In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Mullion like this:
MULLION, a village and a parish in Helston district, Cornwall. The village stands near the coast, 5½ miles N N W of the Lizard, 6 ½ S S E of Helston, and 17 S S W of Penryn r. station; and has a post-office under Helston, Cornwall, and fairs on 4 May and 20 Sept. The parish comprises 4, 786 acres. ...
Real property, £3, 220. Pop.in 1851, 795; in 1861, 679. Houses, 142. The property is divided among a few. Pradannack belonged to the Serjeauxs and the De Veres. Pradannack Cross is an ancient monument, about 5 feet high. A valley descends from the village, about a mile, to the coast, and terminates there in a picturesquely rocky shore. Mullion Cove or Porthmellin, a very fine serpentine cavern, occurs there; and is accessible from the land, at low water, through a chink in the cliff. " It is, " says Mr. Johns, "a striking object, when seen externally; yet theview from within it is yet more so; impenetrable gloom above; brilliant light streaming in through the fissures, but revealing nothing behind; the smoothest of all possible sands; little pools of crystal water, so still that noteven a sunbeam is seen to dance on them; richly darkrocks, so polished as to reflect the light with a splendourscarcely to be endured; the blue sea with its curled edging of snow-white lace; and, in the distance, St. Michael's Mount, the fabled tower in the bay." Mullion Island lies in the vicinity; is separated from the main-land by a passage called the Gap; measures about a mile in circumference; and presents an outline resemblingthat of a huge animal crouching in the sea. A pinnacled group of rocks, on the cliffs opposite the island, is called the Cathedral, and commands a splendid view over Mountsbay. Mullion Gull Rock, Pradannack Head, and Vellan Point also are interesting features. Guegraze, or the Soap-Rock, occurs in a ravine near theshore; and consists of serpentine, traversed by largeveins of steatite. A sheer cliff, 250 feet high, occurs immediately S of Guegraze; and is pierced in the base, by a cavern called Pigeon Hugo. Two features a littlefurther south are a narrow ridge slanting to the sea, and called the Horse, and a bold small headland, commanding a magnificent view over Mounts-bay, and called the Rill. Another most interesting feature, Kinance Cove, occurs further S, at the parochial boundary, and has been noticed in its own alphabetical place. There is a coast-guard station. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Exeter. Value, £178.* Patron, the Bishop of Exeter. The church was built in 1 500; has a pinnacled tower; and contains some carving in wood, ancient paintings in the windows, and a curiously inscribed monument of 1682 to a Flavell. There are chapels for Wesleyans and Association Methodists, and an endowed school.
Mullion through time
Mullion is now part of Kerrier district. Click here for graphs and data of how Kerrier has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Mullion itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Mullion, in Kerrier and Cornwall | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/5772
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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