"The island" St Ives

"THE ISLAND," ST IVES.

 
THE so-called island is now a peninsular mass of clay slate rocks, interpenetrated by very hard trappean masses. Between this and the town of St Ives is a low neck of land, which consists chiefly of sand and gravel, with some masses of clay slate broken into small angular fragments. On either side of this neck of land are good examples of raised beaches. Everything, therefore, favours the tradition which is preserved in the name.

One statement is, that "The Island" was brought in from tile sea; another, that it rose out of the sea -

"This town, as Mr Camden saith, was formerly called Pendenis or Pendunes, the head fort, fortress, or fortified place, probably from the little island here, containing about six acres of ground, on which there stands the ruins of a little old fortification and a chapel"--Hals's Cornwall.

"On the island (or peninsula) work of St Ives standeth the ruins of an old chapel, wherein God was duly worshipped by our ancestors the Britons, before the Church of St Ives was erected or endowed. "--Tonkin's Cornwall.

The beach on one side of the peninsula is called Porthmew, that on the other Porthgwidden; and the name of the street between them is "Chyranchy," said to signify "the place of the breach," pointing, it might appear, to the action of the sea in wearing out the softer ground.

"Chyanchy" is another mode of pronouncing this name, "Chyan" signifying a house. Hence the name, it is thought by some, was given when two houses (chy-an-chy) stood alone on the spot. [a]

[a] Chyanwhael, the house on the mine, is near St Ives. Chyandour, the house by the Water, adjoins Penrance. Chyangarrach, the house on the road. The water-elder is called skow-dower.