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CORNWALL

THIS peninsular extremity of the island might be fami

liarly described, as a rugged heap of rocks, rising abruptly out of the ocean; whose waves wash it on every side; excepting the eastern; on which it is bounded by the river Tamar, that separates it from Devonshire.

Along the middle of this wrinkled horn, is stretched a chain of mountain heights, with narrow precipitous valleys, on either side of them; by which their waters are conveyed, principally, to the English Channel; but in part to the Irish Sea.

As the valleys descend they acquire width; and, toward the seacoast, some of them spread wide, with flattened bases, and fertile soils, well adapted to cultivation. And a few well soiled plots are found at a greater distance from the sea.

But the lands bearing that description are inconsiderable in extent, comparatively with those of an opposite nature. It may be said, without risk, I think, that Cornwall comprizes a greater proportion of inarable lands, than any other English County.

"GENERAL VIEW

OF THE

COUNTY OF CORNWALL.

WITH

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MEANS OF ITS IMPROVEMENT.

BY ROBERT FRASER, A. M.

MAY, 1794."

THIS is one of the original sketches that were hastily

sent in, presently after the birth of the Board. It was printed in May 1794. The materials for it were, of course, collected during the winter months of 1793-4; and the MS. hurried to the press, early in the spring;-as the Reporter himself intimates.

The number of pages-seventy.

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NATURAL

NATURAL ECONOMY.

EXTENT.-P

XTENT.-P. 12. Mr. Fraser makes out, from "Martyn's original survey," the total extent of Cornwall, to be 758,484 acres"-nearly 1200 square miles.

SURFACE and SOILS.-P. 13. "On the sea shores and the vallies, near the banks of the great rivers, are the chief and almost only seats of cultivation. The higher grounds exhibit, in many parts, the appearance of a dreary waste. The roads of communication with the neighbouring country pass chiefly through these higher grounds, or large and extensive commons, and exhibit to the traveller a rude prospect which impresses him with a more unfavourable opinion of this county than it in general deserves. For although the higher lands have little to please the eye, the number and variety of beautiful and well wooded vallies, left me only to regret that the season in which I visited them did not allow me to enjoy their beauty in full perfection. While the strata of the rich and fertile soil, with which the lands of this county frequently abound, invited a more minute examination than my time could possibly afford."

P. 23. "So great is the variety of soil in the county of Cornwall, that to describe it with correctness, would require an history of every parish. I shall just point out the general distinctive characters. Throughout the higher lands, almost generally the upper stratum of soil consists of a light black earth, intermixed with small gravel, the detritus of the granite or growan. Hence they call this soil by the name of growan. This soil, on the tops and sides of the mountains, is very shallow, and even on many of the more level and flat extensive wastes, of no great depth. Its natural produce is a thin short heath, and the dwarf or Cornish furze."

P. 25. "A great part of the soil of Cornwall consists of a kind of slaty earth, the detritus of the softer species of the schistos. This kind of soil is found in many parts of the west and south-west, near the sea shore, stratified in regular strata: it is also found more inland, in patches. It produces excellent crops of wheat, and particularly of barley. It also makes an excellent compost with the more viscuous earths, sand, &c. as I have seen successfully practised at Clowance, the seat of Sir John Saint Aubyn.

"In the eastern part of the county, there are two very fertile districts which abound with this species of soil. One of these districts is on the north, and the other on the south

south side of the range of mountainous grounds we have described.

"The northern district is on the banks of the Alan and Camel towards Padstow, and from thence west on the one hand as far as the parish of Cuthbert, or on the other northeast to Lanteglos.

"In the south, on the banks of Fowey, around Menabily, the seat of Philip Rashleigh, Esq. from that river, extending eastward, skirting Bodmin Downs to Liskeard, Saint German's, and to the banks of the Tamar, below Hengston, this soil prevails, stratified in many places with reddish and

hazle loams.

"These two districts are very fertile. The northern produces immense crops of barley, and may be justly called the Granary of Cornwall. It is from thence, the miners of the west are chiefly supplied with that grain. On the south, plentiful crops of wheat as well as barley are produced. They grow wheat in the northern district, but in the south they have the advantage of procuring lime from Plymouth, which would be very expensive in the north: this they use as a preparation for wheat.

"Besides these two districts, is a very rich tract of land on the banks of the river Fal, around Tregothnan, the beautiful seat of Lord Falmouth, extending to Grampound and Trewithen, the seat of Sir Christopher Hawkins, &c. round by Tregony to Roseland. Another district of excellent fertility is to be found on the river Hel, around Trelowaren, the seat of Sir Cary Vivyan, Anthony, St. Kevran, &c. towards the Lizard Point.

"In the hundred of Stratton, on the north-east of the county, around the town of Stratton, and towards Morwinstow, there is a district of good land, although the greatest part of this hundred consists of waste and boggy land. Towards Penzance also, on the south-west, there is some land which produces very large crops of potatoes and grain.

