Page:Cornwall (Salmon).djvu/299

 ST. VEEP— WADEBRIDGE tended to protect from a foe that came westward from East Britain. Vellan, as a prefix in Cornish place names, means "mill," probably such a primitive water- mill as might be used in the streaming of tin. In this sense it explains the name of Vellan- dreath, near Sennen Cove, in which place re- mains of ancient tin streaming were discovered. Dreath or dreth is Cornish for sand. Veryan (7 m. N.E. of St. Mawes) was anciently named Elerki, perhaps a corruption of Lanerky, which in itself might be a dedica- tion of St. Kea, who visited this district. This is pure conjecture. The later dedication was to the Continental St. Symphorian, whose name has been cut and corrupted into Veryan. The name attaches not only to the parish but to the bay, and to the eminence sometimes known as Came Beacon, Came being the earlier name. WADEBRIDGE has undoubtedly suffered in importance since the extension of the railway to Padstow, but it can never lose the prestige or noble effect of its bridge. This bridge may well be reckoned among the special glories of Corn- wall, and it gives impressiveness to a spot which, at least at low tide, would otherwise be dull. The bridge was built in the year 1485, mainly through the efforts of Thomas Lovibond, then Vicar of Egloshayle, which is really the mother parish of Wadebridge, though a part of the town is in St. Breock. It is said that Lovibond was much distressed by the dangerous nature of the ferry across the Camel at this point, and ^ 257