St. Agnes, Cornwall
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St Agnes ( kw, Breanek) is a civil parish and a large village on the north coast of Cornwall, UK. The village is about five miles (8 km) north of
Redruth Redruth ( , kw, Resrudh) is a town and civil parishes in Cornwall, civil parish in Cornwall, England. The population of Redruth was 14,018 at the 2011 census. In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, which also inc ...
and ten miles (16 km) southwest of
Newquay Newquay ( ; kw, Tewynblustri) is a town on the north coast in Cornwall, in the south west of England. It is a civil parish, seaside resort, regional centre for aerospace industries, spaceport and a fishing port on the North Atlantic coast of ...
. ''and'' An electoral ward exists stretching as far south as
Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...
. The population at the 2011 census was 7,565. The village of St Agnes, a popular coastal tourist spot, lies on a main road between
Redruth Redruth ( , kw, Resrudh) is a town and civil parishes in Cornwall, civil parish in Cornwall, England. The population of Redruth was 14,018 at the 2011 census. In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, which also inc ...
and
Perranporth Perranporth ( kw, Porthperan) is a seaside resort town on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile east of the St Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 8 miles south-west of Newquay. Perranporth and its long beach f ...
. It was a
prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
and modern centre for mining of copper, tin and arsenic until the 1920s. Local industry has also included farming, fishing and quarrying, and more recently tourism. The St Agnes district has a heritage of industrial archaeology and much of the landscape is of considerable geological interest. There are also
stone-age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
remains in the parish. The manor of Tywarnhaile was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall.


Geography

St Agnes, on Cornwall's north coast along the Atlantic Ocean, is in the
Pydar The hundreds of Cornwall ( kw, Keverangow Kernow) were administrative divisions or Shires ( hundreds) into which Cornwall, the present day administrative county of England, in the United Kingdom, was divided between and 1894, when they were r ...
hundred and rural deanery. St Agnes is situated along the St Agnes Heritage Coast.''St Agnes Heritage Coast.''
British Express. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
The St Agnes Heritage Coast has been a nationally designated
protected 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 ...
since 1986. The marine site protects 40 species of
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s and
amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...
s. Interesting features along the coast include Trevaunance Cove,
Trevellas Trevellas is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, situated midway between St Agnes and Perranporth. It was first recorded as a place in Cornwall in 1302 and was the site of the Trevelles family manor. Trevellas valley was a mining sit ...
Porth, Crams, Chapel Porth, Hanover Cove, and
Porthtowan Porthtowan ( kw, Porth Tewyn, meaning ''cove of sand dunes'') is a small village in Cornwall, England which is a popular summer tourist destination. Porthtowan is on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of Redruth, w ...
. Some of these have beaches, and there are also two beaches at
Perranporth Perranporth ( kw, Porthperan) is a seaside resort town on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile east of the St Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 8 miles south-west of Newquay. Perranporth and its long beach f ...
.''St Agnes Cornwall.''
Explore Britain. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
The
Godrevy Head to St Agnes Godrevy Head to St Agnes is a coastal Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in north Cornwall, England], noted for both its Flora and fauna of Cornwall, biological and geological characteristics. A number of rare and scarce plant species can ...
site, is situated along the north Cornwall coast of the Celtic Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. It starts at
Godrevy Head Godrevy ( kw, Godrevi, meaning ''small farms'') ( ) is an area on the eastern side of St Ives Bay, west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, which faces the Atlantic Ocean. It is popular with both the surfing community and walkers. It is part ...
(with the Godrevy Towans) in the west and continues for to the north east, through
Portreath Portreath ( kw, Porthtreth or ) is a civil parish, village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is about three miles (5 km) northwest of Redruth. The village extends along both sides of a str ...
,
Porthtowan Porthtowan ( kw, Porth Tewyn, meaning ''cove of sand dunes'') is a small village in Cornwall, England which is a popular summer tourist destination. Porthtowan is on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of Redruth, w ...
and ends just past St Agnes Head, north of the village of St Agnes.Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 203 ''Land's End'' St Agnes Beacon overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and is considered "the most prominent feature" of the Heritage coastline, with coastal and inland views that may be enjoyed during hillside walks. The National Trust landmark's name comes from the Cornish name "Bryanick". "Beacon" is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin referring to the use of a hill summit for a warning signal fire. During the Napoleonic Wars a guard was stationed on the hill to look out for French ships and light a warning fire on seeing any.


