Ludgvan

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Village in Cornwall, England

title: "Ludgvan" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["civil-parishes-in-cornwall", "manors-in-cornwall", "villages-in-cornwall"] description: "Village in Cornwall, England" topic_path: "general/civil-parishes-in-cornwall" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludgvan" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Village in Cornwall, England ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]

FieldValue
official_nameLudgvan
civil_parishLudgvan
countryEngland
regionSouth West England
coordinates
constituency_westminsterSt Ives
post_townPENZANCE
postcode_areaTR
postcode_districtTR20
dial_code01736
unitary_englandCornwall
lieutenancy_englandCornwall
population3,159
population_ref(Parish, 2021)
static_imageLudgvan Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 98615.jpg
static_image_captionLudgvan Parish Church
::

| official_name = Ludgvan | civil_parish = Ludgvan | country = England | region = South West England | coordinates = | constituency_westminster = St Ives | post_town = PENZANCE | postcode_area = TR | postcode_district = TR20 | dial_code = 01736 | unitary_england = Cornwall | lieutenancy_england = Cornwall | hide_services = | population = 3,159 | population_ref = (Parish, 2021) | area_total_km2 = | static_image = Ludgvan Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 98615.jpg | static_image_caption = Ludgvan Parish Church | website = Ludgvan ( ; ) is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England. It lies 2+1/2 mi northeast of Penzance. Ludgvan village is split between Churchtown, on the hill, and Lower Quarter to the east, adjoining Crowlas. For the purposes of local government, Ludgvan elects a parish council every four years; the town elects a member to Cornwall Council under the Ludgvan division. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Ludgvan_field_penwith_cornwall.jpg" caption="Vegetable crop south of Ludgvan"] ::

History

Like many communities in Cornwall the legendary origins of Ludgvan are attributed to the arrival of its patron saint, in this case Saint Ludowanus. However, the place-name appears to derive from the Cornish for place of ashes or burnt place. Evidence for it being a saint's name includes documents in which it is named St Ludgvan and records of its name as Lewdegran and Ludewon. In recent times Ludgvan feast has celebrated St Lewdegran.

Ludgvan was mentioned in the Domesday Book (under the name "Luduhan") The Lords of the manor of Ludgvan Lese kept certain shipping rights within the port of St Ives up to and possibly beyond the 19th century. Ludgvan Lease now exists as a hamlet within the parish. At the time of Domesday Book the manor had 3 hides of land and land for 15 or 30 ploughs. It was held by Richard from Robert, Count of Mortain; there were 12 ploughs, 8 serfs, 14 villeins and 40 smallholders. There were 300 acres of pasture, 27 unbroken mares, 22 cattle, 17 pigs and 140 sheep. The value of the manor was £3 sterling though it had formerly been worth £5.

On 12 January 1319, probate records indicate that the Church of St. Ludevon was in the town of Treguwal. Perhaps Treguwal (etymology: Tre = farm, place; Guwal, gweal = arable land) is either the nearby village of Gulval or a medieval name of Ludgvan's lower quarter.

Parish church

The church is dedicated to Saint Ludowanus and later jointly with Saint Paul the Apostle. It is probable that the original idea of a Saint Ludgvan began in the eleventh century. In 1316 it was referred to in probate records as the Church of St. Ludevon. The church was rededicated in 1336. Early spellings of the place-name vary between forms with and without 'Saint' referencing and differentiating the church and its surrounding churchtown. The building was originally cruciform and Norman but was rebuilt in the 15th century with a tower. In 1840 a south aisle replaced the previous transept and porch. The church was renovated in 1887, at a cost of about £800, under the instruction of Piers St Aubyn. The box pews were removed and replaced with open-ended pews of varnished pitch-pine, and the pulpit and lectern are of carved oak. The opening service was on 17 January 1888. The feast traditionally celebrated in the parish is the Sunday nearest to 22 January, in observation of the Conversion of St Paul. The last church services conducted in Cornish were in Ludgvan in the late 17th century (this claim is also made for Towednack).

There are four Cornish crosses in the parish; one is at Crowlas, another at Whitecross (this has a cross on one side of the head and a crude crucifixus figure on the other) and two are in the churchyard. File:Tall wayside cross, Ludgvan churchyard - geograph.org.uk - 230820.jpg|The tall Cornish cross in the churchyard File:The East Gate of Lugdvan Churchyard - geograph.org.uk - 540404.jpg|The short Cornish cross in the churchyard File:Tregender Manor Cross. - panoramio.jpg|The cross at Crowlas File:White cross at Whitecross - geograph.org.uk - 1338906.jpg|The cross at Whitecross

Mining

There was once a number of mines within the parish. Rospeath mine closed (in circa) 1856 and made large returns for the investors. There was no adit and the mine only worked to 4.5 fathom depth. The mine was reopened in December 1879 with an adit being cut, machinery erected to pump out the water and to sink a shaft. The width of the lode in the shaft is from 2+1/2 ft to 3 ft. The mine is bounded by Wheal Bolton on the west, Wheal Fortune on the east and to the south Wheal Darlington, Wheal Virgin and others known as the Marazion Mines.

