The parish of Falmouth is a dismembered part of the old parish of Budock, taxed in the Domesday Roll 1087, and separated from it by virtue of an Act of Parliament made 15th Charles II. whereby that church is deprived of its rectory, the great and small tithes, as far as the boundaries of this new parish extends, on the humble petition of Sir Peter Killigrew, of Arwinike, Knt. who by his own bounty, and the charitable benevolence he had begged of others (by leave of the King and Bishop of Exeter), had built on his own land a church and cemetery, at the south end of Falmouth town, whereof he was lord and high lord, for convenience of himself, his servants, and tenants, that were far off from Budock church. This church, so built,
he endowed with the tithes aforesaid, as a rectory,[1] and so became patron thereof, or had jus patronatus; reserving to himself and his heirs the right of presenting to the Ordinary a Clerk to be Rector thereof when the same should become void; and the first Rector, as I take it, that he presented to this church was Mr. John Bedford. Thus, it is evident by what ways and means men became patrons of churches, viz. patronum faciunt dos, ædificatio, fundus; the patrons of churches were either founders, builders, or benefactors thereof. Jus patronatus est potestas præsentandi aliquem instituendum ad beneficium ecclesiæ simplex et vacans. (Statute of Westminster, 13th Edward III.) This patronage or advowson Sir Peter Killigrew annexed to his manor and barton of Arwinick.
This church of Falmouth being thus built and endowed, it was consecrated according to the rights and ceremonies for consecration of a church in England by Dr. Seth Ward, Lord Bishop of Exeter, 1664. Within the chancel of which church afterwards was laid, in a vaulted grave, the dead body of its patron and founder, Sir Peter Killigrew, Knt. The present incumbent Quarm. Sir Peter Killigrew also gave the first Rector thereof, and his successors for ever, a house and garden to dwell in, for profit and pleasure; as also a very rich pulpit-cloth, with gold fringes, whereon in needlework of gold was placed the letters I. H. S. Whether it be a contraction of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ Jesus, or to be construed as being the initial letters of Jesus Hominum Salvator, or Servator, let others resolve.
Ar-win-ike [I above said is] in this parish, [and signifies] the beloved still lake, creek, cove, or bosom of waters, according to the circumstances of the place; on part of which manor formerly stood the insular island Iktam, or Ictam, of Diodorus Siculus, before mentioned. Otherwise, if the name of this place be Ar-wynn-ike, it signifies the victorious or conquering still lake, cove, or busom of waters;
perhaps to be so construed with reference to Pendennis Castle, contiguous with, and built upon Arwinick lands.
This place is the chief mansion of that ancient and famous family surnamed de Killy-grewe, Killygreu, or Killy-greue, from a local place in St. Herme, called Killygrew barton, downs, and hill, now in possession of Jago in fee, where Henry, the son of Maugan de Killygrew, held three parts of a knight’s fee of lands, and at Trewince in Gerance, 3d. Henry IV. [according to] Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, p. 44. Of this family further speaks Mr. Carew, p. 150. The stock is ancient, and divers of the branches have grown to great advancement in calling and livelihood by their greater deserts.
Sir John Killigrew, knight, 1571, built the greatest part of the old house now standing here. He married Wolverston of Wolverston, and had by her issue John Killigrew, Esq.; that married Monk, who had issue by her William Killigrew, Esq. created the 585th Baronet of England, patent 22d December, 12th Charles II. 1660, with limitation to Peter Killigrew, Esq. son of Sir Peter Killigrew aforesaid, Knt. This Sir William Killigrew, Bart. by ill conduct wasted his whole paternal estate, which was valued at about 3,000l. per annum; and lastly, sold this manor and barton of Arwinick to his younger brother, Sir Peter Killigrew, Knt. aforesaid, who had issue Sir Peter Killigrew, Bart. aforesaid, who married one of the coheirs of Judge Twysden, and had issue by her George Killigrew, Esq. that married Ann, daughter of Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart. and had issue by her one daughter.
This Mr. George Killigrew was afterwards, in a drunken humour, at a tavern in Penryn, slain in the chamber, in a duel, by Walter Vincent, Esq. barrister-at-law, who was tried for his life at Launceston for the fact, and acquitted by the petty jury, through bribery and indirect acts and practices, as was generally said; yet this Mr. Vincent, through anguish and horror at this accident, (as it was said,) within two years after wasted of an extreme atrophy of his flesh and spirits, that at length at the table
whereby he was sitting, in the Bishop of Exeter’s palace, in presence of divers gentlemen, he instantly fell back against the wall and died.
Sir Peter Killigrew had issue also two daughters, the one married to Richard Erisey, Esq. and another married to Martin Lister, Esq. of Liston, in Staffordshire, a captain or lieutenant in Pendenis Castle, under John Earl of Bath; upon whose issue by her Sir Peter settled much of his lands, on condition he should assume the name of Killigrew, and is now in possession of this lordship.