Geology

To the northwest foot of the St Agnes Beacon is Cameron Quarry and St Agnes Beacon Pits, Sites of Special Scientific Interest noted for their geological interest. Trevaunance Cove is also a
Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
and a Geological Conservation Review site of national importance for ″... the two principal ore-bearing mineral veins associated with the Hercynian St. Agnes-Cligga granite″.


Toponymy

The original name of St Agnes was "Bryanick", a Cornish name which may mean pointed hill (i.e. St Agnes Beacon). Craig Weatherhill suggests it was a compound of ''brea'' (hill) and ''Anek'' (Agnes) and gives the first recorded form as "Breanek" (1420–99). Neither Bryanick nor St Agnes, though, were established at the time of the Domesday Survey, 1086; the area was included in Perran Sand ( Perranzabuloe). The St Agnes Chapel was named after the Roman martyr
Agnes of Rome Agnes of Rome () is a virgin martyr, venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as the Anglican Communion and Lutheranism, Lutheran Churches. St. Agn ...
who refused to marry a son of Sempronius, a governor of Rome and member of the Sempronia family. She was killed in 304 AD. According to Arthur G. Langdon, writing in the 1890s, the inhabitants of St Agnes pronounced its name as if it were "St Anne's" to distinguish it from St Agnes in the Isles of Scilly.Langdon, Arthur G. (1896) ''Old Cornish Crosses''. Truro: Joseph Pollard, p. 77


History and antiquities


Antiquities

There are a number of ancient archaeological sites in the St Agnes parish. The earliest found to date are
mesolithic The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
fragments which are dated from 10,000 to 4,000 BC. They were found near
New Downs New Downs is a farm near Camborne and St Agnes in Cornwall, England. History The location has been known as New Down or New Downs since at least 1768. In 1864, a ploughman on the New Downs, which was a parcel of the inner Goonbrey tenement, turn ...
and West Polberro. During the Bronze Age, barrows were created in many places in the area, which was probably because its rich supply of bronze-making raw materials: copper and tin. During the Iron Age there were more forts and evidence of mining. A noteworthy Iron Age site is the Caer Dane hillfort, 2.2 mi southeast of
Perranporth Perranporth ( kw, Porthperan) is a seaside resort town on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile east of the St Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 8 miles south-west of Newquay. Perranporth and its long beach f ...
. It had three concentric defensive walls surrounding the inner, topmost ring. St Piran's enclosed round was wide and may have been a "playing place" (performance area). During the Middle Ages it was converted to a "
Plain-an-gwarry (theatre) A plen-an-gwarry or plain-an-gwary ( kw, Plen an Gwari), is a "playing-place" or round, a medieval amphitheatre found in Cornwall. A circular outdoor space used for plays, sports, and public events, the plen-an-gwary was a Cornish variant of a c ...
". It is still used sometimes as a theatre. There are other prehistoric geographic features, but the specific age or time period is unclear. The Bolster Bank, or Bolster & Chapel Bulwark, at
Porth Porth ( cy, Y Porth) is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. Lying in the Rhondda Valley, it is regarded as the gateway connecting the Rhondda Fawr and Rh ...
, is an univallate earthen boundary about long. It was likely used for defensive purposes, protecting the heath and valuable tin resources. Located on the "land side" of St Agnes Beacon, evidence of the
bulwark Bulwark primarily refers to: * Bulwark (nautical), a nautical term for the extension of a ship's side above the level of a weather deck * Bastion, a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification The Bulwark primarily refe ...
can be seen sporadically from Bolster Farm to Goonvrea Farm, down to Wheal Freedom and then to Chapel Coombes. Although much of the boundary has been levelled, it is presently at its highest by Bolster Farm and Goonvrea where it is about high. It could have been constructed as early as the Iron Age or some time in the Dark Ages. Some Iron Age buildings and features were used during the
Roman period The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
from 43 to 410 AD.


