Ertach Kernow - Lewis Hind’s search for the source of the Tamar
River Tamar was crossed in bleak weather conditions in December 1907 Lewis Hind had witnessed the worst and best of Cornish hospitality. We had left him at Calstock ready with a guide to take him to Launceston via what had been described to him as the low road, allowing him to observe more of the Tamar Valley. This route would send him winding across the border into Devon and back again and he was soon at Newbridge that historic crossing between Cornwall and England.
Built around 1520 Newbridge has seen a lot of history. Still in use today as an entry point this six arched bridge has five triangular refuges on either side of its fifty-five-metre length. On 20th July 1644 during the first English Civil War the Battle of Gunnislake Newbridge took place between the Royalists on the Cornish side of the Tamar and Parliamentary forces in Devon. The Cornish prevented the crossing and the Parliamentary force then split with half entering Cornwall by the Horsebridge further up the River Tamar. Newbridge was until the completion of the Royal Albert Bridge in 1859 and the Tamar road bridge in 1961 the lowest road crossing of the river. Sadly it often receives vehicular damage but in September 2024 was closed for a number of days for repairs to one of the piers damaged by trees swept down the river. Steel nosings have been added to protect the piers of this listed historic bridge from future damage.
As always click the images for larger view
In contemplating the bridge Lewis noted that this was the highest point that boats could navigate the Tamar before he passed into Devon. The next time he would be back in Cornwall was some two hours later when crossing the Greystone Bridge. This bridge is nearly a century older than Newbridge and completed in 1439 connected Tavistock with Launceston. Lewis would have hardly noticed the quarry close to the bridge in Lezant parish and at that time relatively small compared to the huge workings there today. It was New Years Eve when Lewis and his guide entered Launceston writing that ‘the narrow streets with townsfolk and all the shops aglow.’ Not intending to spend time in the town at this point he caught the train to Whitstone the nearest station to Kilkhampton. At that time Launceston was served by two railway lines and two stations operating back-to-back the North Cornwall Railway and the Great Western Railway. Launceston lost its rail final link in 1966 as part of the Beeching cuts.
It was a seven mile walk to Kilkhampton from the railway station at Whitstone on what he described as a straight well-made road. With night drawing on and getting dark he noted the unremarkable bridge crossing the Tamar at Bridgerule but did not stop. At a shop in a hamlet called Red Post he bought some food before continuing his journey to Kilkhampton. Lewis was well aware of the historic connections of the Grenville family to the area and the site of their former stately house at Stowe. He certainly writes much about the battle at Stamford Hill in 1643 and the legendary Cornishman Sir Bevil Grenville with his giant servant Anthony Payne. He also mentions Sir Bevil’s grandfather Sir Richard Grenville who died at the naval battle of Flores in 1591. Aboard his galleon ‘Revenge’ he fought a rearguard action allowing the English fleet to escape a superior Spanish force. It was Sir Richard’s father, Sir Roger Grenville who was captain of the now famous Tudor warship Mary Rose which sank in 1545 then raised and now preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Although this illustrious family are now long gone from the area many monuments remain, including one to Sir Bevil in Kilkhampton Church where he is buried.
At the warm and cheerful parlour at Kilkhampton’s London Inn Lewis Hind met a person he called the ‘Explorer’. This was someone with whom he could have a detailed discourse about the area and its historic people. The following day they planned to search for the source of the River Tamar and he was awakened at seven o’clock following a night which had seen a huge storm overhead. Following breakfast they visited Kilkhampton Church, described as a ‘majestic building with a lofty tower and a fine Norman south door’. Hind comments that ‘Kilkhampton, like so many churches in Cornwall, is renowned for its old carved bench ends. It has been well restored.’ This Grade I listed 12th century church with 15th century and later additions is certainly a fine large building benefitting from the association with the Grenville family and their descendants as the Earls of Bath. There are 157 bench-ends and the church remains much as it was during Lewis Hind’s visit over a century ago.
