Gulval

S. Gudwall, Gunwall, or Gunvell, was born in Wales about A.D. 500. Being entirely devoted to religion, he collected eighty-eight monks in a little island called Plecit, being no more than a rock surrounded by water. For some reason however, he abandoned this establishment, and passed by sea into Cornwall; and from thence he went into Devonshire, where he betook himself to the most holy, perfect, and useful state of a solitary anchorite; at length however again emerging, he sailed into Brittany, and there succeeded S. Malo, as bishop of that see, although he is said even then to have dwelt in a solitary cell, and to have died there at a very advanced age. His relics have been widely distributed, and various places in France have been called by his name.

There cannot be any doubt of S. Gunwall having bestowed his name on this parish, more especially when the prophetic well is taken into account, since saints scarcely ever failed of imparting some supernatural quality to their favourite streams.

Lanisley, the ancient name of the parish, is said to be derived from Lan, a church, and ishei, lower, the low or lower church, which agrees with the situation.

The great tithes formerly belonged to S. Germans Priory. In the Valor of Henry VIII. they are charged as the property of that religious establishment at £10 6s. 8d. In the taxation of Pope Nicholas, 1291, it is thus set down ‘Ecclía de Lanesly ap pait’ Priori S’ci Germani £0 16s. 8d. In an abstract of the possessions of the priory, 31 Henry VIII., 1539, it is charged as Gunvell in Launceclyff £10. Treworke infra parochiam predictam £0 6s. 8d.; and in Veysey’s Valor of near the same date it is set down as Vicaria de Gulvale alias Lanesleye, £6 11s. 0½d.

Latterly the great tithes of the parish, with the exception of a small sum, have passed by purchase into the possession of the Beauchamps of Gwennap, and ultimately to the two daughters and coheiresses of the late John Beauchamp, Esq.

The manor of Lanisley, Laneseley, or Lanestly, supposed to be the Landicle of Domesday, which was formerly the name of the parish, belonged at an early period to the family of De Als, who are said to have taken their name from the manor of Alsa or Als, in Burian. Simon De Als gave it in 1266 to the priory of S. Germans, for the health and salvation of his soul, the soul of his wife, and the souls of his ancestors and relations; being a bargain with the prior and his brethren for the eternal happiness of the whole family.

From this period to the dissolution the prior and his successors claimed the manor, and with it the income of the rectory. Henry VIII. granted it to Beaumont and Barry from whom it passed to the family of Tripcony, circa, 1565. About thirty years previous to this William Allsa held the vicarage, who was probably one of the De Alsa family.

By a descendant of the family of Tripcony it was mortgaged to Sir Nicholas Hals, of Fentongollan, said to be descended from De Alsa, its ancient owner. After some mortgages and sales, which occasioned the Chancery suit already spoken of; the manor was purchased by the Onslow family. Colonel Onslow, a younger son of Foot Onslow, Esq., possessed it in 1737. It afterwards became the joint property of Admiral Sir Richard Onslow, Bart., and his brother Dr. Onslow, Dean of Worcester.

The following extract respecting this manor is from Price’s MS. “Manor of Lanistly. In Val. Benef. this parish is called Gulvale, also Lanistly, i.e. East Temple Place, with reference to that church being east of Maderne, and other places. This has given name to the famous and ancient manor of Lanisly, alias Lanistly, in this parish. This lordship for good land, pleasant prospects, and its royalties over all that part of the Mount’s Bay between Long-bridge and Chendower, nigh Penzance, may compare with any lordship in those parts. It was reckoned in the extent of Cornish acres in the reign of Edward I. 28½ acres. (Lanistly 28, Aer. di.) It extendeth throughout the parish of Gulval, from above the sea to the down hills, as well as through part of the parish of Ludgian.”

Kenegie or Kenegy, the mossy hedge, occupies a pleasant position. It passed from Mr. William Harris, of Hayne, to the family of his brother, Mr. Christopher Harris; and the family becoming extinct in the male line by the death of this gentleman’s grandson in 1775, by much the largest part of the estate went, under the provisions of a will, to William Arundell, Esq., then resident at Crane, in Camborne, who assumed the name of Harris, but his grandson fixed his permanent residence at Lifton Park, near Launceston, a very handsome scat of his own creating, and parted with all his Cornish estates; and Kenegie became the property of Mr. Thomas Ellis, a farmer who had occupied it at a rental.

Mr. Coulson, an eminent London surgeon, who was sheriff of Cornwall in 1864, latterly owned Kenegie, which he sold in November, 1866, to Thomas Simon Bolitho, Esq., of Penalverne, for the sum of £17,500.

Kenegie formerly belonged to the family of Tripcony, who bore for their arms, Argent, three rabbits passant sable, and kynin and kyninger being the Cornish names for a rabbit, it may be supposed that Kynneggy, or Kenegie, must have some relation to the name of Tripcony. Be this as it may, Tripcony married the heiress of Kenegie; and one of his family married the coheiress of Chamond.

Kenegie house is a spacious and commodious mansion; to which there is a handsome entrance. From the grounds there is a magnificent prospect of Mount’s Bay, Penzance, and the neighbouring scenery.

Trevaylor, or Trevailer, the workman’s place, was for two or three centuries the property and residence of the respectable family of Veale. The first of the family that settled in Cornwall was the Rev. Richard Veale, of Cotswold, in Gloucestershire, to whom Queen Elizabeth presented the living of this parish. The Rev. William Veale, who was vicar of Zennor previous to 1851, rebuilt Trevaylor house. Mr. Veale, who married a sister to the Rev. R. G. Grylls, late vicar of Luxulian, had a sister named Emilia-Cumming, who married in 1805, William Fitzgerald, Esq., brother to Sir Augustine Fitzgerald, Bart., of Newmarket-on-Fergus, county of Clare, Ireland. On the death of Sir Augustine in 1834, without issue, the baronetcy devolved on his brother William, who became the second baronet. Sir William dying in 1847, was succeeded by his eldest son Edward, the third baronet. Sir Edward died in 1865 without issue, and was succeeded by his brother Augustine, the fourth baronet. On the death of the Rev. William Veale in September, 1867, Sir Augustine Fitzgerald his nephew, became possessed of the Trevaylor estate. He married in 1832, Eliza-Margaret, daughter of the late W. Gore, Esq.

A second brother to the grandfather of the late Rev. Wm. Veale, Mr. George Veale, made a large fortune at Penzance, by this practice of the law and through success in mining, which became divided between three daughters who married Hichens, Baines, and Jenkins.

One of the most extensive and picturesque views of Mount’s Bay is from the terrace at Trevayler; seven or eight of the neighbouring parish churches are to be seen from this place. In an adjoining avenue of trees is a rookery; and an ash tree in one of the fields, is said to be the finest of the kind in the west of Cornwall.

Rosemorran, the vale of blackberries, is the property and residence of the Misses Johns. it is a most interesting place, and one of the greatest ornaments to the neighbourhood. It was formed by the late George John, Esq.; he married Jane, the eldest daughter of Mr. Arundell, who assumed the name of Harris, and having been for many years at the head of his profession in Penzance, he retired to this place in the summer months. He greatly improved and beautified the grounds by extensive plantations at Trye and at Rosemorran Cairn.

On a hedge at Rosemorran is an ancient cross, probably removed hither for preservation from some other site. Near Rosemorran Cairn are some remains of a cromlech, near which have been found a celt, and some pieces of antiquated earthenware.