THE GEOLOGY BY DOCTOR BOASE.
Like St. Levar and Morval, this parish is entirely situated on the granite of the Land’s End district.
SENNEN.
HALS.
St. Sennen is situate in the hundred of Penwith, and hath upon the north St. Just, south St. Levan, east Buryan, west the Land’s End and the Atlantic Ocean. As for the name, if it be compounded of Sen-nan, it signifies the holy valley; but most likely the name is derived from the tutelar guardian and patron of this church.
At the time of the Norman Conquest this district was taxed under the jurisdiction of Buryan, on which it is still dependant in spirituals as a daughter church. And if this church were extant, and endowed at the time of the first inquisition into the value of Cornish Benefices 1294, it then was rated also under Buryan. Lastly, this parish was rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax 1696, at £57. 12s. 0d. by the name of Sennan.
Upon view of this church 1700, the sexton shewed me the headless bodies of some images of human shape cut in alabaster, that were not long before found hid in the walls of the same, all curiously wrought, which also had been painted with gold, vermillion, and blue bice, on several parts of their garments. He also shewed me an inscription on the foot of the font stone, which he told me several Bishops of Exeter and their priests, in their triennial visitations at Buryan and this church, had viewed and inspected, but could not read it; whereupon, in like manner, I observed on the font-stone the said inscription in a barbarous strange character or letters, of which I could see but part, by reason a new pew or seat was built on a part of it; however, I interpreted that which I saw to consist of these letters, Anno Dom. mille CCCCXX or XL, in the year of our Lord 1420 or 1440. Let the curious remove the seat and explain the rest; probably this church was then erected.
At Pen-ros in this parish, i. e. the head of the valley, near some high promontory of lands, is the dwelling of Henry Jones, esq. some time Commissioner for the Peace and Taxes, who married Tonkyn of Newlyn.