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Little Petherick

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The parish of Little Petherick, (Cornish: Nansfenten), is properly known as St Petrock Minor; it is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Pydar. It is bounded on the north by Padstow, on the east by St Issey, on the south by St Columb Major, and on the west by St Ervan. This parish south of Padstow was originally 'Sanctus Petrocus Minor'- Little St Petrock or St Petrock Minor, to distinguish it from Padstow which was also a parish dedicated to St Petrock.

The parish now adjoins the parish of St Issey with which, since 1934, it shares one civil parish council. Villages besides the Churchtown are Highway and Tregawna. The local industries are mainly farming and tourism.

Most parish and church description(s) on these pages are from Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall by J Polsue (Truro, 1867 - 1873)

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Cemeteries

The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 255 entries.

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Census

Census information for this parish (1841 - 1901) is held in the Cornwall Record Office. The Cornwall Family History Society offers a census search service for its members.
Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

  • 1841. The 1841 Census of Little Petherick (HO107/150), Enumeration District 4, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1851. The 1851 Census of Little Petherick (HO107/1905), Enumeration District 3a, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1861. The 1861 Census of Little Petherick (RG9/1541), Enumeration District 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census Project.
  • 1871. The 1871 Census of Little Petherick (RG10/2254), Enumeration District 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census Project.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of Little Petherick (RG11/2295), Enumeration District 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Little Petherick (RG12/1818), Enumeration District 7, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
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Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SW9172 and was dedicated to St Petroc. It consists of a chancel, nave, and north and south aisles. The arcade consists of five four-centred arches, one of which was brought from the ruins of St Consantine church in St Merryn. There is a south porch and a priest's door. The tower is of two stages, and is finished with a moulded parapet, light pinnacles - brought from St Cadoc's chapel at Padstow, and a pyramidal roof. It contained three bells and a clock. The church was rebuilt in 1858. The church was taken down almost to its foundation and rebuilt as far as possible with its old materials, and using much material from the ruinous church at St Merryn. The chief alterations took place in the north aisle, which originally was cut out of the living rock, left to form the north wall for some distance up, and from which water had been continually dripping.
  • Non-Conformist. The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel at Tregawna.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Little Petherick are: M866949, P002381. These are searchable by surname.
    • The LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI) coverage of this parish is 1706 - 1812.
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1706 - 1812, Burials 1708 - 1812, Marriages 1708 - 1837, Boyd's Marriage Index 1608 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1800 - 1812, BTs 1608 - 1662.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
    • Pre 1813 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Marriages
    • 1813-37 Burials.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1706 to 1904, for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD, baptisms 1708 to 1865 for this parish which can be purchased on Parish Chest.
  • Banns. Banns 1824 to 1909 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Marriages.
    • Phillimore's marriages 1620 to 1812, and parish transcriptions 1813 to 1909 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1620 to 1837, which is available in CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
  • Burials.
    • Burials 1706 to 1911 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in CD or Book formats.
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Civil Registration

The parish of Little Petherick was originally in the St Columb Registration District. It is now in the Truro Registration District. There were sub-districts at Newlyn, Padstow and St Columb Major, but these have now been abolished. Parishes within the old St Columb district were: Colan, Crantock, Cubert, Little Petherick, Mawgan in Pyder, Newlyn, Newquay, Padstow, St. Breock, St. Columb Major, St. Columb Minor, St. Enoder, St. Ervan, St. Eval, St. Issey, St. Merryn, St. Wenn.

The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: Dalvenie House, New County Hall, Truro, TR1 3AY. Tel: 01872 322241.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Little Petherick which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"LITTLE PETHERICK, a parish in the hundred of Pyder, county Cornwall, 2½, miles S.E. of Padstow, its post town, and 5 N. of St. Colomb Major. The village, which is of small extent, is situated near the shore of the Bristol Channel, and at the bridge over the river Alan, which is navigable for barges. The road between Wadebridge and Padstow passes through the parish. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The soil is of a loamy nature, with a subsoil of clay. The parish includes the hamlet of Tregonnen. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, value £203, with 34 acres of glebe. The church, dedicated to St. Petrock Minor, is an ancient stone structure, with a tower mantled with ivy. It has recently undergone restoration, and the interior was beautified in 1831 at the expense of the rector. It is situated in a hollow, near the ruins of two chapels. The parochial charities produce about £1 per annum. The almshouse, for two widows, was built and endowed by Mr. Carthew. There is a day school and a Sunday-school in connection with the parsonage. John Paynter, Esq., is lord of the manor. A fair for cattle is held on the 14th July.

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Genealogy

  • OPC Assistance. The On-line Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme operates a service to help family historians; the OPC page for this parish is available on-line, from where the OPC can be contacted by email.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW912705 (Lat/Lon: 50.496894, -4.945623), Little Petherick which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Little Petherick parish was part of the St Columb Major Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief. Overseers' Accounts (1723 to 1837) are available in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Population

  • Population in 1801 - 126 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 134 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 217 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 224 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 208 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 235 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 236 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 216 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 215 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 178 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 152 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 175 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 165 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 178 persons

Little Petherick was added to St Issey for civil purposes in 1934.

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Religion & Religious Life

  • In the May of 1641 it was agreed and ordered that every Member of the House of Commons and House of Lords should make a protestation (declaration of loyalty) to the crown. The Protestation was printed and then distributed by the Members to their counties. The Protestation was to be made by everyone and the Rectors, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, had to appear before the Justices of the Peace in their Hundred to make their protestation and, on returning to their parishes, any two of them were to witness the taking of the Protestation Oath by all males over the age of 18 years. All names were listed and anyone who refused was to be noted.

    The Protestation Return for Little Petherick is on-line.
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Statistics

The parish comprises 1224 acres of land.