Grampound ( kw, Ponsmeur) is a village in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, England. It is at an ancient crossing point of the
River Fal
The River Fal ( kw, Dowr Fala) flows through Cornwall, England, rising at Pentevale on Goss Moor (between St. Columb and Roche) and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and ...
and today is on the
A390 road
The A390 is a road in Cornwall and Devon, England. It runs from Tavistock to north west of the city of Truro. Starting in Tavistock, it heads south-westwards towards Liskeard, crossing over the River Tamar and into Cornwall, then through Gunn ...
west of
St Austell
St Austell (; kw, Sans Austel) is a town in Cornwall, England, south of Bodmin and west of the border with Devon.
St Austell is one of the largest towns in Cornwall; at the 2011 census it had a population of 19,958.
History
St Austell wa ...
and east of
Truro
Truro (; kw, Truru) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its ...
.
[Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 204 ''Truro & Falmouth'' ]
Grampound with Creed
Grampound with Creed ( kw, Ponsmeur a'byth Sen Krida) is a civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The two major settlements in the parish are the ancient town of Grampound and the smaller village of Creed ( kw, Krida). The larger ...
(where the 2011 census population is included) is the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
of which the village of Grampound and the village of
Creed
A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets.
The ea ...
are the main settlements. Formerly, part of Grampound was in the parish of Creed and part was in the parish of
Probus Probus may refer to:
People
* Marcus Valerius Probus (c. 20/30–105 AD), Roman grammarian
* Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus, consul in 228
* Probus (emperor), Roman Emperor (276–282)
* Probus of Byzantium (–306), Bishop of Byzantium from 293 t ...
.
The name Grampound comes from the Norman French: grand (great), pont (bridge), referring to the bridge over the River Fal, with its spelling varying over the last 600 years following the name Ponsmur (Cornish) which was recorded in 1308. The population of Grampound with Creed was 654 in the 2011 census.
History
The area around Grampound was settled in prehistoric times, and in the early medieval period the parish of Creed and the manor of
Tybesta
Tybesta (Tibesteu in the Domesday Book) was a manor located in Cornwall, England, UK. The manor of Tybesta was given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Robert, Count of Mortain; before the conquest it was held by Ralph the Constable. Ty ...
were established here. Grampound grew after the
Norman conquest
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conque ...
as the main crossing place on the Fal, a focus for travellers and traders moving between west Cornwall and England. Thus Grampound became one of the most important towns in medieval Cornwall with a rich and vibrant history. The bridge from which the town took its name is first recorded in 1296. The first charter was granted by the
Earl of Cornwall
The title of Earl of Cornwall was created several times in the Peerage of England before 1337, when it was superseded by the title Duke of Cornwall, which became attached to heirs-apparent to the throne.
Condor of Cornwall
*Condor of Cornwall, ...
in 1332 and the town remained important until the 15th century. Thereafter it declined and
John Norden
John Norden (1625) was an English cartographer, chorographer and antiquary. He planned (but did not complete) a series of county maps and accompanying county histories of England, the '' Speculum Britanniae''. He was also a prolific writer ...
refers to the inhabitants as "few and poore" in his account published in 1584.
It was formerly considered a town and the
Grampound constituency elected two members to the
Unreformed House of Commons
"Unreformed House of Commons" is a name given to the House of Commons of Great Britain and (after 1800 the House of Commons of the United Kingdom) before it was reformed by the Reform Act 1832, the Irish Reform Act 1832, and the Scottish Reform ...
from the reign of
Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
until it was disfranchised in 1821, after a corruption scandal that led to the conviction and imprisonment of several men for bribery. MPs who represented the town include
William Noy
William Noy (1577 – 9 August 1634) was an English jurist.
He was born on the family estate of Pendrea in St Buryan, Cornwall. He left Exeter College, Oxford, without taking a degree, and entered Lincoln's Inn in 1594. From 1603 until his dea ...
e,
John Hampden
John Hampden (24 June 1643) was an English landowner and politician whose opposition to arbitrary taxes imposed by Charles I made him a national figure. An ally of Parliamentarian leader John Pym, and cousin to Oliver Cromwell, he was one of th ...
,
Grey Cooper
Grey Cooper (c. 1726 – 30 July 1801) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1765 and 1790 and was Secretary to the Treasury under various administrations.
Life
Cooper was the son of William Cooper MD of Newcastle u ...
and
Charles Wolfran Cornwall
Charles Wolfran Cornwall (15 June 1735 – 2 January 1789) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1789. He was Speaker of the House of Commons from 1780 to 1789.
Origins and early life
Charles Wolfran Cornwall w ...
.
