Lezant Explained

Country:England
Map Type:Cornwall
Coordinates:50.588°N -4.348°W
Static Image Name:Lezant Church - geograph.org.uk - 423747.jpg
Static Image Width:240
Static Image Caption:Lezant Church
Official Name:Lezant
Cornish Name:Lannsant
Population:756
Population Ref:(United Kingdom Census 2011 including Carthamartha)
Civil Parish:Lezant
Unitary England:Cornwall
Lieutenancy England:Cornwall
Region:South West England
Constituency Westminster:North Cornwall
Post Town:LAUNCESTON
Postcode District:PL15
Postcode Area:PL
Dial Code:01579
Os Grid Reference:SX339791

Lezant (Cornish: Lannsant)[1] is a civil parish and village in east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Lezant village is about five miles (8 kilometres) south of Launceston.[2] The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 751, increasing slightly to 765 in the 2011 census.[3]

Geography

The parish of Lezant is in the Launceston registration district. The county border with Devon forms the parish's eastern boundary. It is bounded on the north by South Petherwin and Lawhitton.

Greystone Quarry and Bridge

A historically important road crossing of the River Tamar is 2miles from the village at Greystone Bridge; the arched stone bridge was built in 1439.[4] Greystone Bridge is the site of a large aggregate quarry operated by Bardon Aggregates. The quarry walls are designated as the Greystone Quarry SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), for its geological characteristics.[5]

Churches

Lezant parish church is dedicated to St Briochus and was considerably restored in 1869. There was formerly an ancient chapel at Trecarrel (or Trecarrell) (see below) dedicated to St Mary Magdalene but it no longer exists.[3]

The parish of Lezant lay within the bishop's peculiar manor and deanery of Lawhitton. The high altar of the church was rededicated in 1336; part of the chancel dates from slightly earlier than that. The rest of the spacious building is of the 15th century and there is a fine tower. In medieval times there was a chapel of St Lawrence (mentioned in 1447) and at Landue a chapel of St Bridget. There was an oratory of the Wyse family at Greystone in 1329.[6]

Trecarrel

At Trecarrel is the hall built by Sir Henry Trecarrel (now used as a barn) very early in the 16th century. The carved stones intended to embellish the hall were afterwards used in the building of the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene at Launceston. The hall is impressive with fine Perpendicular windows and oak wagon roof; the chapel was still in existence in 1925.[7] King Charles I arrived in Cornwall and spent the night at the house of Ambrose Manaton at Trecarrel on 1 August 1644.[8]

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 Place-names in the Standard Written Form (SWF)
  2. Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 201 Plymouth & Launceston
  3. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Lezant/ GENUKI website
  4. http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=941 Engineering Timelines website
  5. Web site: Greystone Quarry. Natural England. 1 November 2011. 1994.
  6. Cornish Church Guide (1925) Truro: Blackford; pp. 143–44
  7. Cornish Church Guide (1925)
  8. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=50643 'Parishes: Lawhitton - Luxulion'