Ludgvan



Ludgvan (Cornish: Ludewan) is a civil parish and village in  Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated 2½ miles (4 km) northeast of Penzance.

The parish includes the villages of Ludgvan, Crowlas, Canon's Town and Long Rock. It is bounded by the parishes of Towednack and Lelant to the north, Madron and Penzance to the west, by St Erth, St Hilary and Marazion to the east and by the sea to the south.

For the purposes of local government, Ludgvan elects a parish council every four years. The principal local authority is Cornwall Council. The village has an Old Cornwall Society.

Ludgvan village is physically split between the area known as Churchtown, situated upon the hill, and Lower Quarter to the east, adjoining Crowlas.

History
Like many communities in Cornwall the legendary origins of Ludgvan are attributed to the arrival of its patron saint, in this case Saint Ludowanus. However, the place-name appears to derive from the Cornish for place of ashes or burnt place. Ludgvan was mentioned in the Domesday Book (under the name of Luduhan) as falling within the manor of Ludgvan Lese, which at the time of record covered more of what is now the Penwith district including some parts of the modern parish of St Ives. The Lords of the manor of Ludgvan Lese kept certain shipping rights within the port of St Ives up to and possibly beyond the 19th century. Ludgvan Lease now exists as a hamlet within the parish.

Parish Church
The church is dedicated to St Ludowanus and St Paul the Apostle but it is probable that the saint did not exist (by just prefixing 'Saint' to the existing name 'Ludgvan): it was rededicated in 1336 and earlier spellings of the place-name vary between forms with and without 'Saint'. The building was originally cruciform and Norman but was rebuilt in the 15th century with a tower: in 1840 a south aisle replaced the previous transept and porch. The feast traditionally celebrated in the parish is the Sunday nearest to January 22. The last church services conducted in Cornish were in Ludgvan in the late 17th century (however this claim is also made for Towednack).

Notable residents
Dr Oliver William Oliver, FRS, inventor of the Bath Oliver biscuit, and founder of the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, Bath was born here.

William Borlase the antiquary and naturalist, was Rector of Ludgvan from 1722 to 1772.

Humphry Davy and others Also within the parish of Ludgvan lies Varfell which was the ancestral home of the Davy family, including Sir Humphry Davy. It has been claimed that Ludgvan was the home of the last native wolf in Great Britain; however, this cannot be confirmed by available historical sources. James Hosking (or Hoskin) was a Ludgvan farmer who visited the United States in 1811 and wrote an account of his experiences.