Sancreed is a parish 4 miles west-by-south
from Penzance, in the Western division of the county, hundred of Penwith, petty sessional division of Penwith West, Penzance
union and county court district, rural deanery of Penwith, archdeaconry of Cornwall and diocese of Truro. The church of San
Creed (or Sancta Crida) is a building of granite, chiefly in the late 15th century style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles,
transepts, south porch and an embattled western tower with pinnacles containing 3 bells: the rood stairs, piscina and stoup
remain: some carving on the rood screen is possibly Spanish: the restoration of the church, begun in 1881, under the direction
of Mr. J. D. Sedding, architect, was completed in 1891 at a cost of £2,350: the church has been new roofed, refloored and
reseated with carved oak benches affording 240 sittings, and internal fittings are still (1893) being added: during the restoration
the remains of a Norman font were found: on the churchyard wall is the circular head of a cross, discovered by the present
vicar in a ditch close by, and near the vicarage gates the quatrefoiled head of another has been erected on its original shaft,
recently found in the south aisle; in the churchyard is a fine cross nearly 8 feet high, uniquely incised with a lily, the
emblem of the Virgin. at Higher Drift is a stone 2 feet high with a Latin cross on one side. The register of baptisms dates
from the year 1556; marriages, 1559; burials, 1579. The living is a vicarage, average tithe rent-charge £258, net yearly value
£295, including 152 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Dean and Chapter of Truro, and held since 1879 by the Rev.
Reginald Basset Rogers B.A. of St. John’s College, Oxford. There are Wesleyan chapels at New Bridge and Court, and Bible
Christian chapels at Grumbla, Brane, Tregerrest and Drift. There is a series of very perfect British caves at Brane and an
ancient circular fortification at Caer Bran, now ruinous. At chapel Uny are the remains of a well or baptistery dedicated
to St. Eurnus or Uny and another baptistery and well at Chapel Downs. There are also two logan stones of some interest at
Bejowans. Thomas Bedford Bolitho esq. M.P., D.L., J.P. of Trewidden, Madron, and Mrs. Scobell, are lord and lady of the manor,
and Lord Robartes and Jonathan Rashleigh esq. are the chief landowners. The soil is killas; subsoil, marl. The chief crops
are oats, barley and potatoes, but the greater part of the land is in pasture. The area is 4,471 acres; rateable value, £5,028;
the population in 1891 was 857.
New Bridge is
a village 1½ miles north on the road between Penzance and St. Just. Drift is a hamlet 1 mile south-east.
Post Office,
New Bridge (Railway Sub-Office. Letters should have R.S.O. Cornwall added).—Mrs. Eliza Hosken, postmistress. Letters
received at 8.35 a.m. & 4.45 p.m.; dispatched at 9 a.m. & 3.45 p.m. The nearest telegraph & money order office
is at Penzance. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid
Wall Letter Box,
Drift, cleared 3.20 & 6 p.m
Wall Letter Box,
at Churchtown, cleared at 1.30 p.m
Schools:—
A School Board of 5 members was formed
Sept. 24, 1880; C. Clemens, Drift, clerk to the board & attendance officer
Board, New Bridge, built in 1883, for
100 children; average attendance, 31 boys, 27 girls & 29 infants; George Henry Guy, master
National (mixed & infants), for 170
children; average attendance, 75; supported in part by voluntary contributions; William Phillips Mitchell, master; Miss T.
J. Thomas, infants’ mistress
Daniel John, Boswarthen
Quick James, Tregonebris
Rogers Rev. Regnld. Basset M.A. Vicarage
COMMERCIAL.
Bennetts Joseph, farmer, Trannack
Boase Thomas, farmer, Brane
Bossence John, rate collector, Rose valley
Catchall Co-operative Dairy Co. Lim. (Henry Thomas, sec)
Clemens Charles, smith & farrier & clerk to school board, Drift
Clemens John, farmer, Chiverton
Daniel John, farmer, Boswarthen
Daniel Wm. shopkeeper, Lower Drift
Gay Abraham, farmer, Boswarthen
Grose Solomon Thos. farmer, Trerice
Guard William, farmer, Trannack
Hall Wm. Thomas, farmer, Bodinnar
Hall William White, farmer, Bosvenning
Harry Richard, farmer, Brane
Harry Thomas, Fountain inn, New Bridge
Harvey Richd. farmer, Middle Tregerrest
Harvey Thomas, farmr. Lower Tregerrest
Hitchens James, farmer, Trenuggo
Holla Thomas, farmer, Boswens
Hosken James, builder, Drift
Hosken James, farmer, Sellen
Hosken John, farmer, Bojothnow
Hosken William Hy. carpenter, New Brdg
Hosking John, farmer, Bosence
Humphreys William, farmer, Recevan
Ivey Thomas, farmer, Bodinnar
Jeffery Wm. Richard, farmer, Drift
Jenkin Edwin, dairyman, Derval
Lawry Frances (Miss), shopkpr. Low. Drift
Lawry William, farmer, Recevan
Matthews Elizabeth (Mrs.), farmer, Trannack
Newton James, farmer, Roskenals
Nicholas John, dairyman, Sellen
Nicholas John Rodda, shopkpr. New Brdg
Nicholls Cyprian, jun. farmer, Boslow
North James, farmer, Drift
Oats James, farmer, Brane
Oats John, farmer, Brane
Olds Jas. farmer & butcher, Higher Drift
Oliver John, miller (water), Roskenals
Osborn John Charles, farmr. Trevorrian
Pearse Richard & John, farmers, Tremaine & Tregonebris
Pengilly Philip, farmer, Church town
Richards Richard Samson, miller (water), Lower Drift
Roach Matthew, farmer, Bejowans
Rowe Hannibal, farmer, Trevean
Rowe John, farmer, Bosvenning
Shedford Jane (Mrs.), grocer, New Bridge
Thomas Edwin, farmer, Newham
Thomas Henry, farmer & land steward to Mrs. Scobell, Botrea
Thomas John, farmer, Jericho
Thomas Robert, farmer, Anjordan
Tregear John, farmer, Higher Tregerrest
Trembath John, farmer, Tregerrest
Trewern Eli, farmer, Bojothnow
Trudgen John, farmer, Bodinnar
Warren Nicholas, farmer, Boswens
Warren William, farmer, Tregerrest
Warren Daniel, farmer, Churchtown
White Edward, farmer, Brane