how does Gymps signify this? That it is a contraction of thesympes can hardly be allowed. The contraction is too violent. Thesympes also signifies nothing but immediately in Borlase, which can have no association with the general idea. Whence then shall we derive the word? We have it without any derivation, and without any contraction, in Kympez (C.) always. And Dr. Pryce I since find so derives the word.] This gave name to an ancient race of gentlemen. John de Fentongemps (Aut. pen. Author.) lived here 21 Edward I. [Edward III.] 1346. John Fentongymps, “D’nus et hæres de Fentongympys,” grants to John, the son of Ralph de Fentongympys, all his messuages lands, &c. in Fentongympis, and elsewhere, in the county of Cornwall; dated the Feast of the Purification, 12 Henry IV. John Fentongemps of the parish of Pirran in Treth (the sand) grants to John, the son of Thomas Martin, a lease for term of years of Marghessen-foos (Marasan vose) in the said parish, dated at Marghessen-foos, in festo Petri et Pauli, 3 Henry VI.
Note. That Marghessen-foos, or Marasan-vose, i. e. the Maids’ Market, is a village in the manor of Fenton-gymps in Piran sands, but why so named I cannot guess, except that, being in the great road to Mitchell, the maids came there to offer themselves in service, a custom taken notice of, particularly by Dr. Plot, Nat. Hist. of Oxf. c. 8, 29, p. 208; but not (that I know of) practised now anywhere in this county. [Mr. Tonkin has here misled himself by an etymon forced and false. He considers foos or vose as Môz a maid. But the name is merely this, Marghes or Marhas an Fôs or Vôs, the market on the ditch or trench. Fos, indeed, Borlase interprets wall, and has this very appellation, Marhas an Fôs, which he renders the market on wall, obviously without any sense. But under Vôs he recollects himself—“Vôs for fôs;” he then says, “a ditch, wall, or fence,” as Penvôs, head of the trench, Marhas an Vos, the market on the foss.” Dr. Pryce adopts both these etymons in his vocabulary, and prefers the former in his
names very injudiciously. From this name the village appears to have been formerly a market town. The market was perhaps held on some boundary ditch, and took its name from it; but in all probability, as “being in the great road to Mitchell,” it lay upon a Roman road, which, like the great road from Lincolnshire to Bath, and through Somersetshire to the south or west, bore the appellation of foss; and very probably the Foss itself is continued by Stratton, Camelford, Wadebridge, and St. Columb, direct by Newlyn into Piran parish, Lamburn, Lambrigan, Marghessan-fos, and White Street there. See the map in Borlase. Whitaker.]
William Pennalyky releases to John Fyntengympys all his claim, &c. in Fyntengympys Veor, Fyntengympys Vyan [little Fyntengympys], Marhasen-fos, Rekellythye, Chyendur, Paddestock, and Chywarton, “dat. apud Truro Burg. 14 Julii, 24 Henry VI.” Which John Fentongympys had (I suppose) only one daughter and heir, Joan (for so she is said to be in a deed from John Laurens, cler. and Edmund Santy, capell.), to her of a tenement in Fentongympys Vyan, and the heirs which Benedict, the son of John Bernard of Bodmyn, has or shall beget on the body of the said Joan, “dat. apud Truru Burgh,” the day before the feast of Bartholomew, 24 Hen. VI. Which Joan, I guess, by a deed bearing date 8 Henry VII. was afterwards married to John Penrose, in which he and Richard Penrose (I suppose his second son) release to William Penrose, his son and heir, and Isabel, the daughter and heir of John Hayme, an annuity of twenty shillings, lately granted to them by the said William, and issuing out of Fentengympys Veor, Fentengympys Bian, Chyandouer, Marghassan-fos, and Chywarton. The next that I find possessed of any right here, are Richard Penwarne, esq. and William Wayte of Trewenethick, gent. Wayte sells his part to Henry Dotson of Roskymer in Mawgan Meneg, gent. (which said Henry had an estate before in Fentongymps, &c. but by what right it doth not appear,) the 4th and 5th
of Philip and Mary 1558; by which means Penwarne and Dotson had each a moiety of this manor. Sir John Arundell of Tolverne, knight, John Dotson of Reskymer, gent. (whose trustee I take Arundell to have been[10]) convey their half to John Code of St. Wen, gent. 20 9ber, 31 Elizabeth.
John Code and his brethren sell the same, 10 Dec. 40 Eliz. to John Carter of St. Columb Major, gent. Richard Penwarne of Penwarne in Mawnan, esq. sells the other half to the said John Carter, 20 Jan. 38 Eliz.
In which family of Carter this manor continued till 165—; when his grandson, Richard Carter, esq. sold it to John Cleather, senior, gent. whose posterity lived here some time in good repute. And in the year 1691, his grandson Samuel Cleather, gent. together with some lands in the manor of Lambourn, sold it for £1500, to Hugh Tonkin, esq. and the writer hereof is at present lord of it. Mr. Cleather gave, in a field Vert, a chevron Or, between three clethes (swords in Cornish,) the blades Proper, the pommels of the Second.
Within this manor is Chywarton (vulgo Chyton) i. e. a house on a hill. [Tshei, Chi, a house in Cornish, War upon, and Don, a hill.] This was the seat in lease (though John Resogan, senior, bought the fee about the year 169—, of the heirs of John Lord Arundell of Trerice) of a branch of the Resogans, of St. Stephen’s in Brannel. Here lived in Queen Elizabeth’s time, Bennet Resogan, gent.
But this and a pretty little estate, in all about £100 per annum, was consumed by a dependant of his, John Resogan, jun. who lived at an estate called Callestock-Ruol, i. e. Cullistock always adjoining to this. [This etymon is so unmeaning that the mind rejects it at once. A good one also presents itself. Ruy (C.) is a prince or king, and Ryel (C.) is royal. The adjunct, therefore, denotes the mansion to be royal, or one of the many mansions which
the Kings of Cornwall had upon their demesnes.] Chyton he sold to John Andrew of Trevellance in this parish, in the year 1724.