The seal of the borough of Grampound was "A bridge of two arches over a river, the dexter end in perspective showing the passage over at the sinister and a tree issuing from the base against the bridge on the centre an escutcheon of the arms of the family of Cornwall viz. Arg. a lion rampant Gu. within a bordure Sa."
Grampound also gives its name to
Grampound Road
Grampound Road ( kw, Fordh Ponsmeur) is a village in the parish of Ladock, Cornwall, England, north-west of Grampound.
The railway station of that name was opened on 4 May 1859 and closed in 1964. A small village known as Grampound Road grew u ...
which is 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the north west.
Government
Grampound is a ward, along with Creed, of
Grampound with Creed
Grampound with Creed ( kw, Ponsmeur a'byth Sen Krida) is a civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The two major settlements in the parish are the ancient town of Grampound and the smaller village of Creed ( kw, Krida). The larger ...
Parish which is part of
Cornwall Council
Cornwall Council ( kw, Konsel Kernow) is the unitary authority for Cornwall in the United Kingdom, not including the Isles of Scilly, which has its own unitary council. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition o ...
unitary authority. The current county councillor is Bob Egerton (Independent). Before the formation of the unitary authority in 2009, Grampound was part of
Restormel Borough Council
Restormel ( kw, Rostorrmel) was a borough of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, one of the six administrative divisions that made up the county. Its council was based in St Austell; its other towns included Newquay.
The borough was named after R ...
.
Grampound is in the
St Austell and Newquay constituency and the Member for Parliament is
Steve Double (Conservative). Notably in the past Grampound was a '
rotten borough
A rotten or pocket borough, also known as a nomination borough or proprietorial borough, was a parliamentary borough or constituency in England, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom before the Reform Act 1832, which had a very small electorat ...
' returning two members of parliament of its own until 1821.
Geography
Grampound lies in the valley of the
River Fal
The River Fal ( kw, Dowr Fala) flows through Cornwall, England, rising at Pentevale on Goss Moor (between St. Columb and Roche) and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and ...
north of
Tregony
Tregony ( kw, Trerigoni), sometimes in the past Tregoney, is a village and former civil parishes in England, civil parish, now in the parish of Tregony with Cuby, in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It lies on the River Fal. In the village th ...
. It is on the
A390 road
The A390 is a road in Cornwall and Devon, England. It runs from Tavistock to north west of the city of Truro. Starting in Tavistock, it heads south-westwards towards Liskeard, crossing over the River Tamar and into Cornwall, then through Gunn ...
10 kilometres (6 mi) west of
St Austell
St Austell (; kw, Sans Austel) is a town in Cornwall, England, south of Bodmin and west of the border with Devon.
St Austell is one of the largest towns in Cornwall; at the 2011 census it had a population of 19,958.
History
St Austell wa ...
and 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of
Truro
Truro (; kw, Truru) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its ...
.
Grampound's linear layout is of Norman origin, with long thin
burgage
Burgage is a medieval land term used in Great Britain and Ireland, well established by the 13th century.
A burgage was a town ("borough" or "burgh") rental property (to use modern terms), owned by a king or lord. The property ("burgage tenement ...
plots extending away from the main street, Fore Street (A390). Most of the village core is a
Conservation Area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
, and there are many
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
s on Fore Street, for example the local school and the
Town Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
. There is a range of buildings of different ages.
Demography
The population of Grampound is a little less than that of
Grampound with Creed
Grampound with Creed ( kw, Ponsmeur a'byth Sen Krida) is a civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The two major settlements in the parish are the ancient town of Grampound and the smaller village of Creed ( kw, Krida). The larger ...
which was 654 in the 2011 census.
Transport
The A390 runs through the centre of Grampound, in summer when the
A30 is congested, the A390 is an alternative route. It is an issue for residents. Pavements in some parts of the village are narrow or non-existent. Traffic speed is an issue through the village. A bypass was considered in 1996, when a route north of the village was favoured, but the plans were rejected, partly due to local protests and partly because Grampound is not large enough to warrant a bypass.
A regular bus service runs to
Truro
Truro (; kw, Truru) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its ...
, to the west, and St Austell, to the east.
Economy
There are a number of local businesses including Grampound Village Store, Tremethick Brewery, Tristan Hay Pine and Period furniture, Gould Cider and Perry and The Dolphin Inn.
Many people commute to work in the nearby centres of St Austell and Truro. There are a number of businesses run from home.
The tannery industry was important in the past in Grampound. The principal leather tannery, which closed in 2002, was owned by the Croggon family. It consists of several large buildings and surrounding fields on the southern side of the village. This area is being developed into 55 new homes and office space.
Culture and community
There is an annual carnival on the first Saturday in September which includes a procession along Fore Street (A390) which is closed temporarily. Markets are held in Grampound Hall twice a month on a Saturday. One of these markets is run by Transition Grampound and the other by the village hall committee.
