The Manor House at Lanyon was just west of Penzance at Madron. Originally these were turf houses which were extensively rebuilt each generation. In the mid 13th century they were replaced by a long house with thick granite walls, a turf roof and a central hearth. The hall would have been very smoky and smelly from animals in the barn and house.
In 1390 the Bishop of Exeter licensed the Vicar of Madron to hold services in the Chapel of the Blessed Mary of Lanyen which is next to the present farm and suggests that the main house was at this location in 1390.
The site of Old Lanyon was scheduled under the Monuments Act of 1957 and in 1964 an archeological excavation of the mediaeval settlement took place. It found that Old Lanyon was a series of superimposed buildings dating from c1050 to the 16th century.
Source: 1. Beresford G 1994 – Old Lanyon Madron – A Deserted Medieval Settlement.
Source: 2. Minter EM 1965 – Lanyon in Madron – Interim Report on the Society’s 1964 Excavation.
The last Lanyon to live at the old manor house was John Lanyon, who died in 1784 aged 92, after that the old house was taken down and the current farm house was built. It’s still possible to see some parts of the old manor.
The Lanyons 