The Hope Cove history blog

Sunday, 19th February, 2023

The South Hams and the Cornwall Connection

The South Hams and the Cornwall Connection

Devon and Cornwall are like brothers. There is nothing the inhabitants like better than getting one over the other county. However there is more that unites them rather than dividing them and a look back in history gives clues as to why.

After the Romans left Britain Devon and Cornwall existed as a single entity called Dumnonia. In 1607 William Camden, described Cornwall and Devon as being two parts of the same 'country'. They were Celtic tribes and therefore share a common cultural background but not necessarily the same gene pool. The Cornish language was spoken in The South Hams and parts of Exeter. The Saxon Athelstan expelled “that filthy race” from Exeter in 927 and drove the Cornish back over the Tamar. Some remained and settled in the South Hams. Twenty years later the Saxons continued their drive westwards and overran Cornwall. Since that time the Tamar has proven to be an effective border and barrier. Cornish continued to be spoken in Cornwall and although language scholars have found traces of Cornish in some place-names in Devon English, Saxon influences took over. Despite their Celtic origins a recent detailed genetic study has shown a distinct separation along the county boundary proving what Camden had suspected, that Devon and Cornwall were indeed two different tribes with their own distinct characteristics.

This may explain the opening comments. Similar tastes and backgrounds but seizing every opportunity to squabble. However like brothers when it came to standing up for each other they were both ready for a fight. Devon and Cornwall stood shoulder to shoulder in the prayer-book rebellion of 1549 and fought many bloody battles together before finally being defeated at Sampford Courtenay.

Both counties have their own version of clotted cream and each claim theirs is the best. However as the method of production in the two counties is virtually identical the argument has to be who has the best grass, climate, and breed of cows. Next of course is the argument as to whether jam should be put on first or the cream. The counties differ.  Apparently it’s jam first at the Queens garden parties and Debrett’s  agrees – just like Devonians prefer. Now the Duke of Cornwall has ascended to the throne the situation will preumably be reversed.

The next issue is how to eat the delicacy. Devon tends to prefer scones but Cornwall has its own special bread-like roll called a split. Both are good but then we have the debate whether scone should sound like “bone” or “gone”.

Cornwall has a variation called “Thunder and Lightning”. This is cream with a drizzle of Golden Syrup. Cream first notice.

To really stir things up the idea of a cream tea seems to have originated in Tavistock Abbey in Devon  in the 11th century  although this is disputed by the Cornish.

Today most cream in Cornwall is made by Rodda’s near Redruth and in Devon by Langage Farm. Small units still exist but can be hard to find. Older Hope Cove residents will remember that visitors could send cream by post from the post office. Ethel Marshall, Aunty Ethel  to me, made her own cream to sell in the fruit and vegetable shop run by her and her husband Herbert. The Marshalls were close neighbours to me and I have strong memories of Ethel walking down to the shop with a large enamel bowl under her arm covered with a tea towel. She would always pull the towel back to show me the thick crusted cream. If I had occasion to go to their house I could not leave until she showed me the slowly forming cream for the next day. Clearly she was very proud and quite right too.

The one thing that the two Counties would strongly agree on is that whipped cream or aerosol creams are an abomination. There is no substitute. I was once in Queensland and was thrilled to see a sign for Devonshire Cream Teas. I was incensed to discover that their idea of Devonshire cream was what we call whipped cream.

Another point of contention is the pasty. The Cornish will fiercely claim total ownership but pasties are equally popular in Devon and there was some shock several  years ago when a claim was made that there was evidence that pasties  were first cooked in Devon. Added to that a few years ago a Devon Bakery won the ‘Britain’s Best Pasty’ award. Worse was to come when an amateur baker from Bristol won the ‘World’s best pasty’ award. She cooked it in Padstow so it could be described as a Cornish pasty. Whatever the various claims in most people’s minds the savoury meal is called a Cornish pasty. The ingredients should be the same wherever they are made. Steak, potato, onion and swede, wrapped in pastry. In both counties there are variations in crimping. Prize winning pasties made on the Lizard are crimped over the top but most will be on the side. Both counties would be united in their condemnation if they found adulterations in their pasty. There are many similar snacks with a variety of ingredients that taste very good. But pasties they are not!

Mining is another activity associated with Cornwall but here again in Devon there is a long legacy. Cornwall has many iconic engine houses and the romance of the Poldark novels but Devon has more surviving Tin Mills dating back to the 1600s with archaeological finds showing trading back to prehistory.

Nothing excites the Cornish more than singing the patriotic song “Trelawney”. I learned it on my father’s knee and how could a small child not be stirred by “a good sword and a trusty hand” and a threat to King James from 20,000 Cornishmen. However the lyrics were written by a Devonian and Sabine Baring-Gould, who wrote “Onward Christian Soldiers”. He said the tune was actually a copy of an old French song. But then Baring-Gould was a Devonian. The words were put down a hundred years after the events and there is doubt as to which Trelawney the song refers. We’ll overlook the fact threatening the Tower never took place and the protest ended at Bristol. Does this matter? No not really but it is another example of the overlap between Devon and Cornwall.

With all this it seems the Cornish and the shared culture never really left. It is curious that around 120 years ago two young Cornish women came to live in Galmpton and made careers in photography and art. They came from St Just in West Penwith – the farthest tip of Cornwall and where many feel it is still possible to see the real old county. The Boyns girls came from a well off, well known, local mining family and it seems odd that they would have heard of such a tiny and remote area.

In the early 1930s another young St Just resident left his job as a mining assayer and found Hope Cove where he settled, married, and raised a family. In the sixties yet another man from West Penwith – this time from Mousehole – was captivated by the magic of the place and has been here ever since. A hundred and twenty years of occupation by the Cornish.

When you next go out for a cream tea. If someone nearby seems to be showing interest in how you assemble your scone you may be revealing something akin to a masonic handshake. They are walking among us!

cth

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