Talskiddy is a small rural village about two miles north of

St Columb Major St Columb Major is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Often referred to locally as ''St Columb'', it is approximately southwest of Wadebridge and east of Newquay Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 ''Newquay ...

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, United Kingdom. Originally a manorial settlement belonging to the

Earldom of Cornwall The title of Earl of Cornwall was created several times in the Peerage of England before 1337, when it was superseded by the title Duke of Cornwall, which became attached to heirs-apparent to the throne.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, ...

, the place prospered in the 19th century as a centre of the wool-combing industry.

History

Talskiddy was once an ancient manor belonging to the

Duchy of Cornwall The Duchy of Cornwall ( kw, Duketh Kernow) is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch obtains possession of the duchy and the title of 'Duke of Cornwall' at ...

. Previous to the formation of the Duchy, it was one of 17 manors belonging to 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of Cornwall The title of Earl of Cornwall was created several times in the Peerage of England before 1337, when it was superseded by the title Duke of Cornwall, which became attached to heirs-apparent to the throne.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, ...

. It is recorded that

Richard, Earl of Cornwall Richard (5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was an English prince who was King of the Romans from 1257 until his death in 1272. He was the second son of John, King of England, and Isabella, Countess of Angoulême. Richard was nominal Count of Po ...

purchased three Cornish acres at Talskiddy. These seventeen 'ancient manors' were known collectively as the

Antiqua maneria The Antiqua maneria (ancient manors), or assessionable manors, were the original 17 manors belonging to the Earldom of Cornwall. After March 1337 these manors passed to the new Duchy of Cornwall which was created by King Edward III to give fina ...

. The manorial custom of "

Free Bench "Free bench" is a legal term referring to an ancient manorial custom in parts of England whereby a widow, until she remarried, could retain tenure of her late husband's land. :"Free Bench (Lat. ''francus bancus''). The widow's right to a copyhol ...

" was practised here. It was once a centre for the

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. As ...

combing industry. Many of the older houses in the village are built of cob.

Etymology

The meaning of the name is supposed to be ''brow of the hill of shadows'', from ''Tal'' the Cornish word for ''brow'', and ''skeusy'' the Cornish word for ''shady'' or ''shadows'', but could include the Cornish ''skaw'' meaning ''elder trees''.

Amenities

Talskiddy is probably one of the smallest villages in Cornwall, the only facilities being one

red telephone box The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar. Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, ...

and a Victorian

postbox A post box (British English; also written postbox; also known as pillar box), also known as a collection box, mailbox, letter box or drop box (American English) is a physical box into which members of the public can deposit outgoing mail inten ...

. It is one of only a few villages in Cornwall that has a

village green A village green is a commons, common open area within a village or other settlement. Historically, a village green was common pasture, grassland with a pond for watering cattle and other stock, often at the edge of a rural settlement, used for ...

. It also has a duck pond, known by the residents as "the harbour". There was once a " kiddlywink" or beer shop in the village. Two woolcombing sheds remain, now converted to dwellings. Close by are the farming settlements of Rosedinnick, Pennatillie and Pencrennis. The nearest main roads are the A39 (Atlantic highway) which provides good links to North Cornwall, and the provides good A30 links to the rest of Cornwall.

In literature

Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its ...

wrote a book about a man from Talskiddy called ''Dickory Cronke: The Dumb Philosopher: or, Great Britain's Wonder'' (1719). It is not clear whether Cronke was a real character, or the work of Defoe's imagination. A true life character who lived at Talskiddy was George Hawke. He spent his early life working as a wool stapler for the Allanson family. He was a very determined man indeed. He was born in St Eval Parish on 2 October 1802 at his father's farm near

Bedruthan Carnewas and Bedruthan Steps ( kw, Karn Havos, meaning "rock-pile of summer dwelling" and kw, Bos Rudhen, meaning "Red-one's dwelling") is a stretch of coastline located on the north Cornish coast between Padstow and Newquay, in Cornwall, Unit ...

. Following losses in an economic recession, George decided to emigrate to Australia. His words were recorded in a letter at age 70 years to a nephew back in Cornwall. The letter was later reproduced in full in Yvonne McBurney's book, ''The Road to Byng''.Cornish Settlement (Byng)
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References

External links

{{authority control Villages in Cornwall Manors in Cornwall St Columb Major