Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for CAMELFORD

CAMELFORD, a small town, a parish, a subdistrict, and a district in Cornwall. The town stands on the river Camel, on the skirt of a moorish upland tract, 12 miles N by E of Bodmin, and 14 N of Bodmin-road r. station. It is an ancient place; was incorporated by one of the Cornish Earls; sent two members to parliament, till disfranchised by the act of 1832; and has still a corporation. Two battles were fought near it; the one in 543, between King Arthur and his nephew Mordred, fatal to both; the other in 823, between Egbert and the Cornishmen. "Ossian" Macpherson represented the borough in parliament; and Captain Wallis, the discoverer of Tahiti, was born in its vicinity. The town has recently undergone considerable improvement; and it contains a town hall, with market house, a free school, used as an evening chapel-of-ease, and places of worship for Wesleyans, Un. Free Methodists, and Bible Christians. It has a head post office,‡ two banking offices, and two chief inns; and is a seat of petty sessions, and a polling-place. A weekly market is held on Friday; and fairs on the Friday after 10 March, and on 26 May, 17 and 18 July, 6 Sept., and the second Wednesday of Nov. The town gave the tithe of Baron to the Pitts of Boconnoc, and the Smiths.—The parish bears also the name of Lanteglos; or is called properly Lanteglos-by-Camelford. Acres, 3,951. Real property, £5,359. Pop., 1,620. Houses, 328. The property is much subdivided. The manor belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall. A deer park, attached to the manor, was disparked by Henry VIII. Slate and stone are worked. Traces of an ancient camp are seen on St. Siths Beacon. The living is a rectory, united with the rectory of Advent, in the diocese of Exeter. Value, £700.* Patron, the Prince of Wales. The church stands 1¼ mile west of the town; was restored in 1866; and contains a fine font, and monuments of several old Cornish families. A chantry chapel of the 14th century stood in the town; but was shut up at the Reformation, and has disappeared.

The subdistrict contains the parishes of Camelford, Advent, Davidstow, St. Clether, Michaelstow, St. Teath, and St. Breward. Acres, 34,479. Pop., 5,355. Houses, 1,083. The district comprehends also the subdistrict of Boscastle, containing the parishes of Minster, Forrabury, Trevalga, Tintagel, Otterham, Lesnewth, and St. Juliot. Acres, 51, 847 Poor-rates in 1866, £5,149. Pop. in 1861, 7,774. Houses, 1,613. Marriages in 1866, 61; births, 273,-of which 21 were illegitimate; deaths, 140,-of which 47 were at ages under 5 years, and 3 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 560; births, 2,781; deaths, 1,532. The places of worship in 1851 were 14 of the Church of England, with 3,880 sittings; 9 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 798 s.; 15 of the Wesleyan Association, with 2,130 s.; and 16 of Bible Christians, with 1,778 s. The schools were 7 public day schools, with 275 scholars; 18 private day schools, with 413 s.; 25 Sunday schools, with 1,253 s.; and 3 evening schools for adults, with 48 s.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a small town, a parish, a subdistrict, and a district"   (ADL Feature Type: "cities")
Administrative units: Camelford CP       Camelford SubD       Camelford RegD/PLU       Cornwall AncC
Place: Camelford

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