In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Callington like this:
CALLINGTON, formerly Kellington, a small town, a parish, and a subdistrict in Liskeard district, Cornwall. The town stands on a gentle acclivity, near the river Lynner, 6 miles N of St. Germans r. station, and 11 S of Launceston. It consists chiefly of one broad street, irregularly built; is a seat of petty sessions, and a polling-place; and has a head post office,‡ (designated Callington, Cornwall,) two banking offices, a hotel, a church, two dissenting chapels, a literary institution, and a free school. ...
The church was built, on the site of a previous one, in 1460; is perpendicular English; was restored in 1859; and contains a very curious old Norman font, and an elaborate monument to Lord Willoughby de Broke. A fine gabled sculptured cross is in the churchyard. Many of the inhabitants are miners. A weekly market is held on Wednesday; and fairs on the second Thursday of March and Nov., and on the first Thursday of May and after 19 Sept. The town was made a borough in the time of Elizabeth; and sent two members to parliament, till disfranchised by the act of 1832.—The parish comprises 2,492 acres. Real property, £6,962; of which £700 are in mines. Pop., 2,202. Houses, 347. The manor belonged to successively the Champernounes, the Ferrers, the Dennises, the Brokes, and others. Kit-Hill, about 2 miles N of the town, consists of granite, is 1,067 feet high; and commands an extensive view. Stream tin and copper ore are worked. The living is a rectory, annexed to the rectory of Southill, in the diocese of Exeter.-The subdistrict contains six parishes. Acres, 28,984. Pop., 8,899. Houses, 1,595.
Callington through time
Callington is now part of Caradon district. Click here for graphs and data of how Caradon has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Callington itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Callington, in Caradon and Cornwall | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/973
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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