the west of Cornwall. The area is a pleasant one with fertile soil, and is renowned for the quality of slate which has been quarried here for hundreds of years. The discovery of lead at Menheniot in 1843 caused a minor boom in mining and the population doubled in a very short time. The enormous social consequences for the village were matched only by the dramatic physical change, with massive engine houses soon dominating the skyline. By the 1870s the boom had collapsed, the miners sought pastures new and the village reverted to its agricultural life that we know today.

The principle villages are Menheniot, Crift Cottages, Pengover Green, and Merrymeet.

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

Memorial inscriptions for this parish have not yet been published.

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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:

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Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX2862 and is dedicated to St Lalluwy. It comprises a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, and a vestry. The south arcade consists of five obtuse arches supported on monolith granite pillars; the north have five four-centred arches on simlar pillars. There are north and south porches and a priest's door. The tower is 44 feet 7 inches in height, is strongly buttressed on the square and surmounted with a spire. The belfry contains five bells.
    There is also a Mission church at Merrymeet.
  • Non-Conformist. There were Wesleyan Methodist chapels at Menheniot Village and Trengrove; a United Methodist Free Church chapel in Menheniot village, and a Bible Christian chapel, built in 1850, at Pengover Green.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Menheniot are: C052911, C022821. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1554 - 1837; it is NOT believed to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1554 - 1944, Burials 1554 - 1924, Marriages 1554 - 1981, Boyd's Marriage Index 1554 - 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.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms in this parish 1677 to 1773 (Bishop's transcripts), and 1554 to 1911 (parish transcripts) are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Parish Chest have published on CD, baptisms 1740 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Banns. Banns 1786 to 1793 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Marriages.
    • Callington Area Heritage Centre (broken link) have placed on-line marriage records for Menheniot parish 1813 to 1837.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1554 to 1837, which is available in CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Phillimore's marriages 1554 to 1812, Bishop's transcripts 1677 to 1805, and parish transcripts 1554 to 1911, for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • Phillimore's Marriages of Menheniot 1554 to 1812 are separately available on-line from UK Genealogy Archives.
  • Burials.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in CD or Book formats.
    • Burials in this parish (1554 to 1911) are available on-line through the OPC Search Facility - (C-PROP).
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Civil Registration

The parish of Menheniot has always been 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

    You can see pictures of Menheniot which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

    "MENHENIOT, (or Menhynnet), a parish in the middle division of the hundred of East, county Cornwall, 2½ miles S.E. of Liskeard, its post town. It is a station on the Cornwall and West Cornwall railway. The village is wholly agricultural. Menheniot formerly belonged to the Carminows, and had a Lepers' hospital, and a seat of Richard Earl of Cornwall, at Tenereck. The surface is hilly, bat the soil is exceedingly fertile. The lower grounds are watered by two small rivers. Copper and tin are found, but not worked at present. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Exeter, value £804, in the patronage of the dean and chapter. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient stone structure, with a spired tower. The parochial charities produce about £12 per annum, which goes to a school. There are National schools for both sexes, also an infant school. William ,of Wykeham was once vicar of this parish. Joseph Hambly, Esq., is lord of the manor. Fairs are held on 23rd April, 11th June, and 28th July 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.
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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 Menheniot ecclesiastical parish:

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    Maps

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX291638 (Lat/Lon: 50.448841, -4.408377), Menheniot which are provided by:

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    Occupations

    • Information about the Caradon and Liskeard Mines is available on-line.
    • Apprenticeship Indentures for Menheniot (1803 - 1835 register) can be found in the Cornwall Record Office.
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    Poor Houses, Poor Law

    • Menheniot parish was part of the Liskeard Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
    • Overseers' Accounts (1674 to 1714,1726 to 1760, 1808 to 1819) and Settlement Papers (1787) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
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    Population

    • Population in 1801 - 918 persons
    • Population in 1811 - 1024 persons
    • Population in 1821 - 1170 persons
    • Population in 1831 - 1253 persons
    • Population in 1841 - 1224 persons
    • Population in 1851 - 1944 persons
    • Population in 1861 - 2423 persons
    • Population in 1871 - 2205 persons
    • Population in 1881 - 1373 persons
    • Population in 1891 - 1191 persons
    • Population in 1901 - 1183 persons
    • Population in 1911 - 1126 persons
    • Population in 1921 - 1064 persons
    • Population in 1931 - 1062 persons
    • Population in 1951 - 1073 persons
    • Population in 1961 - 1095 persons
    • Population in 1971 - 1173 persons
    • Population in 1981 - 1295 persons
    • Population in 1991 - 1515 persons
    • Population in 2001 - 1605 persons
    • Population on 2011 - 1655 persons
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    Religion & 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 Menheniot are available on-line.

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    Statistics

    The parish comprises 6987 acres of land and 15 acres of water.