Middle Ages

The first chapel or church in St Agnes was believed to have been built as an early Celtic church sometime between 410 and 1066 AD; At that time it also had an enclosure. The Church of St Agnes was built on the same location around 1482. A medieval chapel with an enclosure stood at Chapel Porth, about 570 metres north west of Wheal Freedom. There was a holy well and a post-medieval (1540 to 1901) storehouse or shelter on the site. The chapel was destroyed in 1780, and the holy well remained until 1820. There still remains some ruins of the medieval enclosure and the small building. During the Middle Ages there was tin working at a St Agnes Head tin works site with an extractive pit for openworks and lode back workings. There are also ancient signs of tin works at Wheal Coates, near the Chapel Porth area cliffs. The site includes an adit, which is a tunnel or access to the mine; dam; dressing floor where the ore was processed for smelting; and an
open cut Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining, is a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth from an open-air pit, sometimes known as a borrow. This form of mining ...
where excavation occurred in a ravine on the surface. There were also prospecting pits to locate ore below the surface and a wheel pit for a water wheel. A
bothy A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are found in remote mountainous areas of Sco ...
provided lodging for the miners.''Monument No. 426049 - Wheal Coates Mine.''
English Heritage National Monuments. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
A manor was built in St Agnes during the Middle Ages. Between 1700 and 1800 a house was built on the site of the previous manor. It is now a
convalescent home A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
. A Trevellas country house was built during this period. Sometime between 1540 and 1901 a new house was erected where the country house once stood.


16th and 17th century

A chapel created between 1540 and the 1800s was located just north of Mawla. In its latter years the building was a shed for cows. By 1847 it was in ruins. The St John the Baptist church in Mount Hawke received the font from this church, although its original "Medieval" carvings were lost when the font was resculpted. It was during this period that the Gill family were first recorded to be living in the area. The Gill family have traced their origins to St Agnes from as early as 1565, where it is believed that they were one of the more influential yeoman families. The area saw an emergence of a variety of industries, such as public houses. The Miners Arms Public House was constructed in
Mithian Mithian ( kw, Mydhyan) is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is about six miles (9.6 km) northeast of Redruth and a mile east of St Agnes. Mithian is in the administrative civil parish of St Agnes (which was in the former C ...
in the 17th century. It saw additions and renovations in the following two centuries. The building exterior is made of granite, killas rubble, brick and elvan. It is roofed in
Delabole slate Delabole ( kw, Delyow Boll) is a large village and civil parish in north Cornwall, England, UK. It is situated approximately two miles (3 km) west of Camelford. The village of Delabole came into existence in the early 20th-century; it is ...
. Trevaunance Cove had a post medieval lime kiln that operated sometime between 1540 and 1901.


18th and 19th century

Medieval mining locations began to take on modern methods of mining in the 19th century, like that at Wheal Coates. Wheal Lushington is thought to have been the biggest tin mining operation in the area. Operational by 1808, smelting was also performed at Wheal Lushington. Modern mining practices were employed at Blue Hills Mine about 1810 and until 1897. There had been prior mining activities in that area before 1780.''Blue Hills Tin Mine.''
English Heritage National Monuments. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
A number of copper, tin and arsenic mines operated during the 18th, 19th and some into the 20th century.''Advanced Search on: St Agnes Cornwall Post Medieval Industry (theme).''
English Heritage National Monuments. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
Allen's Corn Mill operated at Porthtowan between 1752 and 1816.


