South Petherwin
Encyclopedia
South Petherwin is a village and civil parish in east Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. It is in the Registration District of Launceston. The civil parish is bounded to the north by the Launceston parishes of St Thomas
and St Mary Magdalene, to the east by Lawhitton
and Lezant
parishes and to the west by Trewen
parish. The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 932.
South Petherwin village is situated 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest of the town of Launceston on the road from Launceston to Liskeard
. The parish church, dedicated to St Paternus, stands in the village at . The church's tower has pinnacles and battlements and it houses a ring of five bells.
, Paternus) has had several candidates, which have become mixed and confused over the ages. It is believed that the actual St. Patern to which the Parishes of North
and South Petherwin are dedicated, was actually the father of St. Constantine of Cornwall, a Cornish King who gave up his throne to become a monk. St. Patern and St. Constantine have thus always been linked, with dedications always being near one another (a Celtic practice when saints are related or work together) (St. Constantine Church at Milton Abbot being the case in point for South Petherwin).
With the assumption that Dunheved (now known as Launceston) was the seat of the Celtic Kings
of the area and that when Constantine became a monk he gave his territory to the Celtic Church, the Parish, along with North Petherwin
and Lawhitton
(Landwithan), would have been administered by the Celtic Bishop from St German's Priory
.
With the West Saxon
invasion, the new King created a new diocese in the South West based at Sherborne in 909 AD. The lands which were controlled by the Celtic Bishop, were conceded to the new Bishop's control, to finance his work in Cornwall. It is with the Saxons that both Petherwins began to dominate the region, with the River Kensey being the natural divide. North Petherwin in the North with the new monastery of St. Stephens (a Saxon abbot being appointed to quell the Celts), and South Petherwin to the south of the Kensey: Dunheved was allowed to decline, as a means to crush the Celtic will. The see of the Diocese moved first to Crediton from Sherborne, then on to Exeter
in 1050.
who sought to suppress the West Saxon control. First St. Stephen's was reduced as a monastery with the priory being moved across the Kensey to Newport
. Then the ruined ancient fort of Dunheved was rebuilt as a Castle and walled town. At that time South Petherwin became the mother Church for Launceston, and it is the Church's importance in providing a valuable source of income to the church as a whole, that accounts for the size of the Church when it was rebuilt in the fifteenth century. Its significance is also shown by the existence of five roads which all lead to the Church. (Three still exist as normal tarmac roads; one is a footpath leading across fields from Tregadillett, with a fifth road from Trecrogo, which is now blocked off.) The estate was much larger than the present Parish and also included Trewen, hence the medieval association between St. Michael's Church, Trewen and St. Paternus's Church, South Petherwin (a link now ended with the consolidation of parochial charges).
The parish is now situated in the Hundred of East and deanery of Trigg Major.
, nave
, north and south aisles, and vestry
. The chancel was restored
in the 19th century. The arcades each consist of six four-centred arches, supported on monolith granite pillars. There are north and south porches. The tower has three stages, and is buttressed on the square; it is wholly built of local stone apart from the battlements and pinnacles which are of granite. The belfry contains five bells and a clock. There was a Holy Well in a field at Oldwit Farm, where water was collected and brought to the church each time a baptism took place.
The Priest-in-charge of Lezant and Lawhitton is responsible for this parish also; Trewen is the responsibility of the Vicar of Egloskerry
.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is in the Registration District of Launceston. The civil parish is bounded to the north by the Launceston parishes of St Thomas
St Thomas the Apostle Rural
St Thomas the Apostle Rural, also known as St Thomas-by-Launceston is a civil parish in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is centred on the village of Tregadillett and is in the Registration District of Launceston....
and St Mary Magdalene, to the east by Lawhitton
Lawhitton
Lawhitton is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated two miles southwest of Launceston and half-a-mile west of Cornwall's border with Devon at the River Tamar....
and Lezant
Lezant
Lezant is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. Lezant village is situated approximately five miles south of Launceston. The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 751.-Geography:...
parishes and to the west by Trewen
Trewen
Trewen is a hamlet and a civil parish in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. The parish is just east of Bodmin Moor in the River Inny valley and lies in the Registration District of Launceston....
parish. The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 932.
South Petherwin village is situated 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest of the town of Launceston on the road from Launceston to Liskeard
Liskeard
Liskeard is an ancient stannary and market town and civil parish in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Liskeard is situated approximately 20 miles west of Plymouth, west of the River Tamar and the border with Devon, and 12 miles east of Bodmin...
