Glimpses of parish life across two centuries.
|
Cornwall nearest Land's End. It is possible to see the Atlantic and the English Channel from the highest point, 240feet. Since 1968 around 450 houses have been built thanks to mains water, sewers, and later mains gas being laid on. The houses in Gwinear Churchtown look much the same today as in this early 20th century photo, which includes the postman on his delivery cart. The green enclosed fields around Gwinear Churchtown are seen here with vicarage and church tower in the background.
Roman coins were found in a field at nearby Trungle. Other finds included a spindle, a 3rd century small stone handmill and a lead ingot, a sign of industrial workings. There was evidence that, in the fourth century farmers kept cattle and sheep .Nowadays daffodils and cauliflower are main crops, and cattle still browse the grass. An archaeological dig in 1987 in Reawla, the highest of the four villages in the parish, revealed a second century defended farmstead. The name Reawla means 'Royal place'. Reawla has a busy little shop near Reawla House where, around 1910, the bearded JamesThomas, ( seen here with pony and tarp), lived with his wife and ten children.
At Carnhell Green Carnhell the Post office can be glimpsed in this photo across the road from Pendarves Inn. Are the villagers 'All set for the annual tea treat?'
Today, Claire is our cheery postie, who always gives her time for a chat as she travels from one village to another.
Wall is situated between Carnhell Green and Reawla This photo was taken before 1920 of Francis Hale's wheelwrights' shop and Box Tree Cottage where John Wesley, a founder of Methodism, was said to have slept when he visited Wall in 1743. The cottage was owned by Mr Eva, and in the 1920s and 1930s the Cocking family lived there until the cottage side wall collapsed while the family was watching a village cricket match. Sanitary Inspector Mr Craze (father of Kelvin Craze of Carnhell Green) condemned the cottage, and although Mr Eva wanted to repair it, this was not allowed, and the cottage fell into disrepair. Mrs Hilda Willis,(nee Cocking) of Wall Vean, lived in the cottage from 1928-1936 before moving to a cottage at Drannack One of her Saturday morning jobs was to clean the granite slab at the front door of this cottage. In the background of this photo is the Manse with Wall Chapel behind the tree. Gwinear Churchtown and Wall each have well used halls, both buildings were Sunday Schools. The former Sunday School at Wall had 250 pupils using footpaths from as far as Praze an Beeble to get their education. Joyce Ireland, an eight year old pupil when Wall Sunday School closed in 1935, still attends Wall Chapel with her friends and savours the monthly Soup and Sweet community lunches served in her former school. BusyBodies Playschool is based at Hall for Gwinear, as well as film club, and monthly theatre productions. 'Sew Easy' meets there too and the Internet Cafe at Hall for Gwinear has silvers surfers . At the Pitch and Putt clubhouse in Relistian Lane, Reawla you may have breakfast, coffee or light lunches in the sunner months.There is a small football pitch at The Royal Standard pub in Gwinear, and of course the delightful Gwinear Community School is in School Road, half a mile from each village. If you have photos and stories from past times which would interest others please contact Beth. |
|