20th century

From 1903 until 1963 a railway station on the Perranporth line operated in St Agnes. After the railway station closed, the dismantled railway was used for the mining industry. Between 1939 and 1940, Cameron Camp, also known as the 10th Light Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Royal Artillery, was built on the site of a Napoleonic Wars target. The camp was named after an area landowner and served as an army camp,
slit trench A defensive fighting position (DFP) is a type of earthwork constructed in a military context, generally large enough to accommodate anything from one soldier to a fire team (or similar sized unit). Terminology Tobruk type positions are name ...
and
anti-aircraft battery Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes Surface-to-air m ...
. After the war the camp was used for housing. It was levelled in 1971.


Religion

There are churches and chapels in the district for three Christian denominations:
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
, Methodist and Roman Catholic.''Church History.''
St Agnes. GENUKI. Retrieved 22 September 2012.


Anglican

;St Agnes Parish Church The Church of St Agnes is believed to have been built as a
chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently. Often a chapel of ea ...
about 1482, on the foundation of what is possibly an ancient Celtic church (410 to 1066 AD). The records of the Diocese of Exeter refer to a chapel of St Agnes in the parish of Perranzabuloe in 1374. In medieval and early modern times St Agnes was part of the parish of Perranzabuloe. In 1846 it was made into a parish church and two years later the building itself, exclusive of the spire and tower, was
restored ''Restored'' is the fourth studio album by American contemporary Christian music musician Jeremy Camp. It was released on November 16, 2004 by BEC Recordings. Track listing Standard release Enhanced edition Deluxe gold edition Standard ...
by
Piers St Aubyn James Piers St Aubyn (6 April 1815 – 8 May 1895), often referred to as J P St Aubyn, was an English architect of the Victorian era, known for his church architecture and confident restorations. Early life St Aubyn was born at Powick Vicarag ...
. In 1905 the spire was rebuilt. It is a Grade II listed building.''Church of St Agnes.''
English Heritage National Monuments Record. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
On the southwest side of the church by the churchyard gate is a granite wayside cross from the Middle Ages. The stone is the remains of a lych stone used for holding coffins. Arthur G. Langdon notes that
John Thomas Blight : ''For the Australian poet, see John Blight.'' John Thomas Blight FSA (27 October 1835 – 23 January 1911) was a Cornish archaeological artist born near Redruth in Cornwall, England, UK. His father, Robert, a teacher, moved the family to ...
recorded its former use as a lych stone. The head of the stone is incomplete; both part of one side of the head and the uppermost part of the head have been cut off. ;Mount Hawke Parish Church In 1846 the Mount Hawke chapel-of-ease, dedicated to St John the Baptist, was formed from church members who had been meeting in a small building in the village; it became the parish church of the new ecclesiastical parish of Mount Hawke in 1847. The
Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. Since 30 April 2014 the ordinary has been Robert Atwell.
consecrated the stone Perpendicular style building on 5 August 1878.''Church History.''
Mount Hawke. GENUKI. Retrieved 23 September 2012. Also se

.
;Mithian Parish Church Another Anglican chapel-of-ease was St Peter's Church in Mithian. The Decorated style church was built between
Mithian Mithian ( kw, Mydhyan) is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is about six miles (9.6 km) northeast of Redruth and a mile east of St Agnes. Mithian is in the administrative civil parish of St Agnes (which was in the former C ...
and
Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...
at
Chiverton Cross Chiverton Cross is a road junction in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, about four miles (6 kilometres) north-east of Redruth and five miles (8 km) west of Truro at . Its name derives from Chyverton House which is in the extreme eas ...
in 1847 and dedicated to
St Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupation ...
. There had been two or more chapels in Mithian prior to this church. One was at Mawla (subsequently used to shelter cows). The Mithian church closed in 2008.''Church History.''
Mithian. GENUKI. Retrieved 23 September 2012. Also se