"In general, the more internal parts are only cultivated in patches, and these surrounded by uncultivated wastes and commons. The most remarkable of which are those extending from near Launceston, almost to Bodmin, and to the south and south-east of this borough. In the parish of Saint Agnes, and the neighbouring mining parishes in the west, there are extensive tracts of waste lands. On the south, towards the Lizard, there is also an extensive tract of waste, called GONHILLY Downs."

CLIMATURE.-P. 29. " In Cornwall, the air is milder in winter than in the more internal parts of England, and cooler in the summer months. From its being open to the vast Atlantic ocean, without the intervention of any land

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almost

almost to the coast of America, it receives' the whole force of the south-west winds, which are remarked to blow, 'in general, throughout Great Britain four-fifths of the year.

-Madidis Notus evolat alis

Terribilem picea tectus caligine vultum

Barba gravis nimbis, canis fluit unda capillis
Fronte sedent nebulæ rorant pennæque sinusque.

"This character which the south wind has had in all ages, it preserves in full force in Cornwall. The air is thereby more full of moisture, and frequently subject to fogs, but they are not unhealthy. Ray-grass is earlier than in 'more internal parts of the kingdom: the winters very open, last winter for the only time these five years were the gentlemen able to procure ice to fill their ice-houses."

"Myrtles grow every where" (?)" in the open air, without the aid of green-houses."

MINERALS. The natural riches of Cornwall were, in days of old, hidden beneath its hard-featured surface. But, during a length of time which history is unable to measure, they have been sought after,--the principal part, probably, dislodged, and scattered over the face of the globe. A 'remnant of them, however, is still left; as the annual products of the several mines, that are now worked in the County, fully testify.

Tin has ever been its most valuable treasure; and, as Mr. Fraser (who I have understood held an appointment under the Lord Warden of the Stanneries) has furnished some interesting information, concerning the mines of Cornwall,-I will here insert a few extracts on the subject; to endeavor to make up for the deficiency of information, regarding the more immediate subjects of enquiry.

P. 14. "THE MINES of CORNWALL consist chiefly of tin, copper, and some lead. The strata in which these metals are found, extend from the Land's End, in Cornwall, în a direction from west to east, a very considerable distance into Devon, to the furthest part of the Dartmore Hills. These strata consist chiefly of the various species of the schistus, here called killas, and of the granite or growan."

Tin Mines.-P. 15. "Formerly immense quantities of this metal were found in the county of Devon, and in the eastern part of Cornwall; and innumerable ancient workings are to be seen on Dartmore, and the adjoining country; and in the east of Cornwall. In Devon, of late years, several ancient works have been resumed, and some new discoveries made, of which we shall give some account in the survey of that county. In the eastern part of Cornwall some old works have been lately resumed on Hengston Down, and Linkinhorn parishes, which formerly produced

considerable

considerable quantities of tin, and promise well to the present adventurers; but at present the chief seat of mining lies to the westward of St. Austle. From hence to the Land's End, the principal mines are to be found in various strata, extending along the northern coast, keeping a breadth of about seven miles.

"Polgooth, the most considerable of the tin mines in the county, lies about one mile and a half west of St. Austle, and has produced, on an average, the last eight or nine years, about two thousand five hundred blocks per annum. This mine remains still as rich as ever. Some others there are working in this neighbourhood, but not of much consequence.

"In the parish of St. Agnes, and its adjoining parish Perranzaboloe, there are a great number of mines, the joint produce of which is very great.

"Kenwin, Kea, and Gwenap, afford considerable quantities of tin. In Gwenap is the mine called Poldice, very ancient and deep. It has yielded sometimes one thousand blocks yearly. It may now with more propriety be denominated a copper mine. In this, and many other tin mines, when they get to a great depth, the tin wears out, and leaves a lode or vein of copper.

"Huel Virgin is another instance of this kind; but as it produces, at her greatest depth of one hundred and sixty fathoms, some tin mixed with copper, I have enumerated -it amongst the former. In Redruth, from Huel Pever, a portion of Northdowns and some other parts of the parish, tin is produced. In this parish the ancient mine of Treleigh Wood, though long neglected, will probably be worked again. In Wendron, north-east of Helstone, the tin mines are numerous; and though not individually large, the ancient and present quantities are high. Between Helstone and Marazion, are the tin parishes of Sithney, Breague, Germo, &c. &c.

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"Immediately beyond Penzance, is a tin mine worked under the sea. The shafts through which the miners go down to work, is situated nearly one hundred yards below highwater mark. During the greatest part of the flood and ebb tides, if the works were to give way, they would be exposed to inevitable destruction. Further westward from Penzance, there are only small scattered mines, until you come to St. Just, in which stands Cape Cornwall, one of the western promontories. In this there are several mines, the ancient and present produce of which is very considerable. North and north east of Penzance, to St. Ive's Bay, are many mines, and generally much tin, but not at present

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