Towednack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Towednack
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 Towednack Church |
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| Population | 357 (2011 census including Amalebra , Amalveor and Cripplesease) |
| OS grid reference | SW486384 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | St Ives |
| Postcode district | TR26 |
| Dialling code | 01736 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Cornwall |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Towednack (Cornish: Tewydnek) is a small village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It's located near the towns of St Ives and Penzance. The village is about 2 miles (3 km) from St Ives and 6 miles (10 km) from Penzance.
Towednack is part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This means the area has special protection, similar to a National Park. Almost one-third of Cornwall is protected in this way.
Contents
History of Towednack
The Towednack Gold Hoard Discovery
In December 1931, a special collection of gold items was found in Towednack. This hidden collection, called a hoard, was discovered in a sunken path known as Badger’s Lane. It was hidden inside an old stone hedge.
The hoard included beautiful gold objects. There were two twisted neckrings, four armrings, and two pieces of unfinished gold rod. One necklet was made of a single twisted gold strand. The other had three strands twisted together. The gold was very pure and likely came from Ireland.
These gold items date back to the late Bronze Age. Today, they are kept at the British Museum in London. You can see a copy of the hoard at the Penlee House Museum in Penzance. In recent years, some people in Cornwall have asked for the original gold hoard to be returned to Cornwall.
Towednack Parish Church
The church in Towednack is named after St Tewennocus. It became a separate parish church in 1902. The church building was first built in the 13th century. It has a simple tower and a south aisle that was added in the 15th century.
The church's font, used for baptisms, is made of granite and dates from 1720. It sits on an upside-down base from an older Norman font. Towednack church is famous for a special reason. It is said to be one of the last churches where services were held in the Cornish language in 1678. The parish saint, Tewennocus, is probably St Winwalo.
The church has some interesting old features. Inside, you can see special wooden bench ends. These have carved portraits of the churchwardens from 1633. Their names, James Trewhela and Master Matthew Trenwith, are carved there.
Outside the church porch, there is an old stone bench. This stone has an ancient cross carved into it. Above the porch, there is a sundial from 1720. It has a Latin inscription that talks about the sun, moon, time, and tides. Another old Cornish cross, found in 1880, is now in the churchyard.
In 1933, the Gorsedh Kernow, a festival celebrating Cornish culture, was held in the parish. Towednack church was the first to hold a service in Cornish in modern times during this event.
Mining in Towednack
In the early 1800s, Towednack was an important area for tin mining in west Cornwall. Some of the mines here included Wheal Reeth, Wheal Margaret, Reeth Consols, Georgia, and Conquer Downs. These mines helped the local economy.
Local Government
Towednack has a civil parish council. This council is elected every four years by the local people. The main local authority for the area is Cornwall Council. They make decisions about local services and issues.
Folklore and Legends
There is a local legend about the church tower in Towednack. A vicar named W. S. Lach-Szyrma shared this story in 1882:
- The church tower was never finished. Each night, the 'Evil One' (the devil) would knock down what the builders had built during the day. This went on for a long time until the builders gave up. That's why the tower looks unfinished even today. Similar stories are told about other churches nearby, like Lelant church.
Towednack in Popular Media
Towednack church has been used as a filming location for television shows.
- In 1975, the church was used for marriage and burial scenes in Poldark. This was a BBC series based on the novels by Winston Graham.
- The church was also featured in the 1979 BBC series Penmarric.