Methodist

There are several Methodist churches in St Agnes: the former Wesleyan Methodist church, the former United Methodist chapel and a former
Primitive Methodist The Primitive Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination with the holiness movement. It began in England in the early 19th century, with the influence of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834). In the United States, the Primiti ...
chapel. Mithian previously had a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. Mawla, Mount Hawke, Skinner's Bottom and Porthtowan all also had Wesleyan chapels. Skinner's Bottom also had a Primitive Methodist chapel. Wheal Rose had a Bible Christian chapel. File:The Chapel on the Hill - geograph.org.uk - 186605.jpg, The Chapel on the Hill, Methodist Church, Porthtowan File:An Old Chapel - geograph.org.uk - 585211.jpg, An old Methodist chapel, Wheal Rose File:An Old Methodist Chapel on Trevellas Downs - geograph.org.uk - 229641.jpg, An old Methodist chapel on Trevellas Downs File:Our Lady Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church - geograph.org.uk - 534550.jpg, Our Lady, Star of the Sea


Roman Catholic

A Roman Catholic chapel was built in 1882 on Trevellas Downs. In 1958 the church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea (''illustrated above''), was built in St Agnes to the designs of Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly, architects.


Education

Schools for children ages five to eleven include St Agnes ACE Academy, Mithian Primary School, Blackwater Community Primary School], and Mount Hawke Academy. Young people from the village and wider parish usually attend secondary and post-16 education at school and colleges in Truro (
Richard Lander School Richard Lander School is a coeducational secondary school located in Truro, Cornwall, England. It is named after Richard Lemon Lander. It is a community school administered by Cornwall Council. Notable former pupils *Darren Dawidiuk, rugby p ...
,
Penair School Penair School is a secondary academy school in Truro, Cornwall, England, for children aged 11 to 16. It is named after Penair House, a mansion built in the late 18th century by Rear-Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds. It is currently graded as ...
and
Truro and Penwith College Truro and Penwith College is a Tertiary College and Further Education College in Cornwall, United Kingdom. History Truro College was founded in 1993 as a new college in Gloweth near Threemilestone, Truro, Cornwall, to replace the Truro Sixt ...
), Redruth (
Redruth School Redruth School is a secondary school in Redruth, Cornwall, England, for pupils aged 11 to 16. It was formed in 1976 by the merger of Redruth Grammar School and Tolgus Secondary School. The sports fields of the school are also used as a venue f ...
and
Pool Academy Pool Academy is a Mixed-sex education, mixed secondary school with Academy (English school), academy status, located in Pool, Cornwall, Pool in the English county of Cornwall. History Although other schools had been in the area previously the ...
) or Camborne (
Camborne Science and International Academy Camborne Science and International Academy (formerly Camborne Science & Community College) is an academy school and sixth form in Camborne, Cornwall, England, UK. The school teaches 1,803 11- to 18-year-olds. School When the school opened on ...
and
Cornwall College The Cornwall College Group (TCCG; kw, Kolji Kernow) is a further education college situated on eight sites throughout Cornwall and Devon, England, United Kingdom, with its head office in St Austell. Campuses There are eight campuses within ...
). Near Blackwater is the Three Bridges Special School for children ages 11 to 19. John Passmore Edwards in 1893 had built and donated the Miners and Mechanics Institute in the village of St Agnes. Individuals could attend lectures or access the library. This one story building was designed by W. J. Willis and its exterior was made of killas and granite. The gabled roof was covered with Delabole slate. Within the building there were two main rooms and other smaller rooms.


Culture

Outdoor activities include beach side walks, swimming, and
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...
. The area has a number of paths for coastal walks or cycling. There are also art shows, craft fayres, tea parties and coffee mornings. Music and dancing can be found in the public houses. Annual events are Carnival week, Lifeboat day, Summer plays by the St Agnes Players, Victorian Fair Day and the Bolster the Giant pageant. The Blue Hills area hosts the Motor Cycling Club's Lands End Trial for cars and bikes. The first run being held in 1908. There are several sports clubs including rugby union,
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, boxing and netball. The St Agnes Parish Museum provides information about the history of the St Agnes area. Mining and the coastal history figure prominently, including a leatherback turtle.


