Millbrook, Maker and Trevithick Day

Posted on: April 29th, 2016 by Rachael Eustice 1 Comment

Recently, whilst doing some family history research I have visited the locality of Millbrook and Maker, situated in the far south eastern corner of Cornwall on the Rame Peninsula. 

It’s location, off the beaten track, means that many people pass by and miss the beauty of this corner of Cornwall.  The main route out of Cornwall is the A38 trunk road which leads to the Tamar Bridge and even those that use the Torpoint Ferry to cross the river would miss this area unless they made a special detour.

On the water’s edge, Millbrook is a pretty village and then Maker Church stands tall overlooking the surrounding area and with very pleasant sea views.  The cemetery was particularly pretty with woodland and with a fine display of bluebells and wild flowers.

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The headland stands at the entrance of Plymouth Sound and the River Tamar.   The river forms most of the border between the two counties of Devon and Cornwall.  Cornwall is almost an island with the source of the River Tamar rising less than four miles from the north coast of Cornwall, it runs for 61 miles down to the south coast to Plymouth Sound – Tamar is said to mean ‘Great Water’.

DSCF3616 The view from just in front of Maker Church, looking up the River Tamar.

For those of you reading this in Cornwall – make Maker a place to visit!

With the coming of Spring there are many festivals celebrated in Cornwall.

In the Millbrook area during the May Bank Holiday (which is this weekend), a procession of dancers and singers parade through Millbrook and the neighbouring villages of Kingsand and Cawsand stopping at various houses and inns along the way.  They carry a boat which is decorated with spring flowers.  In the evening the boat is launched into the water and there is much merriment and celebration.  This is called the Black Prince Flower Boat Procession and its purpose is to bid farewell to winter and welcome the spring and summer, whilst also hoping for a good harvest for both land and sea.

Also this weekend in the west of the County is Trevithick Day at Camborne.  Richard Trevithick was a celebrated engineer (1771-1833) who was born at Camborne.  He was an inventor at the time of the Industrial Revolution and invented the first steam driven vehicle.  The occasion brings lots of steam engines to the town in celebration of his origins and there will be choirs, brass bands, street entertainers, music and dancing.

For those of you familiar with the Cornish Song – ‘Going up Camborne Hill, Coming Down’ – this song celebrates Richard Trevithick’s historic steam engine ride up Camborne Hill on Christmas Eve 1801.

One Response

  1. Kim Breuer says:

    Hi Rachael!! This blog is wonderful. Kate, my daughter, and I have so many good memories of our time in Cornwall and in meeting our cousins which you helped to arrange. This article makes us want to come back!! We are planning on it for sure….