The Custom House for all
the towns in this port, and the head collector, is established at
this town, where the duties (including the other ports) is very
considerable. Here is also a very great fishing for pilchards; and
the merchants for Falmouth have the chief stroke in that gainful
trade.
Truro is, however, a very considerable town, too. It stands up the
water north and by east from Falmouth, in the utmost extended
branch of the Avon, in the middle between the conflux of two
rivers, which, though not of any long course, have a very good
appearance for a port, and make it large wharf between them in the
front of the town. And the water here makes a good port for small
ships, though it be at the influx, but not for ships of burthen.
This is the particular town where the Lord-Warden of the Stannaries
always holds his famous Parliament of miners, and for stamping of
tin. The town is well built, but shows that it has been much
fuller, both of houses and inhabitants, than it is now; nor will it
probably ever rise while the town of Falmouth stands where it does,
and while the trade is settled in it as it is. There are at least
three churches in it, but no Dissenters' meeting-house that I could
hear of.
Tregony is upon the same water north-east from Falmouth--distance
about fifteen miles from it--but is a town of very little trade;
nor, indeed, have any of the towns, so far within the shore,
notwithstanding the benefit of the water, any considerable trade
but what is carried on under the merchants of Falmouth or Truro.
The chief thing that is to be said of this town is that it sends
members to Parliament, as does also Grampound, a market-town; and
Burro', about four miles farther up the water. This place, indeed,
has a claim to antiquity, and is an appendix to the Duchy of
Cornwall, of which it holds at a fee farm rent and pays to the
Prince of Wales as duke 10 pounds 11s. 1d. per annum. It has no
parish church, but only a chapel-of-ease to an adjacent parish.
Penryn is up the same branch of the Avon as Falmouth, but stands
four miles higher towards the west; yet ships come to it of as
great a size as can come to Truro itself. It is a very pleasant,
agreeable town, and for that reason has many merchants in it, who
would perhaps otherwise live at Falmouth. The chief commerce of
these towns, as to their sea-affairs, is the pilchards and
Newfoundland fishing, which is very profitable to them all. It had
formerly a conventual church, with a chantry and a religious house
(a cell to Kirton); but they are all demolished, and scarce the
ruins of them distinguishable enough to know one part from another.
Quitting Falmouth Haven from Penryn West, we came to Helston, about
seven miles, and stands upon the little River Cober, which,
however, admits the sea so into its bosom as to make a tolerable
good harbour for ships a little below the town. It is the fifth
town allowed for the coining tin, and several of the ships called
tin-ships are laden here.
This town is large and populous, and has four spacious streets, a
handsome church, and a good trade. This town also sends members to
Parliament. Beyond this is a market-town, though of no resort for
trade, called Market Jew. It lies, indeed, on the seaside, but has
no harbour or safe road for shipping.
At Helford is a small but good harbour between Falmouth and this
port, where many times the tin-ships go in to load for London; also
here are a good number of fishing vessels for the pilchard trade,
and abundance of skilful fishermen. It was from this town that in
the great storm which happened November 27, 1703, a ship laden with
tin was blown out to sea and driven to the Isle of Wight in seven
hours, having on board only one man and two boys. The story is as
follows:-
"The beginning of the storm there lay a ship laden with tin in
Helford Haven, about two leagues and a half west of Falmouth. The
tin was taken on board at a place called Guague Wharf, five or six
miles up the river, and the vessel was come down to Helford in
order to pursue her voyage to London.
"About eight o'clock in the evening the commander, whose name was
Anthony Jenkins, went on board with his mate to see that everything
was safe, and to give orders, but went both on shore again, leaving
only a man and two boys on board, not apprehending any danger, they
being in safe harbour. However, he ordered them that if it should
blow hard they should carry out the small bower anchor, and so to
moor the ship by two anchors, and then giving what other orders he
thought to be needful, he went ashore, as above.
"About nine o'clock, the wind beginning to blow harder, they
carried out the anchor, according to the master's order; but the
wind increasing about ten, the ship began to drive, so they carried
out their best bower, which, having a good new cable, brought the
ship up. The storm still increasing, they let go the kedge anchor;
so that they then rode by four anchors ahead, which were all they
had.
"But between eleven and twelve o'clock the wind came about west and
by south, and blew in so violent and terrible a manner that, though
they rode under the lee of a high shore, yet the ship was driven
from all her anchors, and about midnight drove quite out of the
harbour (the opening of the harbour lying due east and west) into
the open sea, the men having neither anchor or cable or boat to
help themselves.
