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Morvah
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Morvah (Cornish: Morvedh) is a hamlet and civil parish in the Penwith district of Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The parish encompasses the settlements of Chypraze and Rosemergy and is bounded by the parishes of St. Just to the west, Zennor to the north-east, Madron to the south and by the sea in the north. The parish consists of of land, of water and of foreshore. The settlement of Morvah consists of several houses and a church and is situated approximately five and a half miles (8.6 km) north-west of Penzance along the B3306.
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Encyclopedia
Morvah (Cornish: Morvedh) is a hamlet and civil parish in the Penwith district of Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The parish encompasses the settlements of Chypraze and Rosemergy and is bounded by the parishes of St. Just to the west, Zennor to the north-east, Madron to the south and by the sea in the north. The parish consists of of land, of water and of foreshore. The settlement of Morvah consists of several houses and a church and is situated approximately five and a half miles (8.6 km) north-west of Penzance along the B3306. An art gallery and a dairy farm are also located in Morvah.
Evidence of a settlement at Morvah in the early Middle Ages is in the form of an inscribed stone, a memorial to one 'Rialobranus son of Cunovalus', located in a field on a moor about three kilometers from the village. It was first described in a letter written by the antiquary Edward Lhwyd. The inscription has been dated from the fifth to the eighth century.
Morvah Gold Hoard
In 1884 during quarrying for building materials at Morvah, on the north-western coast of the Penwith peninsula at Carne Farm, (which lies about half a mile north of Chûn Castle and quoit), a hoard of gold ornaments was found dating from the late Bronze Age. The hoard of gold bracelets discovered here consisted of six large bracelets, three with distinctive trumpet-like ends. One also has engraved geometric designs on it. These bracelets were almost certainly either made in Ireland or made from Irish gold, and made their way, probably through trade in exchange for tin, to Cornwall. They now reside in the British Museum but are a vivid reminder of how relatively well-off Cornwall was in prehistoric times. In 2007 there have been calls in the local Cornish press for the gold hoard to be returned to Cornwall from the British Museum.
Morvah Fair
Morvah was prior to the 20th century the home of the Morvah Fair (held on August 1 every year) which has been described as the biggest Lughnasadh celebrations outside Ireland. The fair was attended by a large number from across West Cornwall. The fair was also associated with the legend of "Jack the Tinkard". In the late 19th century the then priest of Morvah lead a successful campaign to ban the celebrations due to the excess of drunken behaviour.
In a proclamation he stated
"The Church-Town of Morvah has for many years past been much resorted to on the First Sunday in August by disorderly persons of every description, much to the annoyance of the parishioners, he hereby cautions all such persons from assembling on that day for idle and profane amusement, so revolting to that great command of the Law of God -
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy"
Strict orders have been given to the Constable and Officers of the Parish to take into custody any person who shall be found desecrating the Lord's Day."
Morvah now celebrates pasty day on the same date.
Local Government
For the purposes of local government Morvah is a civil parish. Morvah does not hold elections to a parish council but instead, holds a statutory meeting of electors of the parish every 12 months known as a parish meeting. The principal local authorities in this area are Penwith District Council and the Cornwall County Council. For elections to Penwith Council Morvah falls within the Morvah, Pendeen and St Just ward.
Gallery
See also
External links
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