At the time of the Norman Conquest, this district was rated in the Domesday Book by the name of Ber-neves (still the voke lands of a manor in this parish, of which, see more under), as also Trenant or Trenance. In the inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of Cornish Benefices, Ecclesia de Withell, in decanatu de Pider, was rated at £4. In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1621, £10. The patronage was formerly in the Prior of Bodman, who endowed it out of his manor of Withell Goos aforesaid; which lands and patronage, when that Priory was dissolved, fell to the Crown, from whence it passed to Glanvill of Killivor; from Glanvill to Vivian of Truan; from Vivian of Truan, by marriage of his daughter, to Vivian of Trelowarren, now in possession thereof; the incumbent —— Wood; and the parish rated to the four shillings per pound Land Tax 1696, for one year, tempore William III. £18. 4s. 2d.
Thomas Vivian, Prior of St. Pedyr at Bodmyn, Bishop
of Megara, a city of Achaia in Greece, on the borders of Attica, built the rectory house in this place, as appears from his paternal coat armour, and that of the arms of Megara bishoprick, lately extant in the glass windows thereof, tempore Henry VII. and VIII.
Bor, Ber, or Bur-nevas or Nefas, is still the voke lands of an ancient dismembered manor, taxed as aforesaid, otherwise Buro-neves.
Tre-nance in this parish, i. e. the valley town, or town in the valley, was also rated in the Domesday Book 1087, as then the voke lands of a manor, which place gave name and original to an old family of gentlemen surnamed de Trenance, one of which family married Littleton’s heir, and afterwards removed to Lanhydrock, whereof they were lords, tempore James I. when Littleton Trenance, esq. sold that barton to the Lord Robartes, as a younger branch of this family, living at Black Haye in this parish, sold Trenance to Mapowder; and Mapowder sold it to Bone; Bone gave it to Harris of St. Stephen’s; and Harris sold it to Hawkins, now in possession of part thereof. The other moiety of this little barton of Trenance, is in possession of the Arundells of Lanherne.
John Trenance of Black Haye, gent. had issue by —— —— only three daughters, married to Elford of Roach or St. Dennis, Buckingham of Probus, and Randolph of this parish; the which Mr. Elford is now in possession thereof [who sold it to Pomery his son-in-law, who leased it to Mr. Trewerne, Rector of Withell.[23]]
The arms of Trenance, out of a supposed allusion to their name, after the Latin, is taken as a corruption of Tre-ensis, i. e. three swords; whereas, Trenance is the name of a local place, and signifies as aforesaid, and Try-clothes, Try-glodes, is three swords.
Bryn, i. e. a hill or lofty place, tempore Edward IV. was the lands of Beare of Killygarth, by whose daughter
and heir it came in marriage, together with his other lands, to Peter Bevill, a younger branch of Gwarnack house; whose son, Sir William Bevill, dying without issue male, his brother, Philip Bevill, became his heir; who had issue only one daughter named Elizabeth, which was married to Sir Bernard Grenville of Stowe, knight, in whose issue by her, the name, blood, and estate of this Bevill is terminated. The which Sir Bernard, and his lady big with child, for health and diversion residing at Bryn aforesaid, the said lady happened to fall into childbirth, and there was well delivered of her first-born son, who afterwards was baptised at the font by the name of Bevill; which afterwards proved to be that famous and renowned though unfortunate hero, Sir Bevill Grenville, knight, slain at Lansdowne in Somerset, on the part and behalf of King Charles I. against the parliament army.
Bryn is still the lands of Grenville, and by lease in possession of Robins, who as I have heard, hath since purchased the fee thereof from Grenville’s heirs.