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St Blazey

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St Blazey, (Cornish: Lanndreth), or St Blaise, is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. It is bounded on the south and south-west by St Austell, on the north by Luxulyan, and on the east it is separated from Tywardreath by the River Par. The parish is named after Saint Blaise, and had been known as Landrayth until the 16th Century; various spellings of Landrayth such as Landrait may be found. The village lies on the main road to the east of St Austell. It is on the eastern edge of the china clay workings around St Austell and the village probably owes its existence to the industry. It is now a satellite village for workers from St Austell, and is closely linked to St Blazey Gate, which is that part of the parish on the western side towards St Austell. The parish is hilly with some woodland on the valley edges. The parish of Biscovey (Par) was formed out of St Blazey in 1847.

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 Records Office. The Cornwall FHS 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 SX0654 and was dedicated to St Blaise in 1440. It is situated on an eminence, near the south end of the town. The church is a building of granite, in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave of five bays, north and south aisles with the addition of a large school gallery at the west end. It has an embattled tower containing 3 bells, dated 1693, 1740, and 1771. The effigy of St. Blaize is in the chancel window in painted glass, preserved from the former church, and the festival of the Saint is still duly observed on Candlemass Day, (February 3rd); there is a good monument and a fine stained window to the Carlyons of Tregrehan. A monument to Henry Scobell, esq,. of Roselyon, who was the first treasurer and paymaster of the farm tin to Queen Anne, and to Anne, his wife, was erected in 1729; there is also an important genealogical inscription of great length to the Carlyon family; several of the windows are memorials. The church was thoroughly restored in 1839, under the direction of Messrs. Scott and Moffatt.
    Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
    There is a separate Anglican church at St Blazey Gate. The parish is now part of the Team Ministry of St Blazey with Par, and there is a parish website available.
  • Non-Conformist. There were Chapels for the Wesleyans, Free-Methodists, Primitive Methodists and Bible Christians, in the parish, as well as Leekseed Methodist Chapel, built in 1824.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
  • The register of baptisms dates from the year 1675; marriages and burials, 1663.
    The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1710 - 1970, Burials 1710 - 1945, Marriages 1710 - 1968, Boyd's Marriage Index 1608 - 1673, BTs 1608 - 1673.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials
  • Baptisms:
    • Baptisms 1688 to 1805 (Bishop's Transcripts) are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The OPC has produced a list of baptisms at St Blaise church 1710 to 1837.
    • The Parish Chest have published, on CD, baptisms 1710 to 1843 for this parish.
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published, on CD, baptisms 1710 to 1843 for this parish which can be purchased on Parish Chest
  • Marriages.
  • Burials.
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Civil Registration

The parish of St Blazey 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.

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Description & Travel

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

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"ST. BLAZEY, (or Blazey, St.), a parish in the eastern division of the hundred of Powder, in the county of Cornwall, 4 miles to the E. of St. Austell. It lies near the coast of the English Channel, on the banks of a small river which falls into the Bay of St. Austell, or Par Bay. The patron saint to whom the parish owes its name, and to whom the church is dedicated, is said to have landed at this spot. The district is rocky, the surface consisting chiefly of granite and slate. Tin and copper are abundant, and the inhabitants are mostly employed in working the mines. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Exeter, of the value of £120, in the patronage of Major Carlyon. The church is dedicated to St. Blaise, whose effigy it contains. It has also a monument to Henry Scobell, treasurer and paymaster of the farmtin in the reign of Queen Anne. There is also a district church at Par, or Biscovey, the living of which is a perpetual curacy value £150, in the patronage of the crown and the Bishop of Exeter alternately. There are chapels belonging to the Wesleyans, the Primitive and the Association Methodists. The parochial charities produce about £4 per annum. The principal seat in the vicinity is Tregrehan, a residence of Major Carlyon. Roselyon was the seat of the Kellios and Scobells, but is now only a farmhouse. This parish was the birthplace of the benevolent Ralph Allen, of Prior Park, near Bath, the original, as it is said, of Fielding's Allworthy, in "Tom Jones." He died in 1764.

"BISCOVEY, (or Par), a chapelry in the parish of St. Blazey, in the county of Cornwall, near St. Austell, its post town. The living is a perpetual curacy, value £150, in the patronage of the crown and bishop alternately.

"PAR-HARBOUR, a village in the parish of St. Blazey, county Cornwall, 4 miles S.W. of Lostwithiel, and 5 N.E. of St. Austle. It is a subport to Fowey.

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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.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX060542 (Lat/Lon: 50.355289, -4.728525), St Blazey which are provided by:

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Names, Personal

Wesley Johnston has produced a resource of St Blazey families. This resource contains some 795 families, and includes:

  • All baptisms in the register (the baptism register covers 3 Jan 1813 - 1 Dec 1829, plus three from 14 Feb 1836).
  • All marriages in the register (the marriage register covers 12 Apr 1813 - 25 Oct 1834, plus one from 1836 and one from 1837). The marriages have revealed several same-name couples, for whom he has undertaken a lot of extra work to make sure that they are as correct as he can make them:
    • BORLASE, Sampson and Elizabeth - both with daughters Elizabeth born 1835.
    • CORNELIUS, John and Mary.
    • ROBINS, Thomas with daughter,Jane.
    • STEPHENS, William and Elizabeth.
  • Burials for 1813-1821 (the burial register covers 14 Jul 1813 - 23 Nov 1839) - WORK STILL IN PROGRESS.
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Occupations

Apprenticeship Indentures for St Blazey (1784 to 1821 and 1882 to 1887) can be found in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • St Blazey parish was part of the St Austell Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
  • Overseers' Accounts (1765 to 1831, 1867 to 1869, 1745 to 1788) and Bastardy Bonds (1769, 1889) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.
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Population

The parish of Par was formed partially from this parish in 1847.

  • Population in 1801 - 467 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 442 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 938 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 2155 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 3234 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 3570 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 4175 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 3150 persons, plus 116 on shipping
  • Population in 1881 - 1733 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 2705 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 2931 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 3086 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 3146 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 3267 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 3357 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 3707 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 4608 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 2115 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 2335 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 6632 persons (St Blaise)
  • Population in 2011 - 6799 persons
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Statistics

The parish comprises 1792 acres of land, 2 acres of tidal water and 6 acres of foreshore.