The Parochial History of Cornwall serves as a comprehensive chronicle of the county's geography, manorial descents, and ecclesiastical foundations. Beginning with the ancient manuscripts of Mr. Hals and Mr. Tonkin, the work compiles extensive notes on parishes ranging from Stithians to Zennor.
Each parish entry provides detailed historical ownership, tracing manors through noble families such as the Arundells, Bevills, and Grenvilles, alongside precise boundary descriptions. The text incorporates scholarly observations on etymology, demonstrating how names derive from Celtic roots, geographical features, or patron saints. Dr.
Boase contributes geological surveys to each parish, mapping the transitions from granite formations to schistose and calcareous series. The accounts feature records from the Domesday Book, papal taxations, and early inquisitions into the value of benefices. Prominent local figures, biographical anecdotes, and records of longevity receive equal attention, illustrating the social fabric of early modern Cornwall. The narrative concludes with extensive historical appendices detailing population statistics, historical extracts from Leland and William of Worcester, and an analysis of the Cornish language.