Economy

Historically, St Agnes and the surrounding area relied on fishing, farming and mining for copper and tin. There were also iron foundries and an
iron works An ironworks or iron works is an industrial plant where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e. the singular of ''ironworks'' is ''ironworks''. Ironworks succeeded bloomeri ...
, stamps and crazing mills, a
smelter Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore, to extract a base metal. It is a form of extractive metallurgy. It is used to extract many metals from their ores, including Silver mining#Ore processing, silver, iron-making, iron, copper extracti ...
,
blowing house A blowing house or blowing mill was a building used for smelting tin in Cornwall and on Dartmoor in Devon, in South West England. Blowing houses contained a furnace and a pair of bellows that were powered by an adjacent water wheel, and they wer ...
s and clay extraction. By the 1930s mining and related industries had nearly ceased and by the 1950s the area had very little industrial commerce. Instead, the area became a bedroom community for workers in the surrounding towns and cities like Newquay and Truro, a desired retirement community and a favoured holiday spot. The mining history is part of the draw for tourists, like the Blue Hills Tin Streams where tourists can see tin work demonstrations.''Cornwall Industrial Settlements Initiative - St Agnes Area.''
Historic Cornwall. pp. 11. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
St Agnes village is relatively self-sufficient with local shops and business enterprises that support the village itself and the surrounding farming country.


Agriculture

Prior to the mid-19th century, the moors and waste land would not support a great agricultural industry. Although after the land was agriculturly improved, there was an increase in the number of farms. In 1878 after the enclosure of heath, cultivation had almost reached the summit of St Agnes Beacon. By the late 19th century it was the "largest single trade in the locality and parish".
Malting Malting is the process of steeping, germinating and drying grain to convert it into malt. The malt is mainly used for brewing or whisky making, but can also be used to make malt vinegar or malt extract. Various grains are used for malting, most ...
s, a related industry operated in Peterville in the 19th century.


Harbour

Since the 17th century there have been many attempts to create a harbour for St Agnes. Between 1632 and 1709 the Tonkins, lords of the manor of Trevaunance, expended the family legacy as they tried to build a harbour. Three attempts were made, the last of which was assisted by
Henry Winstanley Henry Winstanley (31 March 1644 – 27 November 1703) was an English painter, engineer and merchant, who constructed the first Eddystone lighthouse after losing two of his ships on the Eddystone rocks. He died while working on the project duri ...
, but that harbour was washed away in 1705. The harbour built in 1710 by an unrelated party was levelled in 1730 by the crashing Atlantic Ocean waves. A new harbour constructed in 1798 supported a fishing industry and allowed for the export of copper ore and the import of coal from South Wales for the smelters at the mines. St Agnes remained a busy port until the collapse of the harbour wall in a storm in 1915/16. There are only remains of the old harbour in existence.''Cornwall Industrial Settlements Initiative St Agnes.''
Cornwall Historic Environment Service. December 2002. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
In 1802, a pilchard fishing industry was established from the harbour, reaching its peak in 1829 and 1830 before declining.


