Part of the Acorn Archive

Penzance, Cornwall

Architecture and Heritage

The Waters of Penzance

The Lion of Penlee

Penlee Park

At the Lower end of Penlee Park is a Victorian Pool.

It was fed from a lion spout, taking water from The Alverton Well.

about 1890

The Pool is less of a tranquil haven that it once offered.

But it has been cleaned, repaired and fenced to suit present day needs.

But the lion has survived, less its fine stone basin.

 

Penlee Park was originally the grounds to Penlee House,

built and owned by the Penzance merchant John Richards Branwell with his wife Elizabeth.

Alexandra Road was built 1865 and Penlee House

later derived access via Trewithen Road which was built in 1880,

and Morrab Road which was built in 1881.

It is believed that the house was built in 1866.

JR Branwell had purchased much land for development in the area from WE Edison.

The House and Grounds were purchased by Penzance Borough in 1946,

following much encouragement and work by Alderman Robert Thomas;

Penlee House is a War Memorial and adjoining the house is The Garden of Remembrance.

 

From the Ordnance Survey map of 1876.

Before Morrab Road was built,

Penlee Drive entered the grounds where the 67.8 Bench Mark is shown. 

Penlee Park, as we know it, had not been formed.

It was not until Trewithen Road had been built that the long drive was extended.

 

John Richards Branwell was born in 1824,

son of Robert Matthews Branwell Snr (mayor of Penzance in 1850), flour merchant and grocer.

Robert Matthews Branwell married Jane Richards of Newlyn.

Robert Matthews Branwell Snr was son of Joseph Branwell, builder and Temperance nee Matthews.

JR Branwell had brothers Robert M, Thomas R, Frederick and Charles and two sisters, Ada and Phillippa. Robert Matthews Branwell lived at Redinnick House, married a Miss Tremawan; he was a merchant.

JR Branwell was senior partner in RM Branwell & Sons, corn merchants.

He became mayor of Penzance in 1865, 1868 and 1871.

He married Elizabeth Tyacke of Rotherhithe.

 

Branwell’s Granary and Offices

Branwell’s Mill and the Branwell Family

The buildings of Branwell’s Mill and Branwell’s Granary were completed in 1884.

Branwell’s Granary, opposite the Railway Station, is erroneously named Branwell’s Mill at present; for many years it was owned by TF Hosking as a farm and grain warehouse; my father was the warehouse manager there. The size and space of the building was quite overwhelming. When it became Parkers Store (after the dreadful fire in their premises in Market Jew Street) it was still nonetheless of great size, but was more manageable. WH Smiths was on the corner and was so very accessible and ideal for the rail traveller. It is still an impressively large building.

 

 

 

Raymond Forward