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
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