Governance

There are two tiers of local government covering Ludgvan, at parish and unitary authority level: Ludgvan Parish Council and Cornwall Council. The parish council generally meets at Murley Hall on Church Hill.

Administrative history

Ludgvan was an ancient parish in the Penwith Hundred of Cornwall. In 1864 the parish was made a local government district, administered by an elected local board. Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894.

Ludgvan Urban District was abolished in 1934. It was downgraded to being a rural parish in the West Penwith Rural District. West Penwith Rural District was abolished in 1974, and the area became part of the Penwith district. Penwith district was in turn abolished in 2009. Cornwall County Council then took on district-level functions, making it a unitary authority, and was renamed Cornwall Council.

Rogers' Tower

To the north west of the parish and erected on the southern rampart of the ancient hill fort of Castle-an-Dinas, circa late 1700s is a gothic style folly called Rogers' Tower. The stone used to build the folly was apparently robbed out of the encampment walls. The tower was used by the admiralty as a navigation mark during the 1800s.[[File:Rogers Tower - geograph.org.uk - 2100460.jpg|thumb|Rogers' Tower]]

Tremenheere

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Minor_road_at_Lower_Tremenheere_-geograph.org.uk-_1561517.jpg" caption="A group of walkers near Lower Tremenheere"] ::

At Tremenheere is the Tremenheere Sculpture Garden. The meaning of Tremenheere is "Standing Stone Farm" (Tre = place/farm, Menhir = standing stone) and there is another place of the same name in St Keverne.

Culture and sport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/St_Michaels_Way_waymark_on_a_post_with_St_Michaels_Mount_in_the_background.jpg" caption="A St Michael's Way waymark on a public footpath within Ludgvan civil parish"] ::

The St Michael’s Way pilgrim trail, established in 1994, |url=http://stmichaelsway.net/ |title=HOME - St.Michael's Way |access-date=9 August 2019 |author=Ordnance Survey |author-link=Ordnance Survey |year=2019 |title=Map of Land's End - OS Explorer Map 102 (Penzance & St Ives) |scale=1:25,000 |series=Explorer |isbn=9780319263648 |publication-date=2019-06-17 |publisher=Ordnance Survey

The village pub is The White Hart and is situated below the church. It is Grade II listed.

The village has an Old Cornwall Society.

Ludgvan Football Club currently play in the St Piran Football League West at their home ground of Fairfield. Ludgvan Cricket Club are in County Division 1 of the Cornwall Cricket League and also play at Fairfield. Ludgvan Cycling Club generally meets at the Community Centre on Sunday mornings.

The local community radio station is Coast FM (formerly Penwith Radio), which broadcasts on 96.5 and 97.2 FM.

Cornish wrestling

There have been Cornish wrestling tournaments in Ludgvan over the years including at Ludgvan Lease Farm.

John Roberts (1820–1892) known as "Johnnah" or "John-a" and born at Newtown, Ludgvan, was a famous champion heavyweight wrestler in the 1840s and 1850s, that more than once beat the famous wrestler, Gundry. After one such occasion, at the Penzance tournament, he was marched from one end of the town to the other accompanied by the mayor, several dignitaries and a band.

William Treglown (1827–1864) from Ludgvan, weighed between 200 lbs and 220 lbs, was about 5 ft 6in high and was the champion of Cornwall in 1853, 1854, 1856, 1858, 1861 and 1862. He won the London title in 1854 and 1859. He won the West of England title in 1853. He was the American champion in 1856. He also wrestled in Europe. He died of consumption in St Mewan.

See also Cornish wrestling at Crowlas.

Legends

It has been claimed that Ludgvan was the home of the last native wolf in Great Britain.

