Linkinhorne facts for kids

Sharp Tor, a rocky outcrop in the area

The remains of Daniel Gumb's cave, with the famous Cheesewring rocks in the background

Old mine workings near Caradon Hill, showing the area's mining past

Linkinhorne (pronounced Link-in-horn) is a small village and a civil parish located in the beautiful southeast part of Cornwall, England. The village is about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) northwest of Callington and 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Launceston. In 2011, the parish, including a place called Downgate, had a population of 1,541 people. The name Linkinhorne comes from the Cornish words Lanngynhorn, which means "church site of Kenhoarn."

Exploring Linkinhorne's Geography

Linkinhorne parish is home to several small communities besides Linkinhorne village itself. These include Bray Shop, Caradon Town, Downgate, Henwood, Ley Mill, Minions, Plushabridge, Rilla Mill, Sharptor, and Upton Cross. The area is bordered by the River Inny to the northeast and the wild Bodmin Moor to the west. The lovely valley of the River Lynher also flows right through the parish.

A Look Back at Linkinhorne's History

Linkinhorne parish has a long history. It is part of the Deanery and Hundred of East. It shares borders with North Hill and Lezant to the north, Stoke Climsland and South Hill to the east, and St Ive and St Cleer to the south and west. In the Domesday Book of 1086, an important historical record, the manor of Linkinhorne was called Resleston, which means "town by the ford." This is now known as Rillaton.

The parish is mostly rural, with lots of countryside. However, the western part of the parish, near the B3254 road, includes a section of Caradon Hill. This area was once very busy with mining activities, extracting valuable minerals from the ground.

The Historic St Melor's Church

The parish church, dedicated to St Melor, is a beautiful building made of granite. It was built in the 15th century. The church has a very tall tower, reaching 120 feet high! Inside, you can find a medieval altar slab, a font from the 13th century, and some interesting wall paintings from the 15th century. The north aisle and the tall tower are believed to have been built thanks to Henry Trecarrel. St Melor's Church is considered a Grade I listed building, meaning it's a very important historical site.

A famous stonemason named Daniel Gumb (who passed away in 1776) lived in a small cottage near the Cheesewring rocks. He carved several of the gravestones you can see in Linkinhorne churchyard.

Ancient Sites and Landmarks

In medieval times, there were also chapels at Trefrize and Caradon. You can still find some ancient Cornish crosses and cross bases in the area. For example, a Cornish cross was set up on a stone at North Coombe in 1908.

Other interesting historical sites in the parish include:

• The Holy Well of St Melor, a special spring.
• A 15th-century bridge over the Lynher River at Plushabridge.
• Near Minions, you'll find the Rillaton round barrow. This is an ancient burial mound where amazing Bronze Age treasures, including a gold cup, were discovered in 1837.
• The Hurlers are a fascinating group of three stone circles located near Upton Cross. These ancient monuments are a mystery from the past.

The manor of Rillaton was once the main manor of the Hundred of East and one of the 17 important ancient manors of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Linkinhorne's Wrestling Champions

Linkinhorne has a proud history of producing strong Cornish wrestling champions!

• William Pollard was a famous wrestler from Linkinhorne in the mid to late 1800s. He won many tournaments and even became the champion of England. He was a big man, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 220 pounds. He was the champion of Cornwall for seven years, until 1869.
• John Blydh (born in 1854) was also from Linkinhorne. He moved to the United States and became a well-known wrestler there. He famously defeated the American wrestler Tom Carkeek in an important match in 1878.
• James Gerry (born in 1858) was another Linkinhorne native who moved to the US. He also beat some of the best wrestlers in America, including Tom Carkeek. He had some success back in Cornwall too, even drawing a match with the strong wrestler Sam Rundle.

Notable People from Linkinhorne

• Theophilus Wodenote was a Church of England priest who served as the vicar of Linkinhorne from 1619 to 1651. He was removed from his position because he supported the Royalist side during a difficult time in history. However, he was given his vicarage back in 1660 and was buried in Linkinhorne in 1662.