Although the day was miserable Lewis Hind and his companion the Explorer continued their journey tracking over to the River Tamar. They then began to follow what was becoming a small stream or brook leading to the source of the Tamar walking through somewhat boggy countryside. Reviewing their map Hind and the Explorer made their way towards the hamlets of East and West Youlstone between which the early reaches of the Tamar flowed. Growing ever smaller Lewis it seems got rather exasperated and offered half a crown to a boy if he showed them the source. ‘It’s only a gutter’ said the smiling boy leading them to a small swampy knoll in an area of moorland. As Lewis Hind points out the sources of even the largest rivers often begin with a trickle, the Tamar itself beginning at Woolley Barrows between Eastcott and Woolley Moors. This small trickle is aided by waters joining it from other streams and later larger rivers Tavy and Lynher. But what of the four-mile distance between the source and the northern coast of Cornwall which marks the Cornish boundary with England. After discussion somewhat cold and wet Hind and the Explorer decided to postpone the exploration of the Marsland stream which flows westward to the sea for another time.
Their continuing journey was taking them seven miles to Morwenstow into Hawker country. Hind had visited the area before and met with the Reverend Hawkers successor as vicar of the parish the Reverend J Tagert two years previously. However, Tagert had died in the meantime aged 92. Arriving at Morwenstow, perhaps unfortunately on a Sunday they received no answer at the inn which had a message saying ‘Six Day Licence’ on the door. No refreshments or hospitality was going to be available there. Making their way to the church they inspected the churchyard and the interior. Later they visited the wooden hut above the holy well of St Morwenna built by Hawker from timbers from wrecked vessels. Here he would sit and compose his poems whilst smoking a pipe of opium. The hut as most know still exists and maintained by the National Trust, this being their smallest building. After sitting in it overlooking the ocean I can understand the tranquillity Hawker must have felt sitting there over one hundred and fifty years ago.
Having been fed, watered and refreshed by a fortunate visit to the vicarage the two explorers made their way towards the site of Stowe House. They passed the gateway of Tonacombe Manor where the author Charles Kingsley wrote ‘Westward Ho’. This Grade I listed building is a property dating to the early 16th century and is described as an outstanding late medieval manor house with many features including an intact open hall. Sadly it isn’t open to the public. Hind and his companion made their way through the hamlet of Combe of which he mentions very little. This small settlement has an interesting history and perhaps Hind was unaware that the verses he mentioned earlier in his book relating to Hawker’s poem ‘Song of the Western Men’ were actually written whilst Hawker lived in a cottage at Combe. Many years later this poem had music added by Miss Louise Theodora Clare ensuring an enduring legacy for Hawker as one of Cornwall’s most famous anthems ‘Trelawny’.
The visit to the site of Stowe House brings to an end this section of Lewis Hind’s Cornish journey. Sadly nothing now remains of this exceptional property except its story, some bumps in the ground, other smaller buildings and some of its interior in other structures. Historically the settlement of Stowe was first mentioned in 1296. The original ‘Old Stowe House’ was described as ‘a huge rambling building half castle half dwellinghouse, with quaint terraces, statues, knots of flowers, clipped yews and hollies and all the pedantries of topiarian art’. This was the local Cornish residence of the famous Grenville family and was demolished by John Granville, Earl of Bath. The new Stowe House was built a little way further inland around 1675 to match his rise to the peerage following his support to King Charles II during the Civil War. Not only was it large and impressive externally, its rooms were decorated with panelling richly gilded, elaborate plaster ceilings, wood carvings and furniture from the finest craftsmen of the period. What a wonderful building it would have made, a fantastic place to visit for todays tourist.
Sadly family tragedy struck and all the direct male line was extinguished. Following the death of George Grenville, Lord Lansdowne, in 1735 the whole house was dismantled and sold at auction. Wealthy persons far and wide attended and there are now parts of the interior in the Grenville Room at Prideaux Place in Padstow, Cross House near Little Torrington and extensively in the Guild Hall at South Molton constructed in 1740.
A most interesting traveller Lewis and the ‘Explorer’ travelled to Bude to spend the night and we will continue his journey to include updates in due course.
Heritage Column
