Illogan (pronounced il'luggan, ) is a village and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, two miles (3 km) northwest of Redruth. The population of Illogan was 5,404 at the 2011 census. In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, which also includes Carn Brea, Illogan and several satellite villages, stood at 55,400 making it the largest conurbation in Cornwall. Originally a rural area supporting itself by farming and agriculture, Illogan shared in the general leap into prosperity brought about by the mining boom, which was experienced by the whole Camborne-Redruth area.

History

Antiquities

In 1931 the ruins of a Roman villa at Magor Farm were found by Nicholas Warren and excavated under the guidance of the Royal Institution of Cornwall. The villa was probably the residence of a wealthy Dumnonian who had adopted the Roman lifestyle.

Church

The Church of England parish church was dedicated to St Illogan (Ylloganus or Euluganus) and St Edmund; the earliest reliable reference, dated 1235, refers to the Ecclesia of Eglossalau. By 1844, the church had become too small to serve a vastly increasing mining population, so a new church was built to the designs of J. P. St Aubyn. at a cost of £2,875 and came into use on 4 November 1846. The bell tower is all that remains of the old church; Trinity House refused to allow its removal as it provided a useful landmark for shipping. The church reopened in 2012 after extensive repairs to the roof. The churchyard includes fifty-two Commonwealth War Graves., and the grave of Thomas Merritt, whose carols are sung by Cornishmen worldwide and who was commissioned to write the 1902 Coronation March for Edward VII. The Church, its tower, the Basset sarcophagus, a Cornish cross, and the gates at the north end of the churchyard are all Grade II Listed. The Cornish cross in the churchyard is probably in situ.

Buildings

Amenities

Notable residents

Sports

The town football club, Illogan RBL, has a reserve team that is very famous, as they beat Madron FC 55–0 in the Mining League, the worst-ever fair defeat.

Cornish wrestling

Cornish wrestling tournaments, for prizes were held in Illogan in the 1800s and 1900s. Venues included Paynter's Lane End and Tehidy Hospital.

Literature