Penzance 1675

It appears that f, w and v were to some extent transposable, g appears to be silent (or at least passive). Rev John Bannister covers 20,000 Celtic and other names (1871). The difficulty stems from not knowing the original language used. It is not necessarily Cornish. He quotes ..
GULVAL, from
St. Gudwall; Dr Oliver Monasticon Diocesis Exoniensis 1846
holy (gol) vale or bottom (golla) of the vale; Edward Lhuyd Archaeolia Britannica 1707
or
hazel moor ; Halliwell, Dr Pryce Archaeologia Cornu-Britannica 1790.
Another Gulwarra = higher field from gwartha/gwarra/warra.

I am looking into the Gulval:Gudwal connection; that can be discounted on a number of grounds.

Description of the 'road' from Marazion to Penzance in 1801.
The road from Marazion to Penzance is conducted over a bank of sand, which separates the bay from a large tract of marsh land. The greater part of this latter is a sterile, unprofitable bog; but the laudible exertions of an individual [Dr Richard Moyle] has rescued and preserved thirty six acres from the inundations of the tide; [total area of land 75 acres] and by skilful management and perseverance has obtained several crops of corn and potatoes from the renovated land.
1801 situation as to why the route was improved and land regained for farming in this region.
The singular process by which this was effected, we are induced to particularise, from a persuasion, that it may be equally serviceable
in places similarly situated. The whole of this district was occasionally covered with water, and always immersed in the sea at spring tides. To carry off this superfluity, and secure the land from future inundations were the objects of consideration. This was effected by introducing and aqueduct, or wooden pipe, of nine inches in diameter, through 174 yards of sand, and thereby opening a communication between the sea and a reservoir at the lower part of the marsh. The pipe is in some places twenty four feet beneath the surface of the bank, and is fixed (on that part of sand called Half Ebb ) to a large rock, to preserve it from removal by the turbulent waves. Its mouth towards the sea is secured by a valve, to prevent the intrusion of salt water, and is always closed by the pressure of the swelling tide. At the opposite end of the pipe is another valve, opening in to the reservoir, which is eighteen feet square, by eight feet deep, and properly
situated to receive drainage water from all parts of the inclosed marsh. Several open canals or trenches, cut at right angles, convey the water from all parts of the inclosure to the reservoir; and on the retiring of the tide, the collected water rushes through the aqueduct with a great velocity. The land having been so long saturated with sea water was unproductivew for the first four years; but its present appearance promises to reward the adventurer for his expence and
perseverance.
A footnote, a large earthen pot filled with Roman copper coins was found in cutting one of the open drains. The emperors 260-350AD could be identified on the coins.
Dr Moyle had commenced his work in 1796.

The above Richard Moyle, born Gwennap, son of Richard Moyle, in 1756, Surgeon in Marazion, later in Bodmin, where he died 3rd December 1828. An account of the works written up in Communications to Board of Agriculture 1800. From a letter written 1808 from Marazion: he had bought the land in 1790, when there was always 2 feet of water cover on the land; the pipes were square section, of 1 and a half inch oak using oak pins; the sea border of this land was 630 yards. The seaward valve had to be extended to prevent the entry of pebbles.

Very interesting.

I knew that a pot of Roman coins had been found at Marazion Marsh but I had no idea under what circumstances nor when. I also have found your information interesting and valuable, Treeve!

My immediate thought is of the remnants of a Roman shipwreck. After all, it is clear that the sandbank road along the beach is built, keeping away from the marshy land. By 1830 the road was in the middle of a green swarth. I believe that happened c1800, the Chyandour cliff road being widened 1763, and the area of the marsh being now made suitable for growing grass. I am cross checking archaeological text with tourist texts and historical contemporary descriptions; Despite certain claims to the contrary, I see the 'fact' of a sea level change and the effects to the ladscape and shoreline, with names that no longer relate to what is seen now. I also hope to identify and map out the land of Dr Moyle and the drainage scheme. It will all take time.

A description of the rail journey in 1882, as it entered across the Eastern Green (from the 1852 Marazion Station), the the rail went across a wide green, at some distance from the sea, and that there was a high wall then along its length that prevented the traveller seeing the Mount's Bay as it headed towards Penzance.

Another point arises from the Western end of this road as it enters Newlyn/Tolcarne. In the reign of Charles II, there were originally two greens of total 1 mile in length, of 36 acres of pasturage. By 1826 it was no more than 130 yards in width, of two or three acres, it was at this point it was resolved to build the sea wall, later broken down in the 1881 storm and remnants still to be seen on the shore; it had been built well out to the sea from the remaining greens, and joined to the Esplanade by 1845. The present walkway across 'Newlyn Front' is roughly where the 1826 frontage lay. In 1750 the area of green was wide enough to be used by cricketers and for other sports, but that was before the area had been taken into the sea. The areas of tree remains seen in photographs seem to indicate the area was protected by a woodland, but that broken down by storms allowed further intrusion by the sea. 1675 was within the reign of Charles II. From this can be said that the sea front here has been subjected to many storms.

This just gets more and more interesting.