Constantine, Kerrier

:"This place should not be confused with Constantine Bay, Cornwall, which is west of Padstow. "

Constantine is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, UK. It is located in Kerrier, roughly halfway between Falmouth and Helston.

It is bounded by the civil parishes of Mabe, Mawnan, Gweek, Wendron and the north bank of the Helford River [For a map of the boundaries, zoomable to plan detail, use Cornwall County Council's [http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4965 Interactive Map of Cornwall.] ] ..

Constantine is named after Saint Constantine, a 6th century Cornish saint and prince.

Annual Events

Saint Constantine's "Feast" is celebrated in the village, on or around 9th March. The Agricultural Society (founded 1900) and the Cottage Garden Society run Shows early in July. The Constantine Social Club run a Carnival, usually on a weekend at the end of July [In 2007, the Agricultural show is on 7 July and the Garden Show is on 21 July. The Carnival will be the weekend 28/29 July.] . The Constantine Art Society has a two-week exhibition, starting at the end of July. An annual "Cornish Talk and Taste" festival takes place in January.

Twinned with Breton Village

Like many other Cornish places, Constantine Parish with Gweek, is twinned with a partner in . In Breton, "Pont-Croix" is "Pont-e-kroaz" and, colloquially, "Ar Pont". [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/parish/pg_twinning.php Constantine Twinning Association webpage] ]

History

The history of Constantine is related in "The Book of Constantine" (2001) ["The Book of Constantine"] An earlier study, "A history of the parish of Constantine in Cornwall" by Charles Henderson (1937) is also worth reading. [For Bibliographical details, see "References" below".] "Five walks around Constantine"(2006) provides brief historical notes and many illustrations.

Early period

In Pre-History, a fogou was constructed near Trewardreva. No-one knows its purpose.

The ancient name of Constantine, "Langostentyn", implies that the settlement was monastic, with the "Lan" prefix. Dr. Lynette Olson ["Early monasteries in Cornwall", page 105] has examined literary and archaeological evidence for all early monastic establishments in Cornwall and found significant doubts about the religious nature of Constantine before the Norman Conquest.

After the Norman conquest

Little remains of the Norman church, which was rebuilt between 1420 and 1480 [cite book
last = Harris
first = Ida and David
authorlink = Ida and David Harris
title = The Church of Saint Constantine in Cornwall: a brief guide, compiled and illustrated by Ida and David Harris
publisher=
location =
year= 1975
id =ISBN ] . The chancel was rebuilt in 1862.

Extractive industries

The settlement called Constantine Churchtown grew up around the church. Mineral extraction led to a massive increase in population and the village expanded down what is now called Fore Street, during the Nineteenth Century [Ordnance Survey 6 inch map, 1888, surveyed in 1878 Sheet LXXVII NW shows the street complete.] .However, one property, "The Bow Window", is thought to be a 300-year-old farmhouse.

The village had three main industries: agriculture, mining for tin, copper and iron [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/heritage/mining.htm Mining history at Constantine Village website] ] and quarrying granite [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/heritage/granite.htm history at Constantine Village website] ] ["See also" pages 44-49 of the "Book of Constantine". For more information on Quarrying in the Constantine area, see Peter Stanier's "South West Granite"] .

The largest mine was Wheal Vyvyan, which was worked from 1827 to 1864. The production figures for copper 1845-1864 and for tin ore, 1855-1864, are given in "Cornish Mines". ["Cornish Mines"] The value of copper raised peaked in 1845, 1850 and 1855. The peaks of value in tin ore production were in 1856 and 1863. In 1864, the value of tin raised was only a quarter of the previous year's value and the mine closed. [The story of the local mines is covered in detail - pages 40-43 of the "Book of Constantine"] .

Twentieth century

In 1921, Alice Hext, of Trebah gave the playing field and sports pavilion to the village ["The book of Mawnan" (2002)] , in memory of her husband, Charles Hawkins Hext, who died in 1917. She supported the development of the Sport and Social Club until her death in 1939 [Minute Book of the Constantine Sport and Social Club, in private hands - review of the year 1940]

In 1933, overhead cables, providing electricity to homes was installed in the village [Electricity supply: "West Briton", 17 November 1933.]

Port Navas has an ancient Oyster farm [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/heritage/oysters.htm Constantine Village website on Oyster farming at Port Navas] ] .

Notable residents

*John Hellins F.R.S., the mathematical astronomer, was curate of Constantine from 1779 to 1783 [Oxford Dictionary of National Biography article by R. E. Anderson, ‘Hellins, John (d. 1827) ’, rev. Adrian Rice, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12873] accessed 30 May 2007] .

chools

A British School was opened in 1836 at Ponjeravah [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/heritage/ponjeravah/ponjeravah01.htm Notes on Schools in Constantine 1957] ] . After 1957, the school moved to what is now the Church Hall and in 1966 to its present site, the building being refurbished and extended in 2005, as Constantine Primary School [ [http://www.constantine.cornwall.sch.uk/htm/home.htm Primary School website] ] . There is also a Pre-School [ [http://www.constantine-preschool.co.uk/ Pre-school website] ] , set in an eco-friendly building on the primary school campus.For secondary education, children have to travel to Helston, Mullion, Falmouth or Penryn.

Today

Constantine parish is the home of five Cornish Bards, including Vanessa Beeman, who was installed a Grand Bard at the annual Gorseth Kernow, in September 2006. [ [http://www.gorsethkernow.org.uk/english/welcome.htm Cornish Gorseth site] and [http://kw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Beeman Article in Cornish Wikipedia] ]

Also in September 2006, Constantine won the Calor Best Village in Cornwall 2006 competition. [ [http://www.villageoftheyear.org/england/news-press/stop-press/september/cornwall-results.htm Calor Best Village Press Release] ] . Constantine was also judged the Best Village in the West of England 2007, in the Business Category [ [http://www.villageoftheyear.org/category-winners/constantine.htm Calor Best Village competition 2007 website.] ] .

