Helstone

Not to be confused with Helston.

Helstone is a settlement in north Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated two miles (3 km) southwest of Camelford on the A39 road.[1]

History

Helstone (or Helston in Trigg) was in the Middle Ages one of the chief manors of the Hundred of Trigg and perhaps in Celtic times the seat of a chieftain. In the Domesday Book this manor was held by Earl Robert of Mortain: there were 2 hides, land for 15 ploughs; the lord had 4 ploughs & 18 serfs; 20 villagers & 18 smallholders had 8 ploughs; 10 acres (40,000 m2) of woodland; 6 square leagues of pasture; five kinds of livestock, in total 195 beasts. The manor of Penmayne was a dependency of this manor.[2] It was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall.

The name Helstone is related to that of the Iron Age fort Hellesbury: it is from the Cornish hen + lis (old court) with the later addition of Anglo-Saxon tun.

References

  1. ^ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 Newquay & Bodmin ISBN 9780319229385
  2. ^ Thorn, C. et al. (eds.) (1979) Cornwall. Chichester: Phillimore; entry 5,1,4