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St Wenn

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The parish of St Wenn, (Cornish: Sen Gwenna), is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Pydar. It is bounded on the north by St Issey and St Breock, on the east by Withiel, on the south by Roche, and on the west by St Columb Major. St Wenna was believed to be the daughter of the Welsh king Broccan. The parish is in an agricultural area in the middle of Cornwall between St Austell and Padstow. To the north is the moorland area of St Breock Downs, which in prehistoric times was an overland route from the port of Padstow to the south coast. That area of St Breock Downs, which is within this parish, rises to a height of 739 feet. A tall monolith, known as the Great Stone, is the parish boundary.

Villages are the Churchtown, Tregonetha, and Rosnannon.

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

The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for:

  • The Parish Church - 139 entries.
  • Tregonetha Methodist Chapel - 19 entries.
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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 SW9664 and was dedicated to St Wenna. It comprises a chancel (which was rebuilt in 1823), nave, and north and south aisles. The arcades each comprise three depressed four-centred arches supported on monolith pillars; the material is St Stephens porcelain stone. The chief entrance is a south porch; a north door and a west door to the north aisle are blocked up. The tower only consists of two stages; a third was destroyed by lightning in 1663. It is of massive proportions and superior workmanship showing that it once was a noble structure. It is buttressed on the square. The belfry contained five bells.
    A chapel at Carenzawatha was dedicated to St Mary Magdalane; it was destroyed in the Civil War and only some slight remains are now evident.
  • Non-Conformist. There were Bible Christian chapels at Tregonetha and Rosnannon; the Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel at Rosnannon.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for St Wenn are: C053481, C021582, P021581. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1608 - 1875.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1706 - 1865, Burials 1706 - 1892, Marriages 1706 - 1968, Boyd's Marriage Index 1609 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, BTs 1609 - 1673.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials
  • Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1708 to 1912 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • St Wenn Methodist Chapels' baptisms 1890 to 1901 are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD baptisms 1724 to 1851 for this parish which can be purchased on Parish Chest.
  • Banns. Banns 1754 to 1812, and 1823 to 1911 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Marriages in the Parish 1678 to 1837, which is available in CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Phillimore marriages 1678 to 1812, and marriage transcrips 1706 to 1910, in this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Burials.
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Civil Registration

The parish of St Wenn was originally in the St Columb Registration District. There were sub-districts at Newlyn, Padstow and St Columb Major, but these have now been abolished. It is now in the Registration District of St Austell. Parishes within the old St Columb district were: Colan, Crantock, Cubert, Little Petherick, Mawgan-in-Pydar, Newlyn, Newquay, Padstow, St. Breock, St. Columb Major, St. Columb Minor, St. Enoder, St. Ervan, St. Eval, St. Issey, St. Merryn, St. Wenn.

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 Wenn which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

    "ST. WENN, a parish in the E. division of Pyder hundred, county Cornwall, 4 miles N.E. of St. Columb-Major. It if mentioned in Domesday survey as San Wena. The parish, which is intersected in the northern part by the river Camel, includes the village of Treganetha. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Exeter, value £130. The church, dedicated to St. Wenn, was rebuilt in 1830, with the exception of the tower, which has been damaged by lightning. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there are National and Sunday schools. Fairs are held on the 25th April and lit August 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.
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    Maps

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW962655 (Lat/Lon: 50.45342, -4.872125), St Wenn which are provided by:

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    Poor Houses, Poor Law

    St Wenn parish was part of the St Columb Major Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

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    Population

    • Population in 1801 - 358 persons
    • Population in 1811 - 452 persons
    • Population in 1821 - 589 persons
    • Population in 1831 - 649 persons
    • Population in 1841 - 725 persons
    • Population in 1851 - 650 persons
    • Population in 1861 - 580 persons
    • Population in 1871 - 585 persons
    • Population in 1881 - 541 persons
    • Population in 1891 - 423 persons
    • Population in 1901 - 182 persons
    • Population in 1911 - 395 persons
    • Population in 1921 - 378 persons
    • Population in 1931 - 388 persons
    • Population in 1951 - 406 persons
    • Population in 1961 - 364 persons
    • Population in 1971 - 318 persons
    • Population in 1981 - 295 persons
    • Population in 1991 - 320 persons
    • Population in 2001 - 335 persons
    • Population in 2011 - 299 persons
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    Statistics

    The parish comprises 4695 acres of land.