Trewoon

Trewoon
Cornwall
Westbridge Road, Trewoon
Location
Grid reference:	SW996528
Location:	50°20’25"N, 4°49’4"W
Data
Post town:	St Austell
Postcode:	PL25
Dialling code:	01726
Local Government
Council:	Cornwall
Parliamentary constituency:	St Austell and Newquay

Trewoon is a village in southern Cornwall, on the western outskirts of St Austell on the A3058 road, about a mile from the town centre.

Trewoon named in the Domesday Book as Tregoin and it is recorded that the manor was held by Hamelin from the Count of Mortain. Today it is part of the St Mewan Parish and had its own manor known as Hembal Manor.

China clay has played a big part in the village's history following its discovery by William Cookworthy.

About the village

It is a linear settlement, with various housing estates, a village hall, park and playing fields.

The village is busy with local commerce: it has a garage, a post office, a local convenience store and a hairdresser. There is one pub, The White Pyramid, a social club and a Methodist church (Trinity Methodist Church).

The A3058 is the main road through the village and is a very popular commuter and tourist road that links St Austell and Newquay.

In 1821 a Bethel Chapel was built near where the railway arch is now. With the building of the first bridge, a new chapel was needed; and in 1871 a Mr John Gaved pioneered the project after a Mrs Hennah of Hembal Manor gave a plot of land where the Chapel now stands. Wesley had reputedly preached on The Green and the new Chapel was appropriately a Wesleyan Methodist church, since rejoined to the united Methodist Church. The new building held 200 worshippers when the total population of Trewoon was only 280! It opened on Boxing Day 1871 and cost ‘no more than £400’.

Transport links

The Cornish Main Line and a line that links to St Dennis both pass through the village.

The line that links St Dennis to the Cornish Main Line is now relatively unused in its prime time was a major transport route for Imeries trains transporting china clay mined in the local area to the local ports; Fowey and Par Docks.

For a short while Trewoon had its own train station which was situated by the railway bridge crossing the A3058 accessible only by foot the station was very small and often not used by trains leading to its closure. The plans for the redevelopment of St Austell for the St Austell Clay Country Eco-town include a new station in Trewoon.

The A3058 a very popular commuter and tourist road that links St Austell and Newquay; though it is thought to be one of the most dangerous roads in Cornwall in terms of the number of accidents occurring on it. The A3058 also crosses the A30 (Cornwall's major trunk road).

The elevations of the village and various hills in the village makes many roads in the village unpassable during heavy snow.

China clay

Trewoon has a major part to play in the china clay industry in Cornwall. The Blackpool Clay Pits and Dryers are here, and were the largest employer in the area before closure in 2007. A total of 500 people were made redundant.

Events

In the West Briton newspaper in 1959, Ashley Rowe noted that on Coronation day 1838 Trewoon "held its Flora Dance and at Truro the Mayor led the dance, which lasted till the small hours".

A carnival is held in Trewoon each year returning after a few years' break ro take place in August. Other village events include concerts and games that happen all week at various sites in the village.

The Trewoon Pantomime Group was founded and performed in the local village hall until moving due to requirements to the St Austell Church Hall where they still perform once a year. The pantomime group also hit national headlines in 2006 when they were banned from using a real bed for their annual bed push and had to use a wheelchair for health and safety reasons reported on the BBC.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Trewoon)

• St Mewan Parish Council