A COMPENDIUM OF THE HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF CORNWALL

By the REV. J. J. DANIELL

Fourth Edition, Revised by Thurstan C. Peter, 1906

First published in 1854 in Truro by Netherton & Worth

CROWAN--Deanery of Kerrier.This parish appears occasionally in the records as Egloscrawyn.

Clowance is the seat of the old family of St. Aubyn, one of whom, sir John St. Aubyn, was the member for Cornwall who so steadfastly opposed the measures of sir Robert Walpole in the reign of George II. In 1383 Richard Brune had licence for his chapel at Clowance.

The church here was appropriated to Tewkesbury abbey, in whose annals from 1240 onwards are frequent references to the parish. In 1251 the abbey granted permission to sir Brachelege and his heirs for erection of a chapel at his seat of Trevericke in this parish. There was here also a chapel of St. Augustine, at which in 1398, and again in 1415 (it was complained by the vicar) unlawful services were held.

Skewis in this parish was in 1734 the scene of an extraordinary affair. Henry Rogers, a pewterer of Helston, held an opinion, still common in West Cornwall, to the effect that family property must remain in the family and not be given away to a widow. His elder brother had no children, and devised Skewis to his widow. Henry resented this, and having by stratagem got possession of the house held it for nine months against the sheriff and the soldiers sent to reduce it; after he had killed five men and wounded seven, cannon were brought from Pendennis. Skewis then escaped, but he and his servant were captured at Salisbury, and executed 6 August, 1735.