Notable residents

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Sir_Humphry_Davy,_Bt_by_Thomas_Phillips.jpg" caption="Sir Humphry Davy]], 1821"] ::

References

References

  1. "2021 Census Parish Profiles". Office for National Statistics.
  2. link. (15 May 2013 : [http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=79ba408d-7c02-499e-8cd6-b18dd48de58d&version=-1 List of place-names agreed by the MAGA Signage Panel] {{webarchive). link. (15 May 2013 . [[Cornish Language Partnership]].)
  3. Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 203 ''Land's End'' {{ISBN. 978-0-319-23148-7
  4. Mills, A. D.. (1996). "The Popular Dictionary of English Place-Names". Parragon Book Service Ltd and Magpie Books.
  5. Ellis, P. B. (1992) ''The Cornish Saints''. Penryn: Tor Mark Press; p. 18
  6. as falling within the [[manorialism. manor]] of [[Ludgvan Lese]], which at the time of record covered more of what is now the [[Penwith]] district including some parts of the modern parish of [[St Ives, Cornwall. St Ives]].Thorn, C. et al. (eds.) (1979) ''Cornwall''. (Domesday Book; 10) Chichester: Phillimore
  7. Thorn, C. et al. (eds.) (1979) ''Cornwall''. (Domesday Book; 10) Chichester: Phillimore; entry 5,3,27
  8. Great Britain. Public Record Office. (1 January 1904). "Calendar of inquisitions post mortem and other analogous documents preserved in the Public Record Office". London, Printed for H. M. Stationery Off. by Mackie and to be purchased by Eyre and Spottiswoode.
  9. (14 February 2024). "Full text of "Calendar of inquisitions post mortem and other analogous documents preserved in the Public Record Office"".
  10. (19 January 1888). "Reopening of Ludgvan Church". The Cornishman.
  11. ''Cornish Church Guide'' (1925) Truro: Blackford; p. 10
  12. Ellis (1992), p. 18.--The Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle is a feast celebrated during the liturgical year on 25 January.
  13. Langdon, A. G. (1896) ''Old Cornish Crosses''. Truro: Joseph Pollard; pp. 269, 139–41, 114–15 & 207
  14. (29 April 1880). "Rospeath Mine, Ludgvan". The Cornishman.
  15. "The Council".
  16. (1914). "Kelly's Directory of Cornwall".
  17. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
  18. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
  19. {{cite legislation UK. (2008)
  20. {{cite legislation UK. (2009)
  21. Abbeys Castles and Ancient Halls of England, John Times, 1870 p.404 accessed 6 July 2021
  22. Sailing Directions, English Channel, John Walker, 1858 p.114 accessed 6 July 2021.
  23. "Tremenheere Sculpture Garden".
  24. "Tremenheere". Cornwall's archaeological heritage.
  25. "The White Hart Public House".
  26. (29 October 2015). "Hurlers and Saints go safely through". The Cornishman.
  27. "Volunteer run Penwith Radio to change its name to Coast FM".
  28. Western Morning News, 17 August 1920.
  29. Tripp, Michael: ''PERSISTENCE OF DIFFERENCE: A HISTORY OF CORNISH WRESTLING'', University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2009, Vol I p2-217.
  30. ''Death of a Cornish wrestler'', Cornishman, 17 March 1892, p4.
  31. ''A reminiscence of Johnna Roberts and Harry Williams'', Cornishman, 31 March 1892, p7.
  32. ''Wrestlers of the past'', Cornishman - Thursday 28 January 1904, p5.
  33. ''Tom Gundry'', Cornishman, 1 November 1888, p3.
  34. ''Death of a famous Cornish wrestler'', Cornish Post and Mining News, 19 March 1892, p6.
  35. ''Wrestling'', Royal Cornwall Gazette, 2 November 1860, p4.
  36. The Cornish Telegraph, 28 September 1853
  37. The Cornish Telegraph, 12 April 1854
  38. Royal Cornwall Gazette, 11 June 1858
  39. Royal Cornwall Gazette, 17 September 1858
  40. Lake's Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser, 1 June 1861
  41. Morning Advertiser, 10 June 1862
  42. Royal Cornwall Gazette, 23 June 1854
  43. Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, 19 June 1859
  44. Royal Cornwall Gazette, 14 April 1854
  45. ''The Wrestling'', The Cornish Telegraph, 30 July 1856, p3.
  46. ''Wrestling'', The Cornish Telegraph, 22 February 1854, p3.
  47. Barton RM, ''Life in Cornwall in the mid 19th Century'', D Bradford Barton Ltd (Truro) 1971, p233.
  48. ''Treglown'', Royal Cornwall Gazette, 25 March 1864, p8.
  49. "Wolves in Great Britain".
  50. {{cite DNB. Courtney. William Prideaux
  51. {{cite DNB. Tregellas. Walter Hawken
  52. {{cite DNB. Hunt. Robert
  53. [http://genforum.genealogy.com/cornish/messages/725.html Re: Robert Trewhella, b 1836 – Zennor]; GenForum
  54. Dudgeon, Piers (1991) ''The English Vicarage Garden''

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