The races usually commence the week following the assizes, and are held about a mile and a half from the town, on the left of the road leading to Launceston. The course is considered one of the finest in England.
The County Gaol was erected in the year 1780, from the designs of Sir John Cull, on the principles recommended by the great philanthropist, the late John Howard, Esq. It stands in a healthy situation, on the side of a hill, to the north of the town.
Within the last three years a very handsome and commodious Lunatic Asylum has been erected at the western end of the town, and is fitted up in a very comfortable manner, for persons afflicted with that dreadful malady.
The earliest historical event, of any importance, connected with this place, is, that it became the head-quarters of Thomas Flanmauck and Michael Joseph, the ringleaders of the rebellion of 1496, both of whom indeed appear to have been inhabitants of this parish.—Perkin Warbeck, after his landing in Cornwall, in the year 1498, assembled at Bodmin a force of 3000 men, with which he advanced to attack Exeter.—In 1550, the Cornish rebels, under the command of Humphry Arundell, encamped at Castle-Hynock, near this town, and marched thence to the siege of Exeter. After the suppression of this rebellion, which soon followed, Sir Anthony Kingston, the Provost-marshal, came, with the King’s commission, to punish some of the chief offenders; and, it is said, he hanged the mayor at his own door, after partaking of the hospitalities of his table.—Bodmin does not appear to have had any garrison during the Civil War, though it was occasionally occupied by both parties. General Fairfax finally took possession of it for the Parliament in 1646, a few days before the capitulation with Sir Ralph Hopton, near Truro.
At St. Lawrence, about a mile north-west of Bodmin, are some remains of the Hospital for Lepers, founded by Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1582, but which was abolished a few years since owing to certain abuses, and the lands belonging to it, worth about £140. per annum, appropriated to the Infirmary at Truro. The remains chiefly consist of three fine arches, springing from clustered columns, with ornamented capitals, and some ruinous walls, now fast mouldering into decay. On one part of the old buildings, is the following inscription:
Richarde Carter of Saynt Columbe Marchant by his laste wylle & Testament in ano Dom 1582 did geve ten pounde for the allurance of twentie shillinges. yerelye to be payed unto us the poer Lepers of the Hospytall & to oure successors for ever which ten pounde by the consent of his Executor we have imployed towardes the makyng of thys howse in ano. 1586. whose charitable & rare example in oure tyme God grantete main to follow hereaftre
The seal of this hospital is a curious relic of antiquity, containing the figure of St. Lawrence, under a Gothic canopy, and another figure below it, in the attitude of prayer, with this inscription:—“S. Sci Lawrencie Bodmons de peupo.”
St. Lawrence is merely a hamlet to Bodmin, but is remarkable as having two very large fairs for cattle annually.
At Lanhwit, the adjoining village, about three miles from Bodmin, are some remains of an antient Monastery, called St. Bennet’s, which, although greatly defaced some years ago, by the removal of the cloisters, still displays a fine tower, richly mantled with ivy. The other parts have been fitted up at the expense of the proprietor, the Rev. F. V. I. Arundell, as a family residence. The remains are seated in a narrow valley, almost surrounded by wood, with a rapid stream in the front, which adds greatly to the beauty of this romantic spot.
Tremere, an ancient seat of the Courtenays, in this parish, is now a farm-house.