PADSTOW, a sea-port and market-town and parish,
in the hundred of PYDER,
county of CORNWALL, 14
miles (W. N. W.) from
Bodmin, and 249 (W. S.
W.) from London, containing,
according to the last
census, 1700 inhabitants,
which number is estimated
to have since increased to
2000. The town is of
great antiquity, and was
known, under the name of Lodenelc at Heglemith, in the
earliest annals of Cornish history. According to Borlase
and others, the first religious house, called Laffenack,
was established here in 432, by St. Patrick; about a
century afterwards, he was succeeded by St. Petroc, and
under the auspices of this popular saint a monastery
was founded, in 513, which, having progressively increased
in extent and holy reputation, was visited by
Athelstan, on the occasion of his triumphant excursion
into Cornwall, in 926. This sovereign conferred important
privileges on both the monastery and the town, the
latter of which he named after himself, Adelstow, or
Aldestow. Whitaker has satisfactorily proved that at
this time the localities of Bodmin presented little more
than the solitary cell of St. Guron; the same authority,
however, rejects the visit of St. Patrick in favour of his
successor. In ancient records Patrickstowe and Petrocstowe
are equally common; from the former of these
Padestowe, or Padstow, is more naturally derived, and
perhaps the continued influx of Irish at this port from
the earliest times may have had some influence on the
change of name. It was in the year 981, when the monastery
was in the plenitude of its prosperity, that it
was ravaged by Danish pirates, and burnt to the ground.
On this event it became necessary to find a situation
less exposed for the new foundation, which was fixed at
Bodinin, and the sacred ashes of St. Petroc were transferred
to its sanctuary. It has been a subject of antiquarian
dissertation, whether Padstow is described as
Elhil or Lancuhoc in Domesday-book. In 1344, this
place was one of the few ports in Devonshire and
Cornwall that furnished ships for the siege of Calais.
In 1645, the Prince, afterwards Charles II., was for
some time resident here; the inhabitants were at that
time zealous in their support of royalty; but about five
years after, a singular change appears to have taken
place in their political feelings. A vessel from Ireland,
with troops and dispatches, having arrived, with the
certainty of a favourable reception, was boarded by the
townspeople, assisted by some parliamentary dragoons,
and after a contest, in which many lives were lost, she
was -captured, and the troops made prisoners. As the
only port on the coast for the exportation of large quantities
of grain, Padstow was, in the last century, repeatedly
exposed to the inroads of large parties of miners,
from the districts in the west: they assembled to
the number of upwards of one thousand men, armed with
bludgeons. The high price of bread was the grievance
complained of, and they generally returned home after
having broken open the granaries, and distributed the
corn. The interference of the military on these - occasions
was usually found necessary.
The town is beautifully situated on an sestuary,
formed by the confluence of the river Camel and other
subordinate streams, and opening into St. George's channel;
it is embosomed in a richly cultivated vale, the
eastern side of whiph opens on the harbour, a sheet of
water which, being apparently enclosed by a bold range
of hills, and singularly retaining its clear azure hue,
presents the attractive beauties of lake scenery. The
high land to the north and west of the town is occupied
by the grounds of Place, an ancient seat of the
Prideaux family. On the southern eminences and along
the vale are the fine plantations of Saunders Hill, which
command a varied and luxuriant prospect. In the immediate
vicinity, however, nature assumes a severity and
boldness of character seldom equalled; the cliffs of
black granite on the coast, which are alike remarkable
for their stupendous height and grotesque form, are
frequently visited by the scientific traveller; they present
curious specimens of geological strata peculiar to
this part of the kingdom. The streets are roughly
paved, but not lighted, and the town is plentifully supplied
with water. The houses are all covered with the
fine blue slate raised in the neighbourhood. Previously
to the sixteenth century the harbour of Padstow was
considered one of the finest on the western coast of
England, but from the accumulation of sand, the driving
of which was so violent as, in the course of one
night, to cover several houses on the coast, it became
of less importance; the trade was very considerable at
the commencement of the present century, and it now
carries on a large coasting trade, corn, malt, and other
merchandise being sent to Liverpool, Bristol, London,
Wales, and Ireland. The port was formerly noted for
valuable importations of Russian produce, much of
which was re-shipped to Bristol; and the exportation
of pilchards; but the little foreign trade which it at
present enjoys is chiefly with Norway and America.
The number of vessels that entered inwards from foreign
ports in 1826, was five British and five foreign
and the number that cleared outwards, eighteen
British and five foreign. In 1826 seven vessels were
built and registered; and the number which belonged
to the port in March, 1828, was three of more than
one hundred tons' burthen, and sixty-nine of smaller
size. One hundred and seventy-five vessels have been
wrecked and stranded, and upwards of two hundred lives
lost, in the last thirty-three years, within the limits of
the port. Several important works have been constructed,
for the assistance of ships entering the harbour,
by a benevolent association, established inNovember 1829,
which having been liberally supported by gentlemen
of influence in the county, has already been attended
with the most beneficial results. A life boat is attached
to the apparatus. The Trinity House has recently
brought the port under the regulation of branch pilots.
Several persons are employed in ship-building, and sail
and rope making. The market is held on Saturday, by
prescription, for meat and provisions; but the fairs, on
April 18th and September 31st, which were formerly well
supplied with cattle and staple produce, are no longer
continued.
In the 25th of Elizabeth the town was incorporated
by royal charter, under the title of the " Mayor and
Burgesses of the Borough of Padstow/' when the executive
government was vested in the mayor, steward,
five aldermen, and two Serjeants at mace, annually
elected by the burgesses; a market was established on
Friday, of which the mayor was constituted clerk; and
two fairs were granted. The corporation were empowered
to hold a weekly court, for the recovery of
debts to the amount of £40; the charter likewise contained
a clause reserving to the lord of the manor several
important rights and privileges. About the middle
of the seventeenth century, the municipal rights having
been .allowed to lapse by desuetude, the town was placed
under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, one of
whom, Thomas Rawlings, Esq., was for a long period resident,
but on his decease the magisterial business was
ti-ansferred to the petty sessions at St. Columb. A
portreeve, who formerly had the control of the harbour,
and other officers, are still chosen at the manorial court
leet, but their duties are little more than nominal.
The living is a discharged vicarage, in the peculiar
jurisdiction of the Bishop of Exeter, rated in the king's
books" at £11. 3. 4., endowed with £200 private benefaction,
and in the patronage of the Rev. C. Prideaux
Brune. The church is a'spacious light structure, in
the decorated and later styles of English architecture,
built at different periods, the earliest in the
fourteenth century: the richly-sculptured font and
curious piscina have attracted much attention. A
commodious place of worship has been recently built
for the Wesleyan Methodists. A National school for
children of both sexes was established in 1819; *ne
school-room was erected by the contributions of the
resident gentry, assisted by the National Society.
In 1640, £200 was laid out in land for the benefit of
the poor, and vested in trustees by.enfeoffment, called
"Stock Money;" £ 10 per annum for a free school for ten
boys, and £5 per annum from the Rev. St. John Bhot,
are also similarly secured. The learned Dr. Humphrey
Prideaux, Dean of Norwich, was born here in 1648.
With some slight exceptions, the remains of nine religious
edifices in the town and its immediate vicinity have entirely
disappeared. The old provincial festivities of
Christmas and May-day are attended with many singular
customs, traditionally connected with the early
history of the place.