Truro

Truro, the mining capital of Cornwall, and a parliamentary borough (two members). Its population is 11,337 within the borough bounds, which enclose a space of 1,200 acres, at the head of a creek of the Fal (where the rivers Kenwyn and Allen fall in), covered by foundries, blast houses, pottery and tin works, &c. When the tide is up the creek looks like a fine lake, two miles long. Like most Cornish towns, Truro originated in a castle built by the Earls of Cornwall, on Castle Hill. It is now the principal coinage town in the Duchy, where the metal is stamped, previous to being exported. Bar tin is sent to the Mediterranean, &c., and ingots to the East Indies, where much of the copper ore is taken across to Swansea.

The principal streets diverge from the market place, near which is St. Mary’s Church, a handsome later Gothic edifice, with a tower. It contains various monuments to old Truro families. There are two other churches, besides one at Kenwyn, north of the town, near the county infirmary. The Coinage Hall is an old building, formerly used as a stannary parliament, i.e., a parliament of turners (stannum, tin). Town Hall, built in 1615. Theatre and Assembly Room, at High Cross. A good museum at the Royal Institute of Cornwall. Attempts have been made to establish a mining college, chiefly by the liberal exertions of Sir C. Lemon, after whom Lemon Street, on the Falmouth Road, takes its name. At the top of it is a pillar to the African travellers, Richard and J. Lander, natives of Truro, the latter of whom perished on his third trip to that insalubrious coast.

Within a short distance are the following places, mostly seated on the Fal or its branches. Polwhele was the seat of Polwhele the antiquary, a member of an ancient Cornish family, “By Tre, Pol, and Pen, you may know the Cornishmen,” is a well known rhyme. Pencalenick, seat of J. Vivian, Esq., – another old name. Tregothnan, the seat of the Earl of Falmouth, a beautiful spot. Here Admiral Boscawen was born, in 1711. Trewarthenick, another fine seat, near Tregony, Trelissich, on the west side of the Fal.