. The parish church, dedicated to St Paternus, stands in the village at . The church's tower has pinnacles and battlements and it houses a ring of five bells.
History
The Saint, Patern (or PadarnPadarn
Saint Padarn is the eponymous founder of St Padarn's Church. Llanbadarn Fawr, near present day Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, in the early 6th century...
, Paternus) has had several candidates, which have become mixed and confused over the ages. It is believed that the actual St. Patern to which the Parishes of North
North Petherwin
North Petherwin is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated five miles northwest of Launceston on a ridge above the River Ottery valley....
and South Petherwin are dedicated, was actually the father of St. Constantine of Cornwall, a Cornish King who gave up his throne to become a monk. St. Patern and St. Constantine have thus always been linked, with dedications always being near one another (a Celtic practice when saints are related or work together) (St. Constantine Church at Milton Abbot being the case in point for South Petherwin).
With the assumption that Dunheved (now known as Launceston) was the seat of the Celtic Kings
Triggshire
The hundred of Trigg was one of ten ancient administrative shires of Cornwall--see "Hundreds of Cornwall".Trigg is mentioned by name during the 7th century, as "Pagus Tricurius", "land of three war hosts". It was to the north of Cornwall, and included Bodmin Moor, Bodmin and the district to the...
of the area and that when Constantine became a monk he gave his territory to the Celtic Church, the Parish, along with North Petherwin
North Petherwin
North Petherwin is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated five miles northwest of Launceston on a ridge above the River Ottery valley....
and Lawhitton
Lawhitton
Lawhitton is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated two miles southwest of Launceston and half-a-mile west of Cornwall's border with Devon at the River Tamar....
(Landwithan), would have been administered by the Celtic Bishop from St German's Priory
St German's Priory
St German's Priory is a large Norman church in the village of St Germans in south-east Cornwall, in the United Kingdom.-History:According to a credible tradition the church here was founded by St Germanus himself ca. 430 AD. The first written record however is of Conan being made Bishop in the...
.
With the West Saxon
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
invasion, the new King created a new diocese in the South West based at Sherborne in 909 AD. The lands which were controlled by the Celtic Bishop, were conceded to the new Bishop's control, to finance his work in Cornwall. It is with the Saxons that both Petherwins began to dominate the region, with the River Kensey being the natural divide. North Petherwin in the North with the new monastery of St. Stephens (a Saxon abbot being appointed to quell the Celts), and South Petherwin to the south of the Kensey: Dunheved was allowed to decline, as a means to crush the Celtic will. The see of the Diocese moved first to Crediton from Sherborne, then on to Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in 1050.
Norman period
The next radical change came with the NormansNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
who sought to suppress the West Saxon control. First St. Stephen's was reduced as a monastery with the priory being moved across the Kensey to Newport
Newport, Cornwall
Newport is a suburb of the town of Launceston in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Originally a separate settlement, Newport is immediately north of the town....
. Then the ruined ancient fort of Dunheved was rebuilt as a Castle and walled town. At that time South Petherwin became the mother Church for Launceston, and it is the Church's importance in providing a valuable source of income to the church as a whole, that accounts for the size of the Church when it was rebuilt in the fifteenth century. Its significance is also shown by the existence of five roads which all lead to the Church. (Three still exist as normal tarmac roads; one is a footpath leading across fields from Tregadillett, with a fifth road from Trecrogo, which is now blocked off.) The estate was much larger than the present Parish and also included Trewen, hence the medieval association between St. Michael's Church, Trewen and St. Paternus's Church, South Petherwin (a link now ended with the consolidation of parochial charges).
The parish is now situated in the Hundred of East and deanery of Trigg Major.
Parish Church
The church consists of a chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, north and south aisles, and vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. The chancel was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in the 19th century. The arcades each consist of six four-centred arches, supported on monolith granite pillars. There are north and south porches. The tower has three stages, and is buttressed on the square; it is wholly built of local stone apart from the battlements and pinnacles which are of granite. The belfry contains five bells and a clock. There was a Holy Well in a field at Oldwit Farm, where water was collected and brought to the church each time a baptism took place.
The Priest-in-charge of Lezant and Lawhitton is responsible for this parish also; Trewen is the responsibility of the Vicar of Egloskerry
Egloskerry
Egloskerry is a village and civil parish in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately five miles northwest of Launceston....
.