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St Erth

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"ST. ERTH, a parish in the hundred of Penwith, county Cornwall, 5 miles N.E. of Penzance. It is situated to the S. of St. Ive's Bay, on the river Heyle, across which there is a bridge. The copper and tin mines afford employment to the people. Iron-founders' moulding sand is also obtained here. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Exeter, value £249, in the patronage of the dean and chapter. The church is about five centuries old. It is dedicated to St. Erth, and contains several monuments and brasses. The charities, including a small school endowment, produce about £10 per annum. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there is a National school for both sexes. In the neighbourhood are some remains of crosses, a chapel, and a camp.

"BOSWIDDY, a hamlet in the parish of St. Erth, hundred of Penwith, in the county of Cornwall, 7 miles to the N.E. of Penzance. It is situated on the river Hayle, near its mouth."

"HAYLE, (or Hale), a small seaport in the parishes of St. Erth and Phillack, hundred of Penwith, county Cornwall, 4 miles S.E. of St. Ives. It is a station on the Cornwall railway, and has communication with Bristol by steamboat. Vessels of 200 tons burthen can enter the harbour at spring tides, and there are commodious wharfs and canals with flood-gates; also two fixed lights, put up in 1840, which are visible for 6 miles. The trade of the port is chiefly in the exportation of copper ore to Wales and tin to Bristol, and in the importation of coal, timber, and other articles for the use of the mines, and of groceries, &c., from Bristol. The village, which is a subport to St. Ives, is situated on the Bristol Channel, at the grand causeway across the Hayle river, 1,040 feet in length. The smelting and refining of copper were formerly carried on to a very great extent, but have recently been discontinued, owing to the scarcity of coal, and the ore is exported in its crude state. There are still extensive tin, iron, and brass foundries, and works where the finest steam-engines for the use of the mines are constructed.