SALTASH HISTORY
Trematon Castle Saltash.
Saltash was founded as a market town by the lord of Trematon Castle in the 12th century. The town was situated at a point where an ancient highway crossed the Tamar estuary by means of a ferry, by the end of that century Saltash had achieved borough status.
Saltash also developed as a port, the first to be established on the system of estuaries reaching far inland from Plymouth Sound. In consequence, the borough was entrusted with jurisdiction over all those waters, an arrangement that was challenged many times but was not terminated until 1901. Trade on the estuaries invigorated rural life in St Stephens and other adjoining parishes. The town's strategic position and maritime interests led to its involvement in many important events.
Although the town of Sutton (later name: Plymouth) outgrew Saltash before the end of the 13th century, Saltash continued to prosper. It had some advantages: Saltash Reach in the Tamar was a good deep-water anchorage for large ships at all states of the tide, and it was a safe five miles from the open sea.
Saltash merchants operated a small fleet of ocean going vessels crewed by local men. Their ships were requisitioned for war service on various occasions during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.
In the 15th century the ‘Thomas’ of Saltash carried pilgrims bound for Compostela, and the ‘Nicholas’ traded as far as NE Norway (well inside the Arctic Circle).
In 1568 the inhabitants of Waterside were excited when two Spanish treasure ships which had been seized were unloaded there. There was an even greater spectacle for Saltash in 1587, when Sir Francis Drake brought up river the carrack ‘San Felipe’ (a prize seized by him off the Azores). She was laden with calicoes, silks and spices, as well as chests of jewels, gold plate, etc.
All the cargo was discharged and inventoried at Saltash, it was worth £12,000,000 in relation to today’s values.
The Royal Albert Railway Bridge and the Saltash Ferry
looking across the Tamar River to Saltash.
For centuries the Earls and Dukes of Cornwall leased the operation of the Ferry to the Saltash burgesses, and also leased to them control over activities in the estuaries of the Tamar and its tributaries, together with Plymouth Sound. Both the Ferry and the ‘silver oar’ jurisdiction (known as the Liberty of the Water Tamar) were granted to Saltash outright by Queen Elizabeth’s charter of 1585.
The prosperous years of the 16th century gave way to the troubled years during the Civil War, 1642-1646.
Plymouth was a Roundhead town and Saltash was severely damaged as Cromwell’s troops tried to gain a foothold in Cornwall. The town changed hands eight times throughout the Civil War and the street fighting and maritime bombardments caused a great deal of damage to its buildings. It is believed Saltash sustained more damage than any other Cornish town during this period, and many of its buildings were destroyed.
Losses of course were not just material: in 1641 the population of Saltash and St Stephens stood at 1,137, but by 1662 the figure had fallen to 900. Once peace was declared the rebuilding of the town began but, despite efforts to reinvigorate the local economy, it was during this period that Saltash emerged as the lesser town to Plymouth.
The ferry however survived and continued to retain its importance. It continued to play a major transport role well into the 20th century.
Tamar St also known as Pickle Cockle Alley.
WATERSIDE.
The Waterside area of Saltash has been inhabited for at least a thousand years. The site lay within the Anglo-Saxon manor of Trematon, at a place where a major highway crossed the Tamar Estuary by means of a ferry
which belonged to the manor. One of the factors that determined the location of the ferry was the existence of a hard beach interrupting the estuarial mud on the western side. The northern end of the beach was protected
by a great rock (called Ashtor) which protruded into the estuary.
The first settlement at Ash (which – in its Middle English form Esse, meaning ash tree was Saltash’s original name) probably consisted of a few ferrymen’s and fishermen’s dwellings lining the foreshore behind the beach.
Circa 1175 this small community was absorbed when one of de Valletorts, lords of Trematon Castle, had streets and building plots laid out on the adjoining hillside and founded a Borough. The new market town
prospered, and also became a port.
To distinguish it from other places in the Southwest called Ash, around 1300 the prefix Salt- was added to the town’s name (probably this term was used because of the location beside a tidal estuary).
ANN GLANVILLE.
Saltash has produced many champion rowers, of whom the redoubtable Ann Glanville was the most famous. Between 1830 and 1850 at regattas all over England, she and her crews of Saltash women were seldom beaten in 4-oared gig races, even against male competitors.
Reputably Sir Francis Drake’s first wife Mary Newman lived here. It is undoubtedly a pleasing example of fifteenth century domestic architecture. The building is now leased to the Tamar Protection Society who restored the building and created a peaceful garden that overlooks Brunel’s famous Albert Bridge, with spectacular views down the Tamar estuary. The garden has been transformed into an authentic Elizabethan style garden complete with traditional varieties of herbs, fruit, vegetables and flowers. Mary Newman’s Cottage is a Grade 2 listed building, believed to date from around 1480 The premises contain period furniture on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum and
the cottage and gardens are open to the public.
The Guildhall is a listed building which stands in the middle of old Saltash, next door to the Parish Church of St Nicholas and St Faith. The Guildhall was built in 1775 as a Market House and Assembly Hall. On the Fore Street frontage the ground floor had a Tuscan colonnade, and was used as a pannier market until the end of the 19th century. The first floor hall was known as the Long Room; it became the Guildhall in 1841. The ground floor was enclosed in 1910, but the Tuscan columns can still be seen. The Guildhall was restored in 1998-99 and the public can now once again see the beautiful ceiling in the Long Room.
St Nicholas and St Faith Church has an unusual history, its ownership having been claimed by the Corporation from the 17th century until 1924, although it became a Parish Church in 1881. It was built in the 12th century as a chapel of ease for the new borough, and much of the Norman work remains, including the tower and some rare buttresses. Additions were made in the 14th and 15th centuries. It contains much of interest including ancient carved roof bosses and a font that was originally a medieval domestic mortar. Outside, a section of inscribed stone which formerly surmounted a public well adjoins the town’s only remaining section of cobblestone pavement.
This very pleasant park lies at the top of Fore Street and contains the Penn Symons Monument which commemorates the death of Sir William Penn Symons of Hatt, near Saltash, who was the first British General to be killed in the Boer War, 1899. Also in the park is the Maurice Huggins Room, (named after a former Mayor).
In 1886 the Victorian Charter of Incorporation established a free election of twelve Councillors by ballot. The new Borough Council took over the running of the steam ferry in 1891 and in 1899 it sold to the Admiralty the long-held rights over the waters of the Hamoaze, the Sound and the River Tamar as far as Calstock.
The two world wars did not pass without leaving their mark and in April 1941 a raid of incendiary and high explosive bombs caused deaths and destruction in the town.
In 1961 the completion of the road suspension bridge across the Tamar made the old ferry redundant. The road network was further enhanced by the completion of the A38 Saltash Road Tunnel linking the Tamar Road bridge with the newly-built A38 by-pass.
The Borough status of the town disappeared in 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act of 1972 and Saltash at Parish level is now art of the District Council is known as Caradon. In recognition of its former status however, Saltash retains the office of Mayor who as chairman, presides over meetings of the Town Council.
Looking up Fore St. c1920.
