family has been no less than six times Sheriff of Cornwall. They have served their prince and country, not only in the office of sheriff, but also as members of parliament and as justices of the peace.
The Sergreaulxes were of old a family of noble fame and worth in this County. It appears, from Carew's Survey, that Richard de Sergreaulx held three fees by the tenure of knights' service, tempore Henry IV. at Killigarth, Lerneth, and Lonsallos. Also, he had Killcoid (now Colguite) in the parish of Holland.
Tregeare, in this parish, Tre(g)eor (the g euphoniæ gratiâ to avoid an elision), is the mansion of an old family from thence denominated. Arms: Argent, a fess voided Sable, charged with three Torteauxes between three Cornish choughs Proper. Tregeare, interpreted, signifies not only a dwelling in honour, but an honourable dwelling; neither had the Saxon nor Kernawith Britons any other word to express honour or honourable by than the termination ge or gor, as appears not only from that incomparable antiquary Verstegan,[1] but also from the names of divers places among our ancestors. I have further to add respecting the word geor, and as we have many places so called in the County I shall once for all endeavour to give the true meaning of it.
Geare, fruitful, from guer, viridis, green (see Lhuyd's Archæologia, vol. i. fol. Oxford, 1707, p. 174,) as this estate is at present, and as all others of the same name, I presume, formerly were. The family of Tregeare are said to date from before the Conquest.
Manor of Hellegar and Clowance: For Hellegar was formerly the chief place, and signifies the hall or place on the Downs; and there was lately standing there, and I believe yet remains, a hall of large dimensions. This
- ↑ Richard Verstegan, born in London, is supposed to have died about 1634. His principal work is, "Restitution of decayed Antiquities concerning the most noble and renowned English Nation, with Cuts," Antwerp, 1605, in 4to. London, 1628 and 1634.
