Kenegie - 5

The old seat and canopy; 12th March 2009.
Notes added above about the history of the entrance.

The Entrance to Kenegie



Kenegie : In 1870, William Bottrell began his series of wonderful tales; Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall.
He includes ' old folks of Gulval say that in their grandparent's time' Kenegie was haunted by three 'sperats' and more.
They referred to 'thrifty old Harris' and 'wild Harris' as well as Squire Harris' housekeeper.
Thrifty old Harris built the new upper entrance and stately avenue with the walled gardens as well as great additions to the house.
Assuming a reasonable definition of 'old folks' at well over 50 years, relating tales by their grandparents,
the tales started of a time around 1770.
The first Harris with wealth was Arthur Harris in 1600 when he took possession,

with his experience of his mansion at Hayne in mind.
He was Captain of The Mount and Sherrif of Cornwall - he died 16th May 1628;

his spirit returned to the estate on a regular date each year,
to travel the drive and to enter the summer house at the head of the avenue, to inspect that the place was to his satisfaction.
The ghost of old Harris departed when the house came into the hands of strangers, so says William Bottrell.
William Arundell would certainly have been a 'stranger taking possession',

despite his assuming the name of Harris in 1776.
It is in the tales of the ghost of 'wild harris' that the entrance canopy is mentioned.

That offers some form of dating for the building.
'Wild Harris', the spendthrift heir. People returning late from market feared passing the gate of

Kenegie as his spirit was often seen in the alcove just above the grand entrance.

'Wild Harris' father 'was a widower in his dotage' much troubled by all that surrounded him, his wayward son,

his domineering housekeeper despite his affections, the young lady orphan cousin under his son's wing

(who drowned herself after an unseemly confrontation with the housekeeper).

When the housekeeper died her spirit was often heard to crash through the house.

This was a troubled time for spirits at Kenegie. 'Wlid Harris' was a generous man of heart and pocket, as well as house.

While still in his prime, he was on horse, hunting on Castle Downs.

His horse startled by a white hare (said to be his young lady's spirit) reared and he fell off and was killed.

Buried in Gulval, his mourners were startled to see his ghost on the avenue, upon their return to the house.
This fits the MP for St Ives William Harris (married Jane St Aubyn 1685) and his son Christopher Harris died 1767 childless,

and whose interests had lain in directions other than his wife.
There we have descriptions indicating that the entrance gateway was built c1600 and the alcove already in existence before 1710,

as Christopher was known to sit in this alcove dressed in his steeple crown (or flat cap) and hunting coat when he was alive.
The alcove has been adapted and it was at one stage faced with slate;

the entrance walls have been re-built at various stages, and the wall has been extended

up the hill to accommodate the alcove construction; I therefore date that alcove at around the time of Christopher's birth c1690.

The base of the 'obelisk' is not the same construction as the wall. Nor are there any apparent inscriptions.

I believe that this was built to mark the marriage of William Harris, with the piece of granite in the form of an

Obelisk known for centuries as 'The Needle' and the

Canopy was formed at that same time for the family to observe their view of the Bay.


Raymond Forward