Page:The parochial history of Cornwall.djvu/300

258 Trigantan belongs to the family of Sperrack.

The Church is situated at one end of the parish near the river Val or Fal, in a fruitful spot of land, but low. It is but a mean structure, consisting of a nave, a south aile of the same length, and a cross north aile. Here was formerly but a poor small tower covered with wood, in which were three bells; but the parishioners took that down in 1732, and have in this year (1733) finished a handsome square tower. The Rectory House has also been new built in a neat manner by the present incumbent Mr. Hughes.

The manor of Tybesta, carrying with it the advowson of the rectory, was purchased from the Duchy by the late Sir Christopher Hawkins.

Grampound is the only place ever wholly deprived of its privilege to return Members to the House of Commons, previously to the general dissolution of Boroughs in 1832. Cricklade, Shoreham, and Aylesbury, had been thrown into adjacent hundreds, that is, the freeholders of these districts were admitted to a concurrent right of voting with those previously possessing it; but from Grampound the Members were transferred at once to the County of York

The passage referred to in Mr. Carew (p. 328 of Lord Dunstanville's edition) is this:

"Grampond, if it took that name from any great bridge, hath now nomen sine re; for the bridge there is supported with only a few arches, and the Corporation but half replenished with inhabitants, who may better vaunt of their town's antiquity than the town of their ability."

The town is said to have very greatly improved, in all respects, moral, physical, and intellectual, since the minds of its inhabitants have been directed to other objects than low intrigue and servile dependence on the exertions of others.