PW_1_2019

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A sunny day in Crantock Mike Chappell , Cornwall Branch Cornwall Branch recently enjoyed a sunny day in and about Crantock, a village set on Cornwall’s spectacular north coast. C rantock, known in Cornish as Langurroc , which translates as “dwelling of the monks”, is said to have been founded by St Carantoc in the 6th century. Carantoc also appears in the legends of King Arthur, where he engaged in a battle with a dragon, so who knows what other secrets lay around the village. Carantoc is said to have been blown into the nearby Gannel estuary when sailing from Ireland. To give thanks for his deliverance, he decided to build himself an oratory. However, the dove that he had brought with him (the dove was shorthand for the ‘holy Spirit’ in those days) flew inland with a twig in its beak and dropped it. Carantoc took this as a sign from God that he should build the oratory at that location. Back in the 21st century, our adventurous group, guided by local IPA member Tom Craggs, headed from the village out onto the Towans, the local word for sand dunes, in search perhaps for the legendary lost village said to be buried there. Scrambling up and down the sand reminded many of that classic film Ice Cold in Alex. Despite the exploration, the village remained lost. Returning to the village, we visited the historic Crantock Church, parts of which are over 1,000 years old. No visit to the church would be complete without checking out the 17th century stocks at the rear of the building. Originally these would have been set up in the middle of the village for maximum humiliation. There are six holes in the stocks, sufficient to lock in three petty criminals in a row. The verse in the middle of the stocks reads: “I paid my price for finding out, Nor ever grudged the price I paid, But sat in clink without my boots, Admiring how the world was made”. The other panels tell the story of the last man to be put in the stocks: “The last man in Crantock stocks (circa 1817) was William, a smuggler’s son and a vagabond. He robbed, with violence, a widow woman of Cubert Parish and was placed in Crantock stocks, then standing in the church tower. By negligence or design he was insufficiently secured, and shortly afterwards appeared on the top of the tower. He had cut the rope from the tenor bell and by this he lowered himself to the nave roof. Climbing to the eastern gable of the choir and sliding down it, he dropped to the churchyard grass and in the sympathetic view of certain village worthies bolted, got off to sea and was never brought to justice or seen in the neighbourhood again. ”Away

History, Culture and a Pint Michael Chappell , Cornwall Branch

A sunny autumn day in west Cornwall found us gathered for a fascinating visit to the Helston Museum of Cornish Life followed by a drop of the Blue Anchor’s very own ‘Spingo’ brew. H elston, known as ‘Hellys’ in Cornish , is a former Stannary or tin mining administrative centre and cattle market town. It is best known for the annual Furry Dance, known locally as the Flora Dance, which is said to originate from the medieval period. Although the Hal-an-Tow mystery play, which is performed on Flora Day morning, is reputed to be of Celtic origin. ‘Gwithi Hellys’ - the Cornish Life Museum - is packed into Helston’s former Market House and Drill Hall which dates from 1837. Its vast number of exhibits are spread over five display halls, representing one of the largest social history collections in the South West. Members examined the many exhibits, with some actually remembering many of the items on display; such as vintage radio and record players, vacuum cleaners and household implements, as well as toys dating from the 1950s and earlier. Mind you, none were quite old enough to have personal knowledge of archaeological items dating back to the earliest settlers of Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula. Two sons of Helston have their lives commemorated in the museum, notably the famous inventor, Henry Trengrouse (born 1772), whose ingenuity helped to save thousands of lives at sea with his rocket life-saving apparatus, an early form of the ‘Breeches buoy’, and Bob Fitsimmons (b. 1863), the professional boxer who made boxing history as the sport’s first three-division world champion. A small display showing the history of the former Cornwall Constabulary prompted much discussion from our group. The three hour visit over, we adjourned to Helston’s famous Blue Anchor Inn, one of the oldest original inns in Britain that continues to maintain a working brewery. Dating back to the 15th century, the inn boasts 600 years of brewing. Originally a monks’ rest house, which produced a strong honey based mead, it now brews a variety of ‘Spingo Ales’ made to traditional recipes.

from this alarming yarn, our next stop was at the 17th century ‘Old Albion Inn’, the haunt of smugglers, where the group enjoyed a roast lunch and a pint of local ale. A most enjoyable day was had by all and special thanks go to Tom for organising it.

POLICE WORLD Vol 64 No. 1, 2019

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