Lezant is an abbreviation of Lansant, the Holy Church, and so it is written in the Taxatio Beneficiorum; so called, perhaps, as being dedicated to All the Saints: so that Lezant may signify the same as All Hallows.
It is a rectory, valued in the King’s Books at £32. The patron is the Bishop of Exeter. The incumbent is the Rev. Mr. John Grant, Rector likewise of Ruan Lanyhorne, Canon of Exeter, and son-in-law to the present Bishop, Dr. Stephen Weston.
The first place of note that offers itself in this parish, is the manor of Trecarell, which gave name to an eminent family, seated here (as it is said) before the Norman Conquest, who gave for their arms, Ermine, two chevrons Sable.
Next, Landew, the black inclosure; aptly enough (in my opinion) so called, as being under a dismal hill.
This place was for several descents the seat of a younger branch of the family of Trefusis: the last of which, Nicholas Trefusis, of this place, was chosen Knight for this county in Parliament, to succeed Sir Bevil Granville, as Mr. Hugh Boscawen, of Tregothnan, was to succeed Sir Alexander Carew; both which knights fell for the King’s cause in 1643 and 1644, the first by the sword, at the battle of Lansdowne, the other by the axe, on Tower Hill. The said Nicholas Trefusis had by his wife two daughters
and coheirs: Mary, married in her father’s lifetime to Edward Herle, of Prideaux, Esq. and Catherine, married after his death to Richard Kelliow, Esq.
Mr. Trefusis, by his will, bearing date August 13, 1647, settled (inter alia) this barton, with its appurtenances, called his barton and demesnes of Landew and Dinham’s land, with the Almes Pool Meadow, and Greston Moor, on the said Mr. Herle and Mary his wife, and their heirs for ever.
Mr. Herle settled in this place his eldest son, who new-built the house here, but did not live to finish it, for he died in his father’s lifetime, leaving by his wife two sons, Edward and Nicholas, and several daughters.
Edward Herle, Esq. seated himself and family here, was Sheriff of Cornwall in the 12th year of Ann, 1713; and was a Member in the last Parliament for the town of Launceston. A gentleman of bright parts, a lovely aspect, and admired and esteemed by all that had the happiness to know him,—I may say by all that ever heard of his name and character; but being miserably tormented by the gout, so as to be a perfect cripple with it, he died in the best of his time, at this place; leaving by his wife, the daughter of —— Northmore, of Oakhampton, in Devon, Esq. Northmore Herle, Esq. who is now about twenty years of age. His mother is since married again to Charles Kendall, M.D. second son to Archdeacon Kendall, of Killigarth, who has left her a widow, for the second time, with five daughters.
Since the above was written, Northmore Herle, Esq. has died at Oxford, unmarried, in May 1737, in the 22d year of his age.