Russell and Carol - hayle and hearty

Came across an interesting mention in http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-721-1/dissemi...

The Manor of Connerton and the hundred and liberties of Penwith were separate from the Duchy of Cornwall and gave the Lord of the Manor’s special rights and privileges, but also came with additional duties (listed as in the 15th century: to do common suit to the court and mill of the manor; to act as reeve if so elected; to act as a conventionary tenant of the manor; to repair and maintain the property) ...

Another site http://www.newman-family-tree.net/The-Story-of-Francis-Paynter%20by%20Ia...

The Manor of Connerton and the hundred and liberties of Penwith were separate from the Duchy of Cornwall and gave the Lord of the Manor’s special rights and privileges. I believe the manor itself was a ruin at this time, buried by sand, and I think it was these rights and privileges, of these it seems were the rights to goods from shipwrecks and also the court duties that came with it, which may have been a source of income? There must surely have been some pecuniary advantage to be had to have attracted Francis.

All the hundreds of Cornwall, from time immemorial, had belonged to the Earls, and still continued to be attached to the duchy, except the hundred of Penwith; and of this, two-thirds continued to belong to the duchy in the reign of James I., the other third, together with the bailiffry of the hundred, as attached to the manor of Connerton, was granted, at an early period, to the family of Pincerna, and descended to the Arundells, who eventually became possessed of the entire lordship of the hundred. The manor of Connerton, and the hundred of Penwith, were lately purchased of Lord Arundell, of Wardour, by Sir Christopher Hawkins, Bart.

The book, Half a Century of Penzance 1825-1875, states that:

    The manor of Conorton with many privileges extended from Gwithian, or perhaps farther, around to the Land’s End and Mount’s Bay,—in fact it included nearly the whole of West Penwith. Before the County Court came into existence the lord of the manor held a monthly court for the trial of small cases of debt, trespass, etc., not criminal. This court was for a long time presided over by Mr. Aaron Scobell, solicitor, as the lord’s deputy. The manor of Conorton was for many years held by Mr. Francis Paynter, of Penzance, solicitor. Every butcher in Penzance used to pay annually, at Christmas, to the bailiff of the manor of Conorton a marrow-bone or one shilling; this custom was continued until about thirty years ago.

No wonder Penwith's always seemed independent minded!