MARKET TOWNS OF CORNWALL (from SDUK Penny Cyclopedia) Saltash in 1837 Saltash is on the right bank of the Tamar, a little above its junction with the Lynher, and is in the parish of St. Stephens. The town is built on the ascent of a steep hill, the summit of which is crowned by the chapel of ease and the town or mayoralty hall, beneath which is an open market-place. The streets are narrow and indifferently built ; the principal street is at right angles to the river : the buildings are chiefly of stone quarried in the rock on which the town stands. Saltash appears to have been of more consequence formerly than at present : it is now chiefly inhabited by fishermen. Some trade is carried on in malt. The number of houses in 1831 was 245 ; of inhabitants 1,637. The rest of the parish, which is tolerably large, contained at the same time 280 houses and 1,455 inhabitants. The market is on Saturday. Besides the chapel of ease, there are two dissenting meeting-houses, if not more, and a free school. Saltash was made a free borough in the reign of John or Henry III. The borough sent members to parliament from the time of Edward VI : it was disfranchised by the Reform Act. The town of Saltash, as one of the passes into Cornwall, was the object of many contests in the great civil war. It was first fortified by the parliament, but surrendered without resistance to the Royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton in 1642 : in 1643 the Parliamentarians, finding it open, hastily fortified it ; but the Royalists soon after took it by assault. It was subsequently twice occupied by the Parliamentarians, and as often recovered by the Royalists ; but was finally abandoned by the king's troops in 1646. Saltash was anciently called Esse or Asheburgh or Asche. Trematen Castle is in the parish of St. Stephens. The perpetual curacy of Saltash is worth £45 per annum, with a parsonage house ; the living of St. Stephens is a vicarage, of the net value of £139 per annum, is in the diocese of Exeter and archdeaconry of Cornwall.