TRURO, a town of Cornwall, situated in a val ley in the parishes of St. Mary, Kenwyn, and St. Clements; it is bounded on the south-west and north by Kenwyn and on the east by St. Clements; its site is between the Kenwyn and Allen, which uniting form a branch of the Fal, navigable to the town at spring tides for vessels of 100 tons burthen. It is said to have been fortified by a castle, of which nothing now remains but a mound, and as it is commanded by adjacent hills, it could never have been of much importance. The derivation of the name seems from the Corn British " Tri," three, and " Ru," street—in allusion to the meet ing of the roads from St. Austle, Bodmin, and Red ruth. After the conquest it was the property of Robert Earl of Moreton and Cornwall. By Richard de Lacy, to whom it descended, a charter and privi leges were procured about A.D. 1130 or 1140. There is an endowed charity for widows, the build ing bearing date 1631; by it the objects are pro vided with four shillings per week and clothing. It also contains an infirmary, founded in 1799, and erected and supported by voluntary contributions.
The church of St. Mary is of rich Gothic archi tecture, and is surmounted by an elegant spire; it bears date 1518. The parliament of Stannators for regulating the affairs of tin mines, and the court of the vice warden of the Stannaries are held here. It is also one of the three towns in Cornwall in which the duke of Cornwall's tin coinages are held. There are three large smelting houses for tin in the immediate vicinity. It possesses a library and Philosophical Institution; in the latter is a good collection of the natural productions of the county. Its population is from 7000 to 8000. It is 260 miles south-west of London, and 11 north of Fal mouth. It returns 20 members to parliament; the power of election being vested in the mayor, 4 al dermen, and 20 capital burgesses. The present recorder is the Earl of Falmouth. Its principal trade is the importation of coal from Wales, and timber from Norway and America.