Willam Hals’ History of Cornwall was published by Andrew Brice in Truro & Exeter in 1750 and is very rare. Only the parochial histories listed alphabetically from Advent to Helston were published. Hals died in 1739. Manuscripts of the remainder may still exist. Some extracts were printed in Lake’s Parochial History

Crowan has situate upon the north, Camborne; west, S.Erth; south, Sythaney; east Wendron. At the time of the Norman Conquest this parish was taxed either under the jurisdiction of Lanmigell, viz. Michael’s Mount, temple or church, or Caer, i.e. a city or castle, now Caerton, Castletown; so called from the British treble entrenchments of turf and stones yet extant in this parish. At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, Ecelesia do Crowen, in Decantu de Penwith, was rated viiil.; vicar ibidem, xll. In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, £11 9s. 01/2d.; the patronage in Sir John Seyntaubyn, the rectory in Seyntaubyn, the incumbent Glyn. The parish was rated to the 4s. per pound Land Tax, 1699, £177 10s. Od. This church was endowed by the Prior of S. Michael’s Mount, its patron. After its dissolution 26 Hen. VIII., it fell to the crown; from whence, as I am informed, the patronage was purchased by Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq., Sheriff of Cornwall 37 Hen. VIII.

Clowens, in this parish, i.e. White Cloos, those sort of grey marble stones so called, whereof an innumerable strag of them are visible upon a great part of the lands of this barton above ground, particularly in the Deer Park. Mr. Carew tells us that Clowens is derived from the Greek KLO, cloow, to hearken. But glewas in Cornish is to hear, and golsowins, to harken. This place for many ages hath been the seat of the genteel and knightly family of the Seyntaubyns, now Baronets, whose first ancestor came out of Normandy, a soldier, with William the Conqueror, 1066, who first settled him self at …. in the county of Devon; and in process of time Guy Sentaubyn (afterwards knighted), Sheriff of Cornwall 22 Richard II., as I take it, first settled himself in this place, and married AIice, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Richard Sergeaux, Knight, Sheriff of Cornwall, 12 Richard II., (who died at Killigarth, or Colquite), by whom he had issue. But after Sir Guy’s death, his lady Alice, having her lands all at her own disposal, married Richard de Vere, Knight of the Garter, and the 11th Earl of Oxford of that house; by whom he had issue John the 12th Earl of Oxford; and Sir Robert Vere, Knight, that married Margaret, the daughter of Sir Hugh Courtenay, of Haccomb, Knight, heir to her mother Philippa, one of the coheirs of Sir Warren Archdeacon, Knight, by the which Margaret he had issue John, who married Alice, daughter of Walter Killrington, Esq., by whom he had issue John 14th Earl of Oxford, that died without issue 14th July, 1526, upon whom she settled most of her lands, and deprived her issue by Seyntaubyn thereof.

Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq., was Sheriff of Cornwall 37 Henry VIII. Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq., was Sheriff of Cornwall 30 Elizabeth. John Seyntaubyn, Esq., was Sheriff of Cornwall 11 Charles I. John Seyntaubyn, Esq., was Sheriff of Cornwall 13 Charles ll., who married Godolphin, and had issue John Seyntaubyn, Esq., (my very good friend), that married Anne, one of the coheirs of James Jenkyn, of Trekininge, Esq., who by letters patent, bearing date 11th March, 24 Charles II., was created the 797th Baronet of England. He had issue by her, Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart., that married De la Hay, and had by her issue another Sir John Seyntaubyn, now in possession of this place.

This famous worthy family, as it descended downwards, married Sergeaux, Colshill, Whittington, Grenvill, Mallett, Godolphin, and others. The arms of Seyntaubyn are Ermine, on a cross Gules five Bezants. And the said family was denominated from Mount Seyntaubyn, in Normandy. Finally, as Serjeaux’s (or, as Hals spells it, Sergreaulx) heir, after the death of Sir Guy Seyntaubyn, passed away her lands from her issue by him, to her children by her second husband, the Earl of Oxford afore said; so Jenkyns heir, after the death of Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart., disinherited her heir by him, and sold most of her lands for the payment of her second husband’s debts, Mr. Spencer, of Lancashire, and after his death married one Mr. Page, for whose benefit she did her son Seyntaubyn what further damage she was able to perform by sale of more of her lands. So unconstant and irregular are some women’s affections.

Tregeare or Tregeire, CornishSaxon, in this parish, i.e. the dwelling of honour, or the honourable dwelling, gave name and original to a British family, from thence denominated De Tregeare. It is now in the possession of my very kind friend Richard Tregeare, Esq., Sheriff of Cornwall 3 of Queen Anne, and receiver of the Land Tax temp. William III., who married Rawle, the relict of …but died without issue, who left his estate to one of his name (though none of his tribe or blood, as I am informed), who gave for his arms, in a field Argent, a fess Gules between three Comish daws Proper.