09/03/2026
Today I am working through the newspaper archives....
and i found this from
St Ives Weekly Summary March 2nd 1901
St Weekly Summary March 2 1901 ST ANDREW’S STREET (By Special Commissioner)
We are told there giants pixies ghosts goblins ghouls spirits apparitions witches saints and perhaps a few sinners in Cornwall but I have never heard of anyone who had seen gorgon.
That were somewhere about must true heathen mythology, a tissue of, shall say mistakes to put it mildly.
Now these gorgons had one eye upon whomsoever that eye rested he or she was turned to stone you desire to specimen of their fiendish work ?
Go into St Andrew’s-street St Ives : look to roof of the South Chapel or Trenwith aisle of the Church There are eight corbels in stone — in stone — heads You have heard of “ hearts of stone” being “stone deaf” “ stone blind” “ stone broke” Now you of heads of stone, there they are ! If you told they once had life would you believe it?
We frequently believe more things take it granted that there gorgons and certainly there are stone heads.
What more is required to it logic or ancient history ? these heads are very old is certain who put them there uncertain They have there since 1426 but are said to be much older They have been gazing down on St Andrew’ s-street for 465 years watching the doings of the people night and day for 14 generations There are occult sciences which explain everything The clairvoyant or spiritualist the fakir or seer should able to worm out from their dilapidated who they were in the flesh where they hailed from how long they had been into stone but finally all what they seen since finding a resting-place in the Church wall.
They might tell you of Ivo the Persian Bishop who led the people of St Ives to Christianity whether he visits in the spirit the of his early holy operations also of that pious female St Breaca she has condescended to place her saintly feet in St Andrew’ s-street since the years she laboured in supplanting Druidism the Christian religion might tell you of the burgesses who in 1558 first sent to Parliament the strife bitterness of political factions the undying hatred which existed still exists among Turks Jews Mahometans and sections ostensibly preaching the gospel of Christ:
the funk terror of inhabitants, the crews of the French warships who burnt Porthminster to the ground, how the the male inhabitants with those of Towednack and Zennor joined the great rebellion and arming themselves pitchforks scythes assembled on Longstone Downs but the appearance of Sir Richard Grenville with 600 men bolted to man by-ways out-of-the-way paths where none could follow the town had to pay £500 for the fiasco; how the plague killed 500 without distinction scores left to perish without the slightest aid or relief; all about Turkish pirates who maltreated and murdered the crews of British ships, stole all that was portable and sent the plundered ships adrift; and how some St Ives fishermen boarded a Turkish frigate of 12 guns and ninety men, knocked captain down with a handspike, drove the crew to the forecastle took possession of ship and by a sou-west wind brought her into St Ives; and the French privateer who chased English and Dutch vessel into St Ives Bay; the Castle guns fired upon her when she sheered off, but firing parting salute killed young woman in street; of John Knill and the first Corps St Ives Volunteers in 1782 his exploits;
history of the grand old Church before any wrecking done by the Puritans of the families of Ralph his wife of Hicks, Jean and Kitty Lemal his widow and her eight daughters known the “nine Lemal’s”;
Now a boy’s with marbles, the Matthews,’ Nance, Paulet, Payne, Praed, Purefoy, Rosewall, Sise, Stephens, Tregenna, Thomas, Tre-gosse, Trenwith, Trewynnard, Vivian, Williams families and many others. Those old stone heads might able to tell you all about them they came one by one first infants to baptized then brides bridegrooms finally old decrepit worn-out gentlefolk to find a resting-place within the hallowed precincts of the Church or the shadow of its wings until the morning of the resurrection;
There other things they might have seen in St Andrew’ street and its neighbourhood which is an interesting part of old St Ives It now the look of a forsaken battered woebegone tumble-down dismantled and unsightly remains of houses Most of what was noteworthy has long since disappeared; You might suppose it to have undergone a protracted siege destructive fire, At the corner was the old Lion Inn for years the chief hotel in St Ives prior or coeval with the Church. Here the first members of Parliament harangued the people who hooted shouted drank beer the gallon which flowed like water fought broke each other’s heads over but few understood but whose passions were inflamed agitators using exciting language. The parish beadle and constable who from previous experience of a mob of lawless fishermen regarded personal safety as their chief consideration; the fisherman’s choice was generally the successful candidate.
Round the corner the old “ George & Dragon” built in the 15th Century one of the old orthodox and correct drinking houses of the time — thick walls low massive beamed ceilings small but cosy rooms: Here congregated the talent majesty of St Ives — representatives of the law, the Church, physic, mercantile marine was not a house for vulgar toper — the “churchwarden” was the pipe finest Virginia the to***co drinks the best obtainable but how obtained questioned.
King’s Lords’ and Commons’ shortcomings discussed in measured terms the rights of the people defended sometimes with considerable energy Opposite still stands its old neighbour the “Golden Lion” but its roof crowd dormer windows gables small rooms are gone — it has recently transformed into - to - date elaborately decorated gin-palace
The old “Star” Inn in St Andrew’ s-street is closed never to open again — the big-spirit-stores adjoining ruins: Mayor Ceely’s great house raised, The “ Bell ” shut up.
This latter house a history noted resort smugglers this Breton’s head quarters — old freebooter Dutchman in every particular breeches like balloon to his armpits thick jersey leather braces been in league the devil. He paid duty upon one keg but never upon second, the first was always kept, full and duty-paid, Hollands lasted 22 years but always full; He landed at the back upon a flood tide when there was no moon and gave excise great deal trouble:
The old cellars of “ Blue Bell ” said to deep as a well, is now studio occupied by Mr Sidney Care, that gentleman some months since kindly showed me the place; My attention directed to the exits entrances stowing away holes and corners there is a cavernous sound under the basement flooring where for aught I know may yet stowed away buried in cobwebs mildew kegs cognac de vie elixir of life or brandy contents mellowed with age would now worth a King’s ransom; Han’s Breton, old Tubs, old Worms most of the daring smugglers and adventurous fishermen of St Ives are gone.
A little beyond this is “Beggars’ roost” where mumpers vagabonds wandering musicians rags poverty found shelter; From Skidden-hill to “The Sloop ” on the Fore Sands before steamships defied winds and waves, St Ives often alive with foreign sailors this being the only bay for safety on the North Coast from Bude Haven to the Land’s End for sailing ships when several were windbound.
From the “Blue Bell” to “ White Hart you might hear oaths in Dutch, curses in French swearing in Turkish imprecations utterances of vengeance in Italian ribald song and coarse jests and filthy language in vernacular. Drunkenness and rioting ruled the disorderly multitude.
The gorgons gone but there still remain the heads of stone like patient sentinels waiting to see what is to the future of
St Andrew’ s-street
“ The Bystander” in The Cornish Telegraph Dally J V White
