Trethurffe, Ladock Explained

Trethurffe is an historic estate in the parish of Ladock, near Truro, in Cornwall.^[1]

Descent

Trethurffe

It was held for many generations by the Trethurffe family (originally de Trethurffe) which took its name from the estate. The later descent is given in the Heraldic Visitations of Cornwall as follows:

John Trethurffe : Whose wife was of the Trenowith family.

"issues and profits of all my tynne-works in Whele Ankeye, Whele Flatt, Whele en duse gentill, and Whele Liana, Whele Angrovose, within the parish of St. Agnes, Whele Peyse in Elezar bonnale vine, within the parish of St. Peran, Beanie, quifer8, Penwinnas, within the parish of StAustell, Trewilke Whele, within the parish of St. Mewan, Dogowise and Trethillan, within the parish of St. Stephen in Brannel, and St. Enoder Beanne, within the parish of St. Columb, and elsewhere within the county of Cornwall".

He bequeathed much of his property to a certain "Alice, the wife of William Christopher", whom Nicolas suspected was his mistress: "It would perhaps be difficult to explain the motive which induced the testator to bequeath the chief part of his property to Alice, the wife of William Christopher, in a manner creditable either to his memory or her virtue".^[5] His will states:

"I will and bequeath all my tin-works, wheresoever they be, as be within my several grounds, or in waste ground, or elsewhere within the shire of Cornwall, to Alice Christopher, the wife of William Christopher, during her life ... to have and to hold to the said Alice ... during her life, and after her decease I will and bequeath all the said tin-works to the Wardens of the Shrine of St. Enoder, and their successors for ever, to the intent that the said wardens and their successors shall cause yearly my soul to be prayed for, my father and mother's souls, and all Christian souls".

Thomas Trethurffe's daughters and co-heiresses were:

Elizabeth Trethurffe (born 1501), eldest daughter, wife of John Vivian (died 1562) "Senior"^[6] of Trelawarren, Cornwall, whose son was John Vivian (died 1564) "Junior" of Arralas, who married a certain Johanna and died without male children leaving two daughters and co-heiresses.^[7]
Margaret Trethurffe (1503-1576^[8]), younger daughter, who married three times:
- Firstly to John Boscawen (1494–1524) of Tregothnan and Tregarrick^[9] in Cornwall, by whom she has a son Thomas Boscawen who died without issue. John's younger brother and heir Hugh Boscawen was the ancestor of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (died 1734).^[10]
  - Secondly to Edward Courtenay, son and heir of Edward Courtenay (died 1509) of Landrake in Cornwall, by whom she had issue,^[9] to which descended Trethurffe.
  - Thirdly to Richard Buller (died 1556),^[11] by whom she had children, Buller of Shillingham and later of Morval, which latter family came to great national prominence from the 18th century and ended in the male line with the Boer War hero General Sir Redvers Buller (1839–1908) of Downes House, near Crediton in Devon.

The Courtenay Faggot

The Trethurffes' inheritance of part of the Courtenay estates was supposedly foretold by the Courtenay Faggot being "againe sub-divided into other twayne". The Courtenay Faggot was a mysterious naturally mis-shapen piece of wood split at the ends into four sticks, one of which again split into two, supposedly kept as a valued possession by the Courtenay Earls of Devon. It was later interpreted as an omen of the end of the line of Courtenay Earls of Devon via four heiresses. It was seen by the Cornish historian Richard Carew (died 1620) when visiting Hall in the parish of Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Cornwall, then the dower house of Margaret Reskimer, the widow of Sir William Mohun (died 1588),^[12] MP, of Hall, the great-grandson of Elizabeth Courtenay, who described it in his Survey of Cornwall as follows:^[13]

A farre truer foretoken touching the Earle of Devon's progeny I have seen at this place of Hall, to wit, a kind of faggot, whose age and painting approveth the credited tradition that it was carefully preserved by those noble men. But whether upon that prescience or no, there mine author fails me. This faggot being all one peece of wood, and that naturally growen, is wrapped about the middle part with a bond and parted at the ends into foure sticks, one of which is againe sub-divided into other twayne. And in semblable maner the last Erle's inheritance accrued unto 4 Cornish gent(lemen): Mohun, Trelawny, Arundell of Talverne and Trethurffe. And Trethurffe's portion Courtenay of Ladocke and Vivian do enjoy, as descended from his two daughters and heires.

Courtenay

Edward Courtenay, husband of Margaret Trethurffe, heiress of Trethurffe : He was the son and heir of Edward Courtenay (died 1509) of Landrake in Cornwall (whose monumental brass survives in Landrake Church), the second son of Sir William Courtenay (died 1485) of Powderham in Devon, Sheriff of Devon in 1483,^[14] by his wife Alice Wotton (died 1533), daughter and heiress of John Wotton of Wotton^[14] in Landrake. The monumental brass of Edward Courtenay (died 1509) of Landrake is inscribed: "Pray for the soule of Edward Cowrtney esquyer secunde son of Sir William Cowrtney Knight of Povderam, which dyed the fyrst day of March Anno domini MV^CIX^o

Notes and References

http://www.holidaycottages.co.uk/cornwall/west-cornwall/trethurffe-manor "Trethurffe Manor in Truro (6mls E)"
[William Pole (antiquary)|Pole, Sir William]
Vivian, 1887, p. 497; Vivian, 1895, p. 748
[Nicholas Harris Nicolas|Nicolas, Nicholas Harris]
Testamenta Vetusta, p. 643, note
Vivian, 1895, p. 245, note; p. 748
Vivian, 1895, p. 749
Date of death per Vivian, 1887, p. 117
Vivian, 1887, p. 117
Vivian, 1887, pp. 47 et seq.
Vivian, 1887, p. 56
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/mohun-william-1540-88 "MOHUN, William (c. 1540-88), of Hall and Boconnoc, Cornw."
[Richard Carew (antiquary)|Carew, Richard]
Vivian, p. 246