Trenear was formerly a seat of the Olivers. The last of this family, Doctor William Oliver, a physician, died at Bath in 1764; and another William Oliver, M.D. had the honour of accompanying King William in the expedition which placed him on the throne, to preserve the civil and religious liberties of England. Trenear was sold soon after the younger Dr. Oliver’s decease, and purchased by Mr. Robyns, who built there a good house, and made it a gentleman’s seat. It afterwards became the property and residence of the Rev. Anthony Williams, sometime Vicar of St. Kevern, and it has passed with one of his daughters and coheiresses to Henry Pendarves Tremenheere, Esq. late Captain of one among the first-rate ships in the East India Company’s Service, where he merited and obtained the approbation, esteem, and respect of every individual with whom he had the slightest connexion, and the same effects of honour, ability, and kindness of heart, have followed him into retirement.
Rose Hill has a good house, built about the commencement of this century by Richard Oxnam, Esq. who served the office of Sheriff in the year 1810. It has since become the property and residence of the Rev. Uriah Tonkin, recently appointed Vicar of Lelant.
Lariggan is remarkable for the beauty of its situation; having been selected, and a neat house built there, by Mr. Thomas Pascoe, a worthy and respectable magistrate. And just above the town of Penzance stands a house having almost the appearance of a palace, built some years since by an individual of the name of Pope.
Mr. Pope was originally from Camelford; he conducted business for some time at Bristol, and then emigrated to the United States, where he accumulated a large fortune, unknown and forgotten by his family; till on a sudden he appeared at Penzance, recognised some relations, and, having purchased a few acres of ground, he built this magnificent house, which instantly became known by general acclamation as the Vatican, a name suited at once to its splendour, to its elevated situation, and to its founder’s name. Mr. Pope scarcely lived to inhabit this mansion; but left it to his nephew Mr. Vibert, to whose patriotism, skill, and perseverance, as a member of the corporation, Penzance is mainly indebted for several of its improvements, and especially for its new church. The house is now inhabited by Mrs. Rogers, widow of the late Mr. John Rogers, of Penrose, near Helston, and her daughters.
Lanyon was in former times the residence of one branch of the ancient and respectable family bearing that name. It now belongs to Mr. Rashleigh, of Menabelly; the farm, however, possesses one of those monuments in comparison with which all family records are modern.
In a croft near the side of the road leading from Penzance towards Morva, stands the Cromleigh or Coit described by Doctor Borlase, in pp. 230, 231, of his Antiquities, 2d edition. It fell down and has been replaced, (see the Logging Rock under St. Levan). Dr. Borlase mentions
another Cromleigh at Malfra, in this parish, and two others in the adjoining parishes of Morva and Zennor, all within a few miles of each other. These monuments, scattered over a large portion of Europe, bear all the marks of great antiquity. Their construction is rude as well as simple, a flat but unhewn stone, laid on three columnar stones, also in their natural slate, and all of Cyclopean dimensions. The flat stone at Lanyon has been estimated at twenty ton.
Their use is much less certain. They are generally supposed to be sepulchral monuments; but the flat surface of the upper stone always inclined at a small angle from the horizon, would seem to countenance the opinion of their being meant for religious observances, probably for sacrifices, which is further countenanced by the etymology of the name, if it means in Celtic the Holy Hearth.
Landithy, the college or preceptory of the Knights Templars, belonged for several generations to the Flemings, a family now quite extinct, and their property alienated.
The great tithes of this parish belonged to the Knights Templars, under a gift from Henry de Pomeroy, one of the great family of the Pomeroys, Lords of Bury Pomeroy Castle. They were given by Henry the Eighth to some private person, and have belonged for a considerable time to the family of Nicholls, now Le Grice.