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Stithians

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The parish of Stithians (or Stythians), (Cornish: Sen Stedhyans), is in the Deanery and Hundred of Kerrier. It is bounded on the north by Gwennap, on the east by Perranarworthal and St Gluvias, on the south by Mabe and Constantine, and on the west by Wendron. The name is taken from the dedication of the church to St Stithian. The little River Kennel (Tretheage) rises near Carn Meneles and intersected the parish. In the 19th century, the river worked a number of flour mills, and machinery at a foundry and paper works. On its course into Restronguet Creek, it was thought to have turned forty water wheels.

Stithians is bordered in the north by the old tin mining area of Camborne and Redruth, to the south by stone quarries and to the west by the large 300-odd acre Stithians Reservoir. The parish is mainly an agricultural one which is located south of the Gwennap mining area and north of the quarrying areas of Rame and Longdown. About three hundred acres of Stithians Reservoir lie to the west of the village and now offers recreation such as fishing, sailing and bird watching. Stithians is well known for the annual Agricultural Show held in mid-July.

The principal villages are the Churchtown, Crellow, Carnmeor, Menerdue, Penhalurick, Penhalvean, Tregolls, Trembroath, Tresevern, Foundry, and Goonlaze.

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

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Census

Census information for parishes in this town (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:

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Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SW7337 and was dedicated to St Stithians (Stedianus). It comprises a chancel, nave, and north and south aisles. The chancel was restored in 1862. The south arcade has six four-centred arches, supported on monolith granite pillars; the north has five segmental arches on low monolith granite pillars. The entrances are a north porch, a south door and a priest's door. The tower is built of granite ashlar. It has three stages, is buttressed and embattled, and surmounted at the angles by panelled, embattled, and crocketed pinnacles, which spring from angel corbels. The belfry contained four bells.
    There were two Wesleyan Methodist chapels near the Churchtown, one of which had a cemetery, and another at Penhalvean. The United Methodist Free Church had a chapel near the Churchtown and another at Foundry.
    The parish of Stithians has been linked with the village of Perran-ar-worthal since the 12th century and although they are only one parish they operate as two, both serving populations in excess of two thousand souls. In the late 1970s the parish of Gwennap was added to the benefice, and the three churches are now served by a Vicar, a NSM Curate, a lay reader and a retired priest.
  • Non-Conformist. There were Wesleyan and Free Methodist chapels in this parish.
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Church Records

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Civil Registration

The parish of Stithians was originally in the Redruth Registration District. There were sub-districts at Camborne, Gwennap, Illogan, Phillack and Redruth which have now been abolished. It is now part of the Falmouth Registration District. Parishes in this registration district were: Camborne, East Phillack, Gwennap, Gwinear, Gwithian, Illogan, Phillack, Redruth, St. Sithian's, West Phillack.

The Superintendant Registrar of Falmouth can be contacted at: Berkely House, 12-14 Berkeley Vale, Falmouth, TR11 3PH. Tel: 01326 312606.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Stithians which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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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.
  • The OPC has provided a web page to assist researchers.
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Historical Geography

  • The Domesday Settlements of Cornwall, a study undertaken by the Cornwall Branch of the Historical Association, has identified and located settlements listed in the Exeter and Exchequer Domesday Survey of AD 1086. The following places have been identified in Stithians ecclesiastical parish:
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SW727360 (Lat/Lon: 50.180656, -5.185525), Stithians which are provided by:

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Military Records

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Stithians parish was part of the Falmouth Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

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Population

  • Population in 1801 - 1269 persons
  • Population in 1811 - 1394 persons
  • Population in 1821 - 1688 persons
  • Population in 1831 - 1874 persons
  • Population in 1841 - 2530 persons
  • Population in 1851 - 2385 persons
  • Population in 1861 - 2358 persons
  • Population in 1871 - 2174 persons
  • Population in 1881 - 1823 persons
  • Population in 1891 - 1768 persons
  • Population in 1901 - 1713 persons
  • Population in 1911 - 1584 persons
  • Population in 1921 - 1522 persons
  • Population in 1931 - 1463 persons
  • Population in 1951 - 1380 persons
  • Population in 1961 - 1290 persons
  • Population in 1971 - 1435 persons
  • Population in 1981 - 1930 persons
  • Population in 1991 - 2043 persons
  • Population in 2001 - 2004 persons
  • Population in 2011 - 2121 persons
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Probate Records

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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 Returns of 1642 for Stithians are available on-line.

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Statistics

The parish comprised 4356 acres of land and 5 acres of water.

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Taxation

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Voting Registers