Spotted in 3 December 2010 on Hayle Pump

Angarrack Angle - December 2010

    Well, the Angarrack lights gang have once again not only dedicated hours of time but also braved the wind and rain in order that our village continues to have its own special Christmas lights show, which over recent years has become second to none.

Whether it’s the ‘singing castle; the ‘river swans’ or the ‘lords-a-leaping’ everyone seems to have a different favourite and this year there is yet another new contender, as I am told that Roy Waller has designed a fantastic addition which I will only call ‘Number 12’.

Saturday evening on the 4th December in the pub car park not only houses the Samba Band along with our Lights switch-on maestro Mr. Bob McCreadie but also a special visit from Santa Claus. So the residents of Angarrack, whilst inviting you to another light fantasy world, just ask that you please respect their property and privacy and wish a Merry Christmas to everyone.

Angarrack, as the true locals will know, means ‘The Rock’ and one of its local residents who I spoke to this week has been telling me all about the very famous ‘rock bridge’ which is situated at the foot of Steamers Hill in Angarrack and which has been on record since 1343.

This bridge, which once carried the Camborne to Hayle estuary railway track, actually had a stationery steam engine sited at the top of the hill which was used for raising and lowering the railway trucks. Under this bridge runs the Angarrack ‘stream’ - or is it ‘river’? - a point of issue still regularly argued about even today.

A point that Mike Trewartha was very quick to mention and make me aware of about this famous bridge was that way back in the 1720’s the waters below our bridge was believed by all to contain magical healing powers and that in 1723 one of Mike’s ancestors Erasmus Pascoe, the then Sheriff of Cornwall, during an attempt to cure his dog from ‘Mange’ stretched down from the bridge over the water and in doing so overbalanced causing him to fall in and drown, which is probably why Mike now visits the bridge as often as he does - or is it because it just happens to be on the way to our pub?

Although Mike has only lived in the village for 14 years along with his wife Pauline and daughter Rachel he has spent over 65 years living and visiting his relations all over Hayle. His current dwelling, a picturesque stone cottage, used to be the original ‘Grist House’ which was adjacent to what used to be the Angarrack Mill which Mike informs me was mentioned in the Domesday survey book back in 1086 although some other history books do not mention the mill until around 1343. One thing for sure is that prior to 1884 when a steam engine was installed for the mill our Angarrack stream water was used to successfully drive this mills water wheels.

‘Chelsyboy’