Kresen Kernow

[Olde Crone]

The new venue for the Cornish Archives opens soon and I am ridiculously excited. Ridiculous because I have no Cornish ancestors! However, I cannot wait to see what they have done and how they have brought everything together under one roof.I

Previously Cornish Archives were housed in an almost derelict Elliot hut in Truro (County Records Office), with lesser archives held in an old inconvenient building in Redruth. The new centre is a restored brewery and is looking rather smart from the outside. I could moan about its location which is slightly difficult to find if you don't know where it is and it isn't adjacent to any public transport, but hey ho. I could also gripe about the old county hall site in Truro which has been sold off to provide executive style living apartments aimed at the rich and blind who cannot see the railway sidings over the road but that's probably better on a different post.

The open day is next Saturday. i shall report back.

OC

[Janet]

Wow, OC. Now you've got me all excited, and I can't even get there. Looks fabulous. Awaiting your first-hand report!

kresenkernow.org (https://kresenkernow.org)

I don't know why I should be fixated on Cornwall history unless perhaps it has to do with Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark. :rolleyes: Or maybe it's the rehabbed brewery turning my head. Our local one houses brick ovens that produce the most mouth-watering pizza as well as artisan brews. :D

[ElizabethHerts]

I have been following this every day because it's on my Facebook feed and also a project very dear to my heart.

I have been to the RO at Truro several times (I've lost count). The last time was with Julie last year. Now I'm just trying to decide when to head off to Redruth to visit the Brewery site. It will be great to have everything under one roof, which wasn't the case before. I just wish I were closer!

[ElizabethHerts]

The new website is up and running:

https://kresenkernow.org/?fbclid=IwAR2mrrH4jTBlSBbHg0cxgsg-68-PgJi_DBUVzX9KxynVYsj5NiDGM62JqO8

[Olde Crone]

I have been to the Open Day today. What a delight!

The building is beautiful inside. It has been wonderfully revived - I won't say restored because I am sure it never looked like this. The walls are stripped back to the granite and have been sandblasted and repointed. Light coloured wood everywhere. The floor consists of parts of the original granite setts complete with rust stains, cleverly surrounded by wood flooring, presumably where the old setts were unusable.

The ground floor is a large double height atrium with smaller rooms off for school/ group studies and some lovely displays of archives. The library and research rooms are on the first floor (oh, it was HOT!) and it is wonderful to see the library properly housed instead of the crammed up mess it was in the old Cornish Studies building in the town. A slight concern that it might be noisy as it overlooks the atrium and is not enclosed. The research room is well equipped with tables and computers etc and is enclosed. Outside is well landscaped with lots of seating areas. Tiny tea bar but there is a Tesco next door if you are making a day of it.

For me, the absolute highlight of the day was the Treasures Room. My breath was stopped by the most exquisite church calendar dated 1462. It is in a leather case (original) and is the size of a box of Swan Vestas. It unfolds to over two metres long and every page is decorated in gold and silver, green and red and blue. The writing is as clear as it was when new. I am determined to go back and find out where they got this from, they didn't say!

A few small niggles but all in all, money very well spent on this project and I salute the craftsmen involved in the building work.

OC

[ElizabethHerts]

I'm very jealous, OC. I have been following this on Facebook as parts of the opening ceremony are on there and a whistle-stop tour of the building. I can't wait to visit, but it probably won't be until the New Year now.

After all those years in the dilapidated premises in Truro it is certainly a gargantuan change!

[Janet]

Long may it last.

[Nell]

I do have Cornish ancestors, but Redruth is a bit of a schlep for me.
I was very lucky in my early searching days as Susan Olds, the OPC for my rellies' parishes kindly sent me a 5-page email with my family going back generations!

I'm off to browse their online images.

[Kit]

I'm looking for will, which the website tells me they have.

However I can not work out how to search for wills or any specific item, unless I already know the reference, and even then I'm not sure if it would work. I didn't sleep well so maybe I am misreading their guides but I'm finding it frustrating.

[ElizabethHerts]

I'm looking for will, which the website tells me they have.

However I can not work out how to search for wills or any specific item, unless I already know the reference, and even then I'm not sure if it would work. I didn't sleep well so maybe I am misreading their guides but I'm finding it frustrating.

Toni, I transcribe wills for Cornwall OPC all the time. Give me the reference and I'll locate it and guide you through how to do it.

[ElizabethHerts]

Toni, Cornish wills are downloadable from Family Search.

Do you want me to find one for you?

[Kit]

Thanks Elizabeth, no I wanted to search for wills, I don't have one in mind, I don't think. This morning was so long ago. lol

I'll search familysearch myself. I forget they have Cornwall records online.

Thanks again for the offer. You are so kind. x

[ElizabethHerts]

Toni, a little tip to make it easier.

If you have a particular parish in mind, use Cornwall OPC.

https://www.opc-cornwall.org/Par_new/parishes.php

Click on the parish you are interested in.
Here is Probus:

https://www.opc-cornwall.org/Par_new/n_p/probus.php

Scroll down quite a long way to wills (or use Cltrl +F)

You will see a list of transcribed wills. You can click on each will given to see the transcription.

But above the wills you will see this:
A list of available Wills and Probate Documents. Copies of the original documents marked CRO can be purchased using the Kresen Kernow copying service, or may be freely accessible on films from the FamilySearch website. Copies marked NA can be purchased from the National Archive.

Click on
A list of available Wills and Probate Documents.

This will link you to the list of all wills that have been found for Probus. The ones highlighted have already been transcribed.

https://www.opc-cornwall.org/Par_new/n_p/pdfs/probus_wills.pdf

[Kit]

Thank you Eliza. I love Cornwall OPCs. I haven't done much on my Cornwall relatives in recent times and as I have a will thing at the moment I thought I'd go back to them.