Mining

Cornwall, along with its neighbouring county of Devon, was an important source of tin for Europe and the Mediterranean throughout ancient times, but began dominating the market during late Roman times in the 3rd century AD with the exhaustion of many Spanish tin mines. Cornwall maintained its importance as a source of tin throughout medieval times and into the modern period. At their height about 100 mines employed 1000 miners. Mining came to an end in the 1920s and many of these mines are still on view for tourists. United Hills mine produced 86,500 tons of copper ore, 1826–1906; and
Wheal Towan Porthtowan ( kw, Porth Tewyn, meaning ''cove of sand dunes'') is a small village in Cornwall, England which is a popular summer tourist destination. Porthtowan is on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of Redruth, ...
54,610 tons, 1800-31. Lesser quantities of black tin were produced from these mines: West Wheal Kitty 10,070 tons (1881–1915); Wheal Kitty 9,510 tons (1853–1918); Polberro 4,300 tons (1837–95); Penhalls 3,610 tons (1834–96); and Blue Hills 2,120 tons (1858–97). Much of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, a World Heritage Site, is in the parish. Tin production is still worked at the Blue Hills Tin Streams Wheal Coates was the site of medieval mining between 1066 and 1540, and it was a modern mining producer from 1802 and into the 20th century. The visible remains of Wheal Coates are the engine houses built in the 1870s to crush ore, run a
Calciner Calcination refers to thermal treatment of a solid chemical compound (e.g. mixed carbonate ores) whereby the compound is raised to high temperature without melting under restricted supply of ambient oxygen (i.e. gaseous O2 fraction of air), genera ...
, or pump water. The sites, owned by the National Trust, include the Whim Engine House, Towanroath Pumping Engine House and the Calciner. Before that the Jericho valley, where Blue Hills Tin Streams operated, had supported mining operations for centuries. At Chapel Coombe a set of old Cornish stamps has been re-erected by the
Trevithick Society The Trevithick Society is a registered charity named for Richard Trevithick, a Cornish engineer who contributed to the use of high pressure steam engines for transportation and mining applications. History In 1935 the Cornish Engines Preservat ...
. Stippy Stappy is a row of 18th century cottages on a very steep incline. File:St Agnes, Blue Hills Tin Streams - geograph.org.uk - 41217.jpg, St Agnes: Blue Hills Tin Streams. Water-powered Cornish Stamps used for dressing tin. File:'Stippy Stappy' - St Agnes - geograph.org.uk - 184685.jpg, Stippy Stappy miners' cottages


Tourism

St Agnes is a popular tourist destination. The coastal area is maintained by the National Trust and is designated part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Beaches in the St Agnes Parish include Trevaunance Cove, near the village of St Agnes. It is a small sandy beach with lifeguards and adequate parking. Porthtowan village also has a sandy beach. Trevellas Porth is popular with divers and fishermen, but because it is quite rocky it is not recommended for swimming. Chapel Porth is another area beach.


Demographics

The population of the St Agnes Parish is made up of the people in two St Agnes groupings,
Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...
,
Mount Hawke Mount Hawke is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately west-northwest of Truro, north-northeast of Redruth, and south of St Agnes. The village is in a former mining area in the administrative civil parish of St ...
,
Porthtowan Porthtowan ( kw, Porth Tewyn, meaning ''cove of sand dunes'') is a small village in Cornwall, England which is a popular summer tourist destination. Porthtowan is on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of Redruth, w ...
and Wheal Rose. In 2010, the population was 1,440 in St Agnes Central and 2,480 in St Agnes Fringe,
Mithian Mithian ( kw, Mydhyan) is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is about six miles (9.6 km) northeast of Redruth and a mile east of St Agnes. Mithian is in the administrative civil parish of St Agnes (which was in the former C ...
and
Trevellas Trevellas is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, situated midway between St Agnes and Perranporth. It was first recorded as a place in Cornwall in 1302 and was the site of the Trevelles family manor. Trevellas valley was a mining sit ...
for a total of 3,920 people.St Agnes Fringe, Mithian And Trevellas.Neighbourhood profiles map
Cornwall Council. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
St Agnes Central.Neighbourhood profiles map
Cornwall Council. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
In Blackwater and Mount Hawke there were 2,130 peopleBlackwater and Mount Hawke.Neighbourhood profiles map
Cornwall Council. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
and in Porthtowan and Wheal Rose there were an additional 1,580 people.Porthtowan and Wheal Rose.Neighbourhood profiles map
Cornwall Council. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
The total of the numbers from the Neighbourhood profiles is 7,630. The statistics above were compiled from individual municipality information. The following is an aggregate statistic of the Community Network Area that St Agnes shares with Perranporth for managing local governmental activities with Cornwall Council: This represents a 6% growth since 2001. With a total network area of 12,453 hectares, the population density is 1.40 acres/person.