The ne
village hallwas opened in 2004 with
National Lottery funding. This hall is also an arts venue and regularly hosts performances of drama, dance, and music. Notable past performances include the Norwegian percussionist
Terje Isungset
Terje Isungset (born May 4, 1964) is a Norwegian drummer. From his background in jazz and traditional Scandinavian music, he has designed musical instruments from non-traditional materials, including ice.
Career
Isungset was raised in Geil ...
performing ice music in 2012. A local amateur dramatic group, The Grampound Players, has also performed in recent years.
The recreation ground is managed by a charity (Grampound with Creed War Memorial Recreation Ground and Public Hall) in Grampound as a public space. It is host to the carnival each year and also to Grampound Football Club who won support from
Sport England
Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded par ...
's Protecting Playing Fields Olympic legacy for it to be resurfaced.
A small museum, the Grampound with Creed Heritage Centre, is located in the Town Hall and hosts
photograph archiveonline.
Grampound was named Calor Village of the Year for West England 2007/8. The judges commended the community atmosphere of the area. A plaque celebrating the success is now displayed on the Town Hall.
Landmarks in Grampound include the market cross, St Nun's church, and the Town Hall and clock tower in the centre of the village. A war memorial plaque is on the wall of the town hall. The Dolphin Inn is a little further down the hill. Grampound with Creed Primary School, Grampound Hall, and the recreation ground are near the Fal bridge.
Education
Grampound with Creed Primary School is supported by the
Diocese of Truro
The Diocese of Truro (established 1876) is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury which covers Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and a small part of Devon. The bishop's seat is at Truro Cathedral.
Geography and history
The di ...
. It has between 50 and 60 pupils. It is currently undergoing a change to become part of a Multi-Academy Trust. The primary school has recently been extended.
Religious sites
![Grampound Church and Town Hall - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Grampound_Church_and_Town_Hall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_200159.jpg)
The Church of St Nun is the only remaining religious site in Grampound. There is the nearby, older church of St Crida in Creed and they are both managed by the same
parochial church council and part of the churches led by the Rector at Probus, Ladock, Grampound with Creed and St.Erme Parishes.
There were a number of chapels in Grampound which have since been converted into dwellings.
Sport
Grampound is home to Grampound Football Club and Grampound Bowling Club both of whom have facilities at the recreation ground.
Notable people
One of Grampound's most famous residents was
John Hampden
John Hampden (24 June 1643) was an English landowner and politician whose opposition to arbitrary taxes imposed by Charles I made him a national figure. An ally of Parliamentarian leader John Pym, and cousin to Oliver Cromwell, he was one of th ...
, a politician representing Grampound in 1621 who later, in 1642, was one of the
Five Members
The Five Members were Members of Parliament whom King Charles I attempted to arrest on 4 January 1642. King Charles I entered the English House of Commons, accompanied by armed soldiers, during a sitting of the Long Parliament, although the Fi ...
whose attempted unconstitutional arrest by King Charles I in the
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England (which incorporated Wales) from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of ...
in 1642 sparked the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. Other parliamentarians include
William Noy
William Noy (1577 – 9 August 1634) was an English jurist.
He was born on the family estate of Pendrea in St Buryan, Cornwall. He left Exeter College, Oxford, without taking a degree, and entered Lincoln's Inn in 1594. From 1603 until his dea ...
, noted British jurist and MP for Grampound 1603–1614,
Charles Wolfran Cornwall
Charles Wolfran Cornwall (15 June 1735 – 2 January 1789) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1789. He was Speaker of the House of Commons from 1780 to 1789.
Origins and early life
Charles Wolfran Cornwall w ...
, MP for Grampound 1768–1774, and
Grey Cooper
Grey Cooper (c. 1726 – 30 July 1801) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1765 and 1790 and was Secretary to the Treasury under various administrations.
Life
Cooper was the son of William Cooper MD of Newcastle u ...
, MP for Grampound 1768–1774.
The Scottish sculptor
Pilkington Jackson
Charles d’Orville Pilkington Jackson Royal Scottish Academy, RSA, FRBS, FRSA (11 October 1887 – 20 September 1973) was a British sculptor prominent in Scotland in the 20th Century. Throughout his career he worked closely with the architect S ...
was born here.
See also
*
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of England, House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 ...
(1553–1821)
*
Tybesta
Tybesta (Tibesteu in the Domesday Book) was a manor located in Cornwall, England, UK. The manor of Tybesta was given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Robert, Count of Mortain; before the conquest it was held by Ralph the Constable. Ty ...
References
External links
Grampound with Creed Parish CouncilPhoto Archive of Grampound Heritage Project
{{authority control
Villages in Cornwall