The Civil Parish is in the process of preparing a Parish Plan as a framework for future development/conservation.

A Cornish language classes are provided at the Tolmen Centre on Monday evenings.

Current businesses in Constantine

The village has several shops, including a SPAR grocer/newsagent and a [http://www.DrinkFinder.co.uk Post Office/General Store/Off-Licence] . The latter is remarkable for stocking 700-800 different sorts of Whisky and attracting customers from Scotland and across England. There are Save the Children shops in Constantine and Port Navas [ [http://savethechildren.constantinecornwall.com/htm/home.htm Save the Children fund Branch website] ] .

"Other businesses"

* Origin Coffee, wholesaler and distributor of ethically-produced coffee, founded in 1999 [ [http://www.origincoffee.co.uk/ Origin Coffee Company website] ] [Objective One Partnership for Cornwall and the Isles if Scilly: "Quarterly Review" July-Sept 2006, pp8-9 "Ethical Coffee company in demand" ] . Origin also provides training for Baristas ["Guardian", Education section 4 September 2007, page 2: "Improving the daily grind" by Louise Tickle.] .

* A Directory of business in Constantine, Mawnan, Port Navas and Gweek is published each year. ["Who's where in Constantine ..."]

* A social enterprise, Constantine Enterprises Company [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/parish/cec.htm Constantine Enterprises Company website] ] , bought the former Methodist chapel in 1998. A wide range of social and cultural events happen there. The building is now known as the Tolmen Centre.

Government and politics

Constantine Civil Parish is in the District of Kerrier. The Ward of Constantine, Gweek and Mawnan elects two Councillors to the District Council. In May 2007, a Conservative and an Independent Councillor were re-elected. Constantine Parish Council meets on the Thursday nearest 20th of the month at 7:00 p.m. [ [http://constantinecornwall.com/parish/council.htm Constantine Parish Council information] ] A free magazine, "Gweder Myras" ("The Mirror") [ [http://www.constantinecornwall.com/pdf/gm1719.pdf CONSTANTINE GWEDER MYRAS] ] is circulated to villagers, giving an account of Parish Council meetings and other goings on.

Place-names in the Civil Parish of Constantine

*asterisked names have notes below.
Bonallack, Bosahan, Bosanarth, Bosawsack, Bosvathick, Boswarch, Boswidjack, Bridge, Brillwater, Brill*,Calamansac, Carvedras, Goongillings, Groyne Point, High Cross, Job's Water, Lestraynes, Maen Pern, Merthen, Nancenoy, Penwarn, Polpenwith, Polwheveral, Ponjeravah, Port Navas, Retallack, Scott's Quay, Seworgan, Trebarvah, Trecombe, Tregantallan, Treglidwith, Treleggan, Trenarth, Trengrove, Tresahor, Tresidder, Trevassack, Trevease, Treviades, Trewardreva, Trewince, Treworvack, Treworvall, Tucoyse.

*Brill is a hamlet to the west of the village of Constantine.

Notes

References

* cite book
last = Trethowan
first = Gerald
coauthor= Liz Moore
title = "The Book of Constantine"
authorlink = Gerald Trethowan
publisher= Halsgrove
location = Tiverton, Devon
year= 2001
id= ISBN 1-84114-102-X

* cite book
last = Henderson
first = Charles
coauthor= G.H. Doble (who edited the text after Henderson's death)
title = A history of the parish of Constantine in Cornwall
authorlink = Charles G. Henderson
publisher= Royal Institution of Cornwall
location = Truro
year= 1937
id=

*cite book
last = Scolding
first = Bill
authorlink = Bill Scolding
title = Five walks around Constantine.
publisher= Constantine Enterprises Company
location = Constantine, Cornwall
year= 2006
id =ISBN 0-9552816-0-1, ISBN-13 978-0-9552816-0-0

*cite book
last = Stanier
first = Peter
coauthor=
title = "South West Granite: a history of the granite industry in Devon and Cornwall"
authorlink = Peter Stanier
publisher= Cornish Hillside Publications
location = St. Austell, Cornwall
year= 1999
id=ISBN 1-900147-14-9 (Hardback) ISBN 1-900147-13-0 (paperback)

*cite book
last =Burt
first = Roger
coauthor= Waite, Peter
coauthor= Burnley, Ray
title = Cornish mines
authorlink = Roger Burt
publisher= University of Exeter with the Northern Mine Research Society
location = Exeter, Devon
year= 1987
id=ISBN 0-85989-287-5

* cite book
last = Olson
first = Lynette
title = Early monasteries in Cornwall (Studies in Celtic History series)
authorlink = Lynette Olson
publisher= Boydell Press
location = Woodbridge, Suffolk
year= 1989
id=ISBN 0-85115-478-6 [http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/departs/history/staff/profiles/olson.shtml This link for Dr. Olson's online CV (University of Sidney, Australia)]

* cite book
title=The Book of Mawnan: celebrating a South Cornwall parish
author=The Mawnan History Group
year= 2002
publisher=Halsgrove
location=Tiverton, Devon
id=ISBN 1-84114-148-8

External links

* [http://constantinecornwall.com/ The Village Website of Constantine]
* [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-Croix French Wikipedia article on Pont-Croix] (Twinned town)
* [http://crocat.cornwall.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Overview.tcl&dsqSearch=((text)='constantine') Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue search for "Constantine"]
* [http://cornovia.wikidot.com/constantine-parish Thomas Moule's description of Constantine (1838)]