England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Kea St Kea

The Parish

The parish of Kea lies in southern Cornwall indeed it forms a short stretch of Cornwall's southern coastline along the Truro River & River Fal. Kea is located about 3 miles south of the city of Truro. Kea is a very large dispersed parish with several settlements, the parish is extended on an east to west axis and runs for almost 10 miles across most of this narrow stretch of Cornwall. Modern Kea sits just west of the A38 road which connects Truro with the port of Falmouth, whilst Old Kea sits almost 2 1/2 miles east of that road on the shores of the Truro River estuary. Modern communications, in the form of the London to Penzance rail line, pass through the parish. Kea had a diverse economy underpinned by pastoral farming & fishing these basics were supplemented by mining for copper & tin. Such was Kea's importance that a silver smelting house was within the parish. By contrast, today these industries have disappeared, farming still is present and tourism has grown in importance but there is still a feel of post-industrialism about the area. Across such a broad area most of the drainage is headed via either the Truro, Fal or Carnon rivers to reach the English Channel through Carrick Roads. Kea parish, as stated, was very extensive, it covered almost 7,400 acres and across its area it would have, at its height, have supported a population of almost 4,300 parishioners. In Domesday times Old Kea was held by one Count Robert of Mortain, at that time it was a small and unimportant holding offering a pair of ploughs together with small meadows, pastures & woodlands.

The Church

St Kea's church is located in the hamlet of Old Kea reached from the A39 along a long and narrow lane which leaves the A39 signed to "Porth Kea, Coombe & Cowlands" which heads east from the crossroads leading to present day Kea. Of the church only the ivy clad tower survives standing in a small compound next to Old Kea mission church which was erected in 1858. Kea's present parish church, All Hallows, stands in modern Kea to the west of the A39. The lane eventually ends at a small farm from where a short walk leads to the site. There are many trees surrounding the ruin but enough angles for adequate photography.