Egloshayle
| Egloshayle | |
| Cornwall | |
|---|---|
 The Old Bridge at Egloshayle and Wadebridge | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SX001719 |
| Location: | 50°30’47"N, 4°49’16"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 465 (2011) |
| Post town: | Wadebridge |
| Postcode: | PL27 |
| Dialling code: | 01208 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Cornwall |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Cornwall |
Egloshayle is a village in north Cornwall, siting beside the tidal waters of the River Camel, to the east of Wadebridge, from which it is separated by the river. The wider parish stretches way to the southeast and includes Washaway and Sladesbridge.
The village's name is from the Cornish eglos heyl, meaning 'Church estuary'.
History
Egloshayle was a Bronze Age settlement and later a river port, rivalling Padstow (five miles downriver on the coast). The trade consisted of tin, clay, wool, and vegetable crops. Egloshayle today has become a residential suburb of Wadebridge.
Wadebridge developed in the parishes of Egloshayle and St Breock. A Vicar of Egloshayle named Thomas Lovibond was responsible for the construction of the first bridge across the River Camel to replace a dangerous ford. Begun in 1468 and completed in 1485, the bridge was traditionally known as the "Bridge on Wool" because it was reputedly built on wool sacks. In fact, however, it has been proven to be founded directly on the underlying bedrock.[1] It is "built on wool" in the sense that the wealth of the wool trade financed it.
Churches
The parish church, named after St Petroc, is built almost entirely in the Perpendicular Gothic style. It has an earlier, Norman font, a stone pulpit dating from the 15th century, and also has a fine monument to Dame Barbara Molesworth (ob. 1735). There is a peal of eight bells: the tenor bell weighs 12-1-25.[2]
The chapel at Washaway, St Conan's Church, dates from 1883. It has a font which is one of the earliest in the county. Langdon (1896) recorded that there were six stone crosses in the parish, including two in the parish churchyard and one at Washaway.
The bell-ringers of the village are celebrated in the song The Ringers of Egloshayle.[3] The ringers named in the song are all buried in the churchyard of the village church and their names may be seen on the headstones. The song has been recorded by, amongst others, the well-known Cornish singer Brenda Wootton.
Buildings and antiquities about the village
Local private properties of interest include Pencarrow House (18th century) and Croan House (17th century), each of which have seven bays.
Kelly Rounds (or Castle Killibury) is an Iron Age fort on the border of the parish and has been associated with the legend of King Arthur.[4]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Egloshayle) |
References
- ↑ Wadebridge and the Bridge on Wool at cornishlight.co.uk
- ↑ Dove, R. H. (1982) A Bellringer's Guide to the Church Bells of Britain and Ringing Peals of the World, 6th ed. Aldershot: Viggers
- ↑ "An Old Cornish Song, The Egloshayle Ringers". http://www.horfieldringers.org/bell_anthology.htm.
- ↑ Pevsner, N. (1970), Cornwall, 2nd ed. Penguin Books