St Germans

"ST. GERMANS, a parish and small market town in the S. division of the hundred of East, county Cornwall, 9 miles N.W. of Devonport, and 18 S. of Launceston. It is situated on Lynher Creek and the river Tidi, and is a station on the Cornwall line of railway. The parish includes the villages of Crafthole, Downderry, Hessenford, and Tideford. A priory appears to have been founded here in the early part of the 10th century, and in the following century it was made a bishop's see, afterwards annexed to Crediton. In the Domesday Survey it is called Abbytone. At the Dissolution the demesne of the priory was given to the Champernowne family, from whom it passed to the Eliots, who take from this place the title of Earl. It is the head of a Poor-law Union embracing 14 parishes, and of a superintendent registry. It is a subport to Plymouth, and returned two members to parliament till the passing of the Reform Bill, when it was disfranchised. Some of the people are employed in the fishery. Limestone and slate are obtained in various parts of the parish. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Exeter, value £150, in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. The church, dedicated to St. Germanus, is an ancient structure, for the most part in the Norman style of architecture, and probably belonged to the monastery. It has two fine towers, and contains monuments of the Eliot, Glanvill, and Scawen families, and an ancient stone font. There are also two district churches-viz: Hessenford and Tideford, both perpetual curacies,* of the respective values of £100 and £46, in the gift of the incumbent of the parish. The parochial endowments for education and almshouses produce about £14 per annum. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there are National and infant schools. Port Eliot, a fine mansion with good picture gallery, is the seat of the Earl of St. Germans, who is lord of the manor. Friday is market day, and fairs are held on 28th May for the sale of live stock, and 1st August for pleasure.

"HESSENFORD, a village in the parish of St. Germans, hundred of East, county Cornwall, 3 miles W. of St. Germans, and 18 S. of Launceston. It is situated on the river Seaton, near Lynhercreek, and is chiefly inhabited by fishermen. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Exeter, value £100, in the patronage of the Incumbent of St. Germans."

"PORT ELLIOT, the seat of the Earl of St. Germans, in the parish of St. Germans, hundred of East, county Cornwall, 1 mile from St. Germans, and 18 miles S. of Launceston. It is situated on the river Tidi, near Lynher creek, and includes part of the old priory founded by King Athelstan. In the mansion are preserved "Bel and the Dragon," by Rembrandt, also portraits of Locke, Hampden, Rubens, and several of the Elliots by Reynolds."

"TIDIFORD, a village and chapelry in the parish of St. Germans, county Cornwall, 2 miles from St. Germans, on the Tidi, a branch of the river Lynher."