This inn is distinguished by a sign bearing two inscriptions suited to its peculiar situation. Travellers proceeding
to the Land’s End, find the board inscribed with these words,
The last public house in England;
returning, they see on the other side,
The first public house in England.
About half a mile further eastward than the church town, is a village called Mean, probably from the great number of large rocks interspersed among the houses. In the very midst of the village is a large flat rock, on which three kings are reported to have dined together at some remote period; and a prophecy of Merlin is added to the tale, that a larger number of kings will be assembled round this rock for the same purpose previously to some great catastrophe, or to the destruction of the world itself.
Not far from Mean is Whitsand Bay, from whence Athelstan is said to have embarked for the Scilly Islands, and to have landed on his return. King Stephen is also said to have landed here; and King John on his return from Ireland; and lastly, Perkin Warbeck; but various other bays have derived a similar name from their white sands, and therefore the honours bestowed on this remote and dangerous cove may be very doubtful.
Mr. Hals has adverted to the fertility of this parish, and noticed the production of twenty Cornish bushels, equaling sixty Winchester bushels, of barley on one acre. The parish certainly is very fertile, being situated on granite peculiarly abounding in felspar; but the Cornish acre, derived from the Saxon pole of eighteen feet, exceeds the Norman acre in the proportion of six to five, therefore the produce is reduced to fifty bushels.
It is much to be lamented that a variety of measures should remain in different parts of the United Kingdom.
In Ireland the pole is 21 feet. Their mile consists, like our own, of 320 poles, but of course exceeds our measure in the proportion of 21 to 16½, or as 14 to 11.