History Prideaux Castle

1 history

1.1 paganus prideaux
1.2 domesday manors
1.3 pridis (prideaux) stannary tithing

history

unlike many other hillforts, prideaux castle has amount of written history associated it, in case extending norman conquest.

paganus prideaux

arms of prideaux: argent, chevron sable in chief label of 3 points gules

the prideaux family well-established gentry family in devon , cornwall in middle ages onwards, seated in various branches in devon @ adeston, holbeton; thuborough, sutcombe; solden, holsworthy; netherton, farway; ashburton; nutwell, woodbury , 16th century @ prideaux place in parish of padstow in cornwall. arms of these families were: argent, chevron sable in chief label of 3 points gules, well-recorded on ancient monuments in several parish churches , elsewhere. supposed 11th century origins of family @ prideaux castle in cornwall less documented.

on 9 march 1874 college of arms granted further coat of arms prideaux: party per pale argent , gules, 3 castles counterchanged, quartered prideaux-brune family of prideaux place, accompanying pedigree being certified stephen isaacson tucker, rouge croix pursuivant (a junior officer of arms) of college. genealogy later published in vivian s visitations of cornwall.

according prideaux pedigree, paganus prideaux lord of prideaux in conqueror s time . paganus latinized form of common first-name payne . there no specific dates recorded lifetime of paganus, death date given son:

richardus prideaux dominus de prideaux obiit 1122 temp(ore) h. 1. ( richard prideaux lord of prideaux died 1122 in time of henry i).

the grant of college of arms has effect of making status of paganus prideaux official, since college agency of uk government. however, in absence of corroboration 11th century records, documents , charters, have not survived, might justifiable regard paganus being semi-legendary.

it has been claimed paganus prideaux companion of conqueror, based on college of heralds certification. however, there no mention of similar name in battle abbey roll (highly dubious source though may be), nor in other known record period.

sir john maclean in skeleton pedigree of prideaux (basing himself on work of richard polwhele, on visitations), elaborates on origin of paganus, describing him as:

paganus de prideaux vel (i.e. or ) pridias, lord of prideaux in luxulion near fowey co. cornwall, before conquest, living @ prideaux castle

this anachronism, since neither luxulion (luxulyan) nor fowey can shown have existed manors or settlements in 11th century. note, however, use of cornish form of name pridias. reference these place names imply polwhele not confusing prideaux castle , fowey, prideaux place , padstow. no mention of manor named prideaux in 11th century normandy, family might assumed have originated, has been made these sources.

domesday manors

there @ present time 3 inhabited places arranged in arc or line few hundred metres north of castle. on 1888 map called prideaux, little prideaux, , great prideaux.

at prideaux grid reference sx059560 located bed , breakfast in house advertised thus:

the old manor originates 9th century, when land granted pagan de prideaux william conqueror, , when manor built around central quadrangle.

on basis claim made unclear. touchstone of antiquity of english (or cornish) estates domesday book of 1086 (11th century) mentions both current state of affairs , under edward confessor. manor nearest prideaux castle tywardreath (tiwardrai) manor, @ grid reference sx086544, 1.5 km southeast. next nearest have been bodiggo (bodenwitghi) @ grid reference sx045585 @ 2.5 km. domesday mentions nothing identified name either luxulyan or prideaux (pridias).

both of these manors held richard fitz thorold robert, count of mortain, william conqueror s half brother. if paganus existed, , lord of prideaux, apparently have been vassal of richard. unclear whether manor named prideaux (from form apparently norman-french word) in fact anglo-saxon place name, perhaps pridias, existing before norman conquest, , granted paganus thenceforth took surname de prideaux it, case, or whether paganus lord of manor in normandy called prideaux, name gave new english landholding, more unusual scenario.

pridis (prideaux) stannary tithing

the economy of prideaux may have been based in part on stannary. britain, cornwall famous tin, key ingredient of bronze , important trade item during bronze age.

in 1201 king john of england chartered 4 stannaries in cornwall: foweymoor (bodmin moor), blackmoor (hensbarrow downs near saint austell), tywarnhaile (truro saint agnes) , penwith-with-kerrier. blackmoor oldest stannary, 8 subdivisions called tithings.

pridis (which near cornish original of prideaux) listed 1 of 8 tithings of blackmoor stannary.