Ah yes, something else you might be able to satisfy my curiosity about as I know you speak the lingo! Is Paul an old Cornish word? Guess I've always assumed it was just 'Paul' as in the name Paul as in a Christian name.
I believe it comes from St Pol De Leon, the name of the patron saint of the church, but I'm sure there is someone on here who can give a better explanation!
Well, as far as I can see (and this is all out of reference books, not my pea brain), it is just as you thought, tabtab and denanmor. It is simply the name 'Paul' after Saint Paul Aurelian, a bishop who gave his name to St Pol de Leon, near Roscoff in Brittany. He was a Weshman and missionary who stopped off in Mount's Bay en route for Brittany. His life story exists as written down in the ninth century by a Breton monk based on a former account. In the place that bears his name and which I have visited many times, there is a big church of cathedralesque dimensions with old stained-glass windows that depict stories from his life. In 1259 and 1308, the name of the village was written as St Paulus, in 1266, 1377 and 1434 as St Paulinus, in 1435, 'Pawle', in 1562 as Powl, and in 1580 as Powll/Pawlle.
A book on the history of Paul Church suggests that prior to the church being built the village was known as Brewinney. Maybe the sign could have this underneath as an alternative Cornish name? (Depending on how it translates of course)
I didn't know the name 'Brewinney' for Paul, trevelyan, until I checked it out in a few books just now, to tell the truth. The element 'bre' is hill and that figures since Paul lies at the top of the hill up from Mousehole. As for 'winney'. Who can be sure of that. It could be from some form of 'wynn' (gwynn = fair or white). There's a 'Trewinney' in Mevagissey apparently. P.A.S. Pool collected the following dated references to the name: Breweny 1284, 1430, Brewyni 1301, Breueny 1325, Bruwenny 1443, Borweny c 1540, Brewiny/Burweny 1668, Brewinney T.A.(Tithe Apportionment). Elements after Tre are often the names of once-owners/chiefs/farmers etc., which have become corrupted over the centuries. I like the name and agree with you that it would be good on a sign! 'One Cornwall' just approved two days ago, the policy of replacing all old signs that need replacing, or where signs are required anew, with bi-lingual names, as Kerrier was already doing. This won't cost anything extra therefore and helps demonstrate Cornwall's uniqueness.
Tre + veungleudh (from mengleudh = stone quarry). Trungle in Paul was written as 'Trevengloth' (1302), Trevengloth (1313) and Trevingluth (1317) and Trevungleith (1322), dates when Cornish was probably at its most dominant stage). Among many other later varieties, it is possible to see how these names become corrupted and closer and closer to Trungle when I tell you that the name was also a 'Trevungell' (1610) in Gwinear parish, and a 'Trevungle' (1696) in Paul. Get hold of a copy of 'The Place Names of West Penwith' for a good guide to local names researched by P.A.S. Pool who, being a sollicitor in Penzance, and having access to many old legal documents and deeds, did an excellent job of researching during his life.
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