Dartmouth St. Petrox | Cornish: from the Cornish given name Petroc or Pedrek, a diminutive of Peter. St Petroc is a local saint, of whom very little of historical value is known, but who is commemorated in several placenames, including Padstow (earlier Sancte Petroces stow).
Pentewan, a village on the far southern tip of the parish, was also a lively port. Pentewan stone came from quarries nearby; it created enduring buildings throughout the U.K., including many manor houses and Holy Trinity Church in St. Austell town. In 1259 Bishop Bronescombe, Bishop of Exeter consecrated the church on 9th October of this yeare and by 1300 there was a Chantry Chapel here from this date to 1520., and on the wall of the church is a list of priests who served the Chantry The chapel. of St. Michael. The Chantry ceased under the rule of Henry VIII.
The east wall is a slate slab inscribed to Richard Durant, mayor in 1611 and 1624, ob. 20th May 1632, and Loveday (Mitchell) . ob. 1589, and Katheren (Turny), ob. 1608, his wives, and has 10 English verses and effigies of the wives and 20 children: near the priors tomb is a stone with inscription to Thomas Corye, mayor 1591, ob. Gebruary, 1592; a broken slab, with parts of an achievement of arms, has also a mutilated legend to William Kendell, ob. 17th December, 1604, and an epitaph of 10 Latin lines: on the floor o the north aisle is a slab with the arms of Maynard impalling Mitchell, probably commemorating Nicholas Maynard and Jane (Mitchell); his wife, ob. illa 1610: next it is another inscribed tp Philip Michell esq, and Blanche (Carminow), his wife, ob. illa 13th September 1673,; there are mural slabs in the north aisle surrounded with small shields of arms, to Bernard Flamank, ob. 25th October 1658, and his wives Elziabeth (Rouse), ob. 1632, and Bridget (Tremayne); in the south chancel aisle is a ledger of slate with the arms of the Merchant Adventurers, and inscription to Peter Bolt, merchant, ob. 26th July, 1633; here also is a mural tablet to Gicely (Ward), wife of Bernard Achym, ob. 13th June 1639, with incised kneeling effigy and 20 English rhyming lines, a shield of arms, and emblems, and the fragments of another memorial cemented and framed, with portions of an inscription to a lady of the Achym family, ob. 1557; the south chancel aisle has a stone to John Bullock, gent. ob.1658, and a marble slab to Charles Blight, gent. mayor 1658 and 1677, ob 11th December, 1684, and Elizabeth his Wife, ob. 1701; in the corresponding north aisle is a monument to Edward Hoblyn, gent ob. 28th December, 1688: there are besides a number of ancient memorials in an imperfect condition, and those of modern date record the names of four vicar. viz. Jasper Wood M.A, 37yrs, d. 1716; Anthony Hosken B.D. 36 years vicar, d,a:et Novenaber, d. 21st November, 1766; John Wallis M.A. mentioned above, and. John Pomeroy M.A. 35 years vicar, d. 17th August, 1813, as well as of the Gilbert, Moyle, Oakley,,Liddell, Pennington and other families: the church was partly rebuilt, 1469-72, and the west front in 1814; the later restoration has been carried on, at intervals, from about 1867 up to 1886. The register of baptisms and burials dates from the yeare 1558; marriages, 1559
The name Pedrog is probably a variant of modern Patrick. St. Pedrog (468-564), Abbot of Lanwethinoc who was a younger son of King Glywys Cernyw of Glywysing. Upon his father's death, the people of Glywysing called for Pedrog to take on the crown of one the country's sub-divisions like his brothers. Petroc, however wished to pursue a religious life and left, with several followers, to study in Ireland. Some years later, Petroc and his band returned to Britain, landing on the shores of the River Camel in Cerniw (Cornwall).
Petroc founded a monastery on the site but, after thirty years there, he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Rome, via Brittany. On his return journey, just as he reached Newton St. Petrock (Devon), it began to rain. Travelled, he departed from his monastery at Llanwethinoc (Padstow) to live as a hermit in the woods at Nanceventon (Little Petherick). Heanton Satchville in Petrockstowe or Huish parishes and Shebbear hundred, Hele Stachville or Crocker's Hele are hundreds outside the monastery. Moore in St. Giles in the Wood parish of Fremington hundred. The priory church of St. Mary and St. Petrock the largest parish church in Cornwall.
Heanton Satchville; Yeo, Cory of Petrockstowe and Bradworthy
St. Petrock Church (Newton)- Ayres Bear Blight Braund Cowman Curtis Fishleigh Fowler Hancock Hobbs Hooper King Leach Leonard Lewton Manning Moore Perkin Slade Smart Sumpter Western Wheeler- all of parish Shebbear hundred in Northcott, Newton Tracey near Fremington hundred, Newton Ferrers, Bushel, Poppleford, Zeal Monachorum, St. Cyres, in diverging hundreds.
St. Petrox Parish Church stands south of the town, immediately behind the castle, and is a very ancient structure, which has undergone many repairs and alterations. It had formerly a chantry, founded in the reign of Edward III., and the ancient manor house of Clifton stood near it. It is in the patronage of the rector of Stoke Fleming, and incumbency of the Rev. F.M. Walter, B.D. South Town, comprising the parish of St. Petrox, and formerly belonging to the Fitzstephen, Fleming, Mohun, Carew (Bampton), and Southcote families. Mohun's Ottery or Ottery Fleming in Luppit parish and Axminster hundred.
Little Petherick (Kilkhampton) The church of St Petrock is a building of stone, in the decorated style, restored by the Rev. Sir Hugh Henry Molesworth bart. late rector, in 1858, and consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and a western tower with pinnacles and a pyramidal roof, and containing a clock and 3 bells, the chancel is elaborately finished in oak with carved stalls. There is also a monument to John Bettye, ob. 1634: and in the churchyard a granite cross inscribed to the Rev. Sir Hugh H. Molesworth bart. rector 1818-1862, and one of slate to Mrs Manning the above mentioned: there are 130 sittings. The register of baptisms and burials dates from the yeare 1706, marriages 1708.
Petterick/Pathericke/Pethericks is mainly from North Tamerton, Monkleigh, Ilfracome again became the surname finally became Pedrick in Heanton Punchardon and Braunton in the 1800s.
In the early 17th century, the story of was told of John Polrudden, who built his home on a promontory with sweeping sea views. Soon thereafter, he was captured by raiders and dragged from his home, and was never seen again. The house fell into disrepair, but parts exist still. Pentewan has a lovely church and Terrace built by Sir Charles Hawkins in 1821. Some of the windows from the ruined manor were incorporated into the buildings. The town is a small, lovely seaport with quite lively sailing groups.
Porthpean House, owned by the Petherick family, has a 3-acre garden known for its fine collection of camellias. The garden is sometimes open to the public in aid of charity. Originally St Austell parish encompassed 11,450 acres. In 1847, the parish of Charlestown was created from the eastern section, and Treverbyn was created from the northern half in 1850, leaving St. Austell a parish of 1,339 acres of land and inland water.
PARRACOMBE, is a parish among the high moorland hills, and includes the picturesque hamlets of Parracombe Mill, Heal, and Bodley. Parracombe manor was granted by William I. to William Fallaise; it descended to the Fitz Martyns through the Tracey's, barons of Barnstaple; in the time of Edward I. it was the property of the St. Albyns. The small river Heddon runs through the parish, and after passing some of the most picturesque scenery in the neighbourhood empties itself into the Bristol Channel at the small bay called Heddon's Mouth.