The manor of Truro, or as it was called in old records, Truru-burgh, belonged to Richard de Lucy, Chief Justice of England, in the year 1161. It is probable that he built the castle of Truro, which is spoken of by William of Worcester as being in ruins in the reign of Edward IV., and by Leland, as "clene down in that of Henry VIII." Hals says, that he had seen a deed, belonging to Mr. Carlyon of Kea, bearing date 6 Hen. V., in which this castle was called "Castellum de Guelon."
The site of this castle, still discernible by some remains of the mount, was at the top of what was Pancras, now Pyder street. In the reign of Henry I. Reginald Fitz-Henry, Earl of Cornwall, as lord paramount, confirmed to the burgesses the privileges which had been granted by Richard de Lucy. The manor passed in moieties to the coheiresses of Lucy: one moiety was given by Rohesia, one of the coheiresses to William de Briewere, a powerful baron in the reign of King John (fn. 32) ; this moiety of the manor and church of Truro, or Truru-burgh, came afterwards to the family of Hiwis; and having passed, by successive female heirs, to the Coleshills and Arundells (fn. 33) , became subdivided among the coheirs of the latter (fn. 34) : this estate was held of the honor of Launceston, by the annual render of an ivory bow.
The other moiety passed by marriage from the family of Lucy to that of De Ripariis (fn. 35) , and was conveyed by the latter at an early period, together with the castle, to Thomas, son of Reginald de Prideaux (fn. 36) . In the reign of Edward I., Sir Thomas de Pridias or Prideaux held this estate and the bailiwick of the hundred of Powder, in fee, subject to a rent of 40s. (fn. 37) The Prideaux family conveyed this estate to the Bodrugans, in or about the year 1366 (fn. 38) : on the attainder of Sir Henry Bodrugan, it was granted by King Henry VII. to Sir Richard Edgcumbe.3