HALS.
The manuscript relating to this parish is lost.
TONKIN AND WHITAKER.
St. Piran lies in the hundred of Pider, and hath to the west St. Agnes, to the north a very troublesome neighbour,
the tempestuous ocean, to the east St. Cuthbert and St. Newlin, to the south St. Allen and Kenwin; and is so named from that famous Irish saint, to whose sanctity, saith Mr. Camden, a silly childish writer has attributed the finding provision for ten Irish kings and their armes, for eight days together, with no more than three cows, as also bringing to life dead hogs and dead men. It seems those kings were not very grateful to him, for he was forced (as the same tradition saith) to swim over from Ireland hither on a millstone. And saith Mr. Carew (fol. 58), if my author, the legend, lie not, after that (like another Johannes de Temporibus) he had lived two hundred and six years with perfect health, [he] took his last rest in a Cornish parish, (viz. this) which therethrough he endowed with his name. He is also looked upon as the patron of the Tinners, who keep his feast on the 5th of March, and tell twenty idle stories of him, much derogating from his sanctity. Note, that on that day, 5th of March, there is a fair held near the church, the profit of which belongs to the parish.
This church is a vicarage, and valued, together with St. Agnes, in the King’s Book, £24. 9s. 0d. The patronage in the Dean and Chapter of Exeter: the sheaf held by lease of the said Dean and Chapter, by Thomas Tonkin, the writer hereof; the incumbent Mr. John Petvin.
All the lands in this parish, except the manor of Penhall and Halwyn, are either part of or held from the manors of Tywarnhaile and Tywarnhaile Tiers. I shall, therefore, first treat of these two manors, and then of the other most memorable places, &c.
The manor of Tywarnhaile is so called from the situation of the once principal place in it, and signifies a house on a river of salt water, it being seated on the west side of Piran Bay, on a small river to which the tide cometh every day.
This, and the manor of Tywarnhaile Tiers, were originally but one manor; and the toll of tin is still amain between them, though all the lands are divided, and the
toll of all other metals goes with the lands and owners of the several divisions; but the royalty is amain, and they both hold courts cum visu franci plegii, &c.