Place:Ruan Major, Cornwall, England

Watchers
NameRuan Major
Alt namesSt. Ruansource: alternate name
TypeParish (ancient), Civil parish
Coordinates50.0034°N 5.2013°W
Located inCornwall, England     ( - 1934)
See alsoKerrier Hundred, Cornwall, Englandhundred in which it was located
Helston Rural, Cornwall, Englandrural district of which it was a part 1894-1934
Kerrier Rural, Cornwall, Englandrural district of which it was a part 1934-1974
Grade Ruan, Cornwall, Englandcivil parish into which it was merged in 1934
source: Family History Library Catalog

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Ruan Major from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales:

  • RUAN-MAJOR, a parish in Helston district, Cornwall; near the coast, 7½ miles S S E of Helston, and 13 S by W of Penryn [railway] station. Post-town: Ruan-Minor, under Helston, Cornwall. Acres: 2,470. Real property: £932. Population: 141. Houses: 25. The property is divided among a few. An ancient seat of the Eriseys was here. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Exeter. Value: £191. Patron: P. V. Robinson, Esq. The church is tolerable."

Ruan Major was an ancient parish near the Lizard Peninsula of the south coast of Cornwall, England, sometimes known as St. Ruan. It was located in the Kerrier Hundred and from 1894 until 1934 in the Helston Rural District. In 1934, because of falling population in the area, it merged with its neighbouring parishes of Ruan Minor and Grade to form the civil parish of Grade Ruan.

Further discussion about the community following 1934 will be found under Grade Ruan.

Research Tips

Above: Map from Wikimedia Commons produced by Andy F

One of the many maps available on A Vision of Britain through Time is one from the Ordnance Survey Series of 1900 illustrating the parish boundaries of Cornwall at the turn of the 20th century. This map blows up to show all the parishes and many of the small villages and hamlets.

The following websites have pages explaining their provisions in WeRelate's Repository Section. Some provide free online databases.

  • GENUKI makes a great many suggestions as to other websites with worthwhile information about Cornwall as well as providing 19th century descriptions of each of the ecclesiastical parishes.
  • FamilySearch Wiki provides a similar information service to GENUKI which may be more up-to-date.
  • A Vision of Britain through Time has
  1. organization charts of the hierarchies of parishes within hundreds, registration districts and rural and urban districts of the 20th century
  2. excerpts from a gazetteer of circa 1870 outlining individual towns and parishes
  3. reviews of population through the time period 1800-1960
  • More local sources can often be found by referring to "What Links Here" in the column on the left.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CON/Jacobstow