History of Anvil House

The village takes its name from St Erc, one of the many saints who brought Christianity from Ireland, and the church dates back from 1215, although it is claimed there is a site of an earlier one nearby.

It is thought that the ‘Saint Erth Valley’ was once an arm of the sea, or, ‘a somewhat shallow gulf occupying at least the valley in which Saint Erth is placed, and which probably connected the northern and southern seas of Cornwall’. A Bronze or Iron Age fortified enclosure at the top of St Erth Hill known as "Carnabeggas" was possibly the original settlement until a crossing of the river was established and people moved into the valley. The C14 bridge, provided the main coaching route through to Penzance. It was along this route that tin was carried upcountry from the stannaries of Penwith. The bridge was widened by Davies Gilbert 1816. The causeway, built in 1825 diminished St Erth’s importance and prevented any navigation up the river to the village.

The actual Parish of St Erth and its boundaries was formed about 1160 although in 1291 it was known as Lanudnou, Sancti Ercu by 1349, with variations until by 1819 St Erth was established. There was an annual harvest fair on 18 September, an event which has long gone. The Parish Council had its first Meeting in 1895 and its history is well documented. St Erth Feast Day is celebrated on the Sunday nearest November 2.

The present Parish Church was originally built in C14 or C15, however the churchyard cross suggests that a church existed here from at least the C10. There are six bells in the C14 tower, the tenor bell was recast by Harvey & Co Ltd, Hayle, in January, 1901. Although the church is not large, the builders managed to convey a sense of spaciousness. It is difficult to date the Church accurately because of extensive restoration and re-building carried out several times during its history. A Press report after restoration in 1874 stated "The work taken in hand was so extensive a character that of the old building all that now remained are the tower and pillars, the latter having had to be extensively restored”. There are two dormer windows, unusual in a church, each with a pair of angels carved at its corners. The carving in the Trewinnard Chapel, also early C20, was done by Miss Violet Pinwill renowned for her excellent ecclesiastical carvings. Methodism probably came with skilled artisans from the Midlands who built Battery Mill in 1782. In 1796 the first Methodist chapel was built up at the cross where the post office is now. Before that a 'hired' room was used. The present Methodist chapel of 1827 was built as a result of increasing numbers following revivals.

There was a Wesleyan Day School from 1872 to 1922 attached to the chapel, closed when the new Council School took over education in St Erth. The boundary wall was added in 1909 with iron railings and gates from the Coalbrookdale Foundry. The gates were later replaced by the present ones made by Mr Eslea Palmer Lashbrook of Anvil House, St Erth's long time blacksmith who was also responsible for a number of others still in use, particularly along Fore Street.

The St Erth population increased during late C18th and early C19th because of the mining, foundry, and rolling copper work. The miners had a life expectancy of less than 40 years on average. Women and children from the age of 6 years were employed in the ore processing work at surface without shelter in all weathers. Another indication of the size of the population then is the fact that there were two public houses of which only the "Star" which dates back to 1686 survives and New Inn now Mena House. There were also "winks" so called as they were only licensed to sell ale, but a wink to the landlord would get a glass of (smuggled) spirit. The population has changed. There are no mines or foundry works. The farms have got bigger and the number of farmers and farmworkers has declined. Work is found outside the parish. There are more retired people and those born outside the parish and many of the old St Erth families have gone. Fortunately, unlike some Cornish villages, St Erth has not become a place which almost entirely consists of second homes with a complete loss of shop, post office and public transport. There are young families and the population has grown and the primary school is thriving. Want to learn more? See www.st-erth.co.uk and "Churks, Clidgy & Doodle-Dashers - Hayle.