Linkinhorne
| Linkinhorne | |
| Cornwall | |
|---|---|
 Linkinhorne Parish Church | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SX320736 |
| Location: | 50°32’17"N, 4°22’23"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
Linkinhorne is a village in south-eastern Cornwall, sitting on the edge of Bodmin Moor some four miles northwest of Callington and seven miles south of Launceston. The parish population at the 2011 census was 1,500.
History and geography
As well as Linkinhorne itself, other settlements in the parish include Bray Shop, Caradon Town, Downgate, Henwood, Ley Mill, Minions, Plushabridge, Rilla Mill and Upton Cross.
The area is bordered by the River Inny in the north-east and Bodmin Moor to the west. The valley of the River Lynher runs through the parish.
Linkinhorne parish is within the East Wivelshire Hundred. It is bounded on the north by North Hill and Lezant, on the east by Stoke Climsland and South Hill, on the south and west by St Ive and St Cleer. The name Linkinhorne means church site (Lann) of Kenhoarn. In the Domesday Book, the manor is referred to as Resleston (town by the ford) (Rillaton).[1]
Parish church
The parish church is St Melor. It is built of granite and dates from the 15th century. The tower is 120 ft high and the interesting features of the church include a mediæval altar slab, the 13th century font and 15th century wall paintings. The north aisle and lofty tower are said to have been built at the expense of Henry Trecarrel.[2]
Daniel Gumb (d. 1776), stonemason, lived in a cottage near the Cheesewring; several gravestones in Linkinhorne churchyard were carved by him.[3]
In the Middle Ages there were chapels at Trefrize and Caradon.[4]
Also in the parish are the Holy Well of St Melor; a 15th-century bridge over the Lynher at Plushabridge; and near Minions the Rillaton round barrow, in which Bronze Age grave goods, including a gold beaker, were discovered in 1837. The Hurlers are a group of three stone circles near Upton Cross.
The manor of Rillaton was the head manor of the Hundred of East Wivelshire and one of the 17 Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall.
Mining
The parish is largely rural. However in the parts of the parish west of the B3254 road (from Launceston to Liskeard)is part of Caradon Hill, once an industrialised mining area.