“The road to St. Ives,” says Dr. Maton, “when returning from the western part of the county, passes near numerous shafts of mines, which render a journey over this part of the country by night extremely dangerous. The moor stone or granite lies dispersed in detached blocks, many of them huge enough for another Stone Henge. Scarcely a shrub appears to diversify the prospect, and the only living beings that inhabit the mountainous parts are the goats, which browse the scanty herbage.”
St. Ives is a very antient and populous sea-port town, situated near the north-east angle of a very fine bay, about eight miles from Penzance; seven from Marazion; 13 north-west from Helston; 14 west from Redruth; and 277 from London. In antient records, this town was called Porth-Ia; and it is said to have derived its name from St. Hya, or Ia, an Irish saint, who came over to Cornwall accompanied by St. Breaca and others, and was buried in the church at this place.
It has a good Pier, erected by Smeaton, about 40 years ago; but the streets being very narrow, irregular, and dirty, the town has but a poor appearance in itself, yet when viewed from the environs, it has a very picturesque effect. It is also one of the Borough-Towns of Cornwall, and the right of electing the Members of Parliament, is vested in the Corporation and all the inhabitants of the town and parish paying scot and lot. According to the late returns, the parish contains upwards of 3000 inhabitants. A considerable traffic is carried on at St. Ives, with the Bristol merchants, besides the Pilchard Fisheries; but this port, like most others on the north coast, is much incommoded by the quantity of sand driven in by the north-west winds.
Speaking of St. Ives, Leland observes that “most part of the houses in the peninsula be sore oppressid or overcovered with sandes that the stormy windes and rages castith up there. This calamte hath continuid ther litle above 20 yeres.” Again he says, “the best part of the toun now standith in the south part of the Peninsula, toward another hille for defence from the sandes”. Norden describes the haven as much annoyed with sands, and unfit for receiving ships of any burden. “The town and port of St. Ives,” says Carew, “are both of mean plight; yet with their best means (and often to good and necessarie purpose) succouring distressed shipping. Order hath been taken,” he adds, “and attempts made for bettering the road with a peer; but eyther want or slacknesse, or impossibilitie, hitherto withhold the effect: the whiles plentie of fish is here taken and sold verie cheap.” Holinshed has mention of a light-house, and block-house, near St. Ives, to the following effect. On “a little byland cape or peninsula, called Pendinas, the compass not above a mile, standeth a Pharos or light for ships that sail by those coasts in the night. There is also a block-house and a peer on the east side thereof, but the peer is sore choaked with sand, as is the whole coast from St. Ives unto St. Carantokes.” There is still a battery on the eastern side, and the old pharos, which still exists, is used for depositing government stores.
Sir Francis Basset, member for this town in the reign of Charles I., gave the Corporation a handsome cup, on which is the following singular inscription:
If any discord ’twixt my friends arise,
Within the borough of beloved St. Ives,
It is desyned that this my Cup of Love,
To evince one a Peace Maker may prove.
Then am I blest to have given a legacie