Government and politics

The St Agnes Parish wards include
Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...
,
Mithian Mithian ( kw, Mydhyan) is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is about six miles (9.6 km) northeast of Redruth and a mile east of St Agnes. Mithian is in the administrative civil parish of St Agnes (which was in the former C ...
,
Mount Hawke Mount Hawke is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately west-northwest of Truro, north-northeast of Redruth, and south of St Agnes. The village is in a former mining area in the administrative civil parish of St ...
, St Agnes, and
Porthtowan Porthtowan ( kw, Porth Tewyn, meaning ''cove of sand dunes'') is a small village in Cornwall, England which is a popular summer tourist destination. Porthtowan is on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of Redruth, w ...
. Council members make decisions on parish business through the Environment, Planning, Property & Devolved Services, and Human Resources committees and via Full Council meetings in accordance with established policies and procedures. Parish Council staff run the Parish Council on behalf of Councillors and the community. Since 1 July 1837 St Agnes has been continuously registered in the Truro Registration district. In 1974, local districts were created to manage local government as the result of the Local Government Act 1972. Under The District of Carrick (Electoral Changes) Order 2002,
Carrick District Carrick ( kw, Karrek) was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Its council was based in Truro. The main centres of population, industry and commerce were the city of Truro and the towns of Falmouth/ Penryn. The ...
, which had managed the parish of St Agnes and other wards, would be dissolved and St Agnes would manage its own local government with three parish councillors. Since June 2009 it has been part of the St. Agnes and Perranporth Community Network of the Cornwall Council.


Transport

There is bus service within Cornwall by a number of operators. The major operator in the Cornwall area is Kernow. Service runs through the village of St Agnes and other towns. Rail service is offered out of
Newquay railway station Newquay railway station serves the town and seaside resort of Newquay Newquay ( ; kw, Tewynblustri) is a town on the north coast in Cornwall, in the south west of England. It is a civil parish, seaside resort, regional centre for aerospac ...
, Redruth railway station, Truro railway station and other western Cornwall municipalities, which is connected with bus service through the Ride Cornwall and Plusbus programs. Ferry service is available to the
Isles of Scilly The Isles of Scilly (; kw, Syllan, ', or ) is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England. One of the islands, St Agnes, is the most southerly point in Britain, being over further south than the most southerly point of the ...
from
Penzance Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
; Padstow to Rock; and other locations. Air travel is available through
Newquay Airport Cornwall Airport Newquay is the main commercial airport for Cornwall, United Kingdom, located at Mawgan in Pydar, northeast of the town of Newquay on Cornwall's north coast. Its runway was operated by RAF St Mawgan before 2008, and is now o ...
.Main Page / Travel.
Newquay Cornwall Airport. Retrieved 22 September 2012.


Notable people

* John Passmore Edwards, philanthropist * John Opie, notable painter, born at Trevellas *
Thomas Tonkin Thomas Tonkin (1678–1742) was a Cornish landowner and historian. Early life He was born at Trevaunance, St Agnes, Cornwall, and baptised in its parish church on 26 September 1678, was the eldest son of Hugh Tonkin (1652–1711), vice-warden of ...
(1678–1742), Cornish landowner and historian. * George Smiley fictional intelligence officer *
Louise Cooper Louise Cooper (29 May 1952 – 21 October 2009) was a British fantasy writer who lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall. Cooper was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. She began writing stories when she was at school to entertain her ...
, writer


See also

* Mimetite *
St Agnes Mining District The St Agnes Mining District is that part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounding the village of St Agnes, Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in S ...


Notes


References


Further reading

*Foster, R. J. (1964) ''St Agnes Methodist Church''.


External links and references

*
Chapel Porth Beach tide times

World Heritage Listing for St. Agnes

Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for St Agnes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Agnes, Cornwall Civil parishes in Cornwall Villages in Cornwall Populated coastal places in Cornwall National Trust properties in Cornwall Surfing locations in Cornwall Beaches of Cornwall Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cornwall