Poplars, Fletchers Bridge

Poplars is a small agricultural holding at Fletchers Bridge, on the edge of Cardinham parish in mid Cornwall. It sits in the valley of the River Glynn, in a landscape of ancient farmland and wooded hillsides that has changed little across the centuries.

The Renals family in the garden at Poplars, Fletchers Bridge, Cardinham.

Based on the fact that all of the family members were formally dressed with Bob in Army uniform I speculate that Bob was about to go off to join his regiment, or that he was at home on a period of leave. Since he joined up before the 14-18 war we have another indicator of the age of this image. The original image has been held within the family since it was first created in about 1912. I attribute that date to it because my paternal grandfather can be seen wearing the uniform of a soldier of the British Army of that period. Since the photograph was made a version has been professionally recoloured. I have a copy of that image. This image is a facsimilie of a photocopy onto which a relative has added, from memory, the names of the family members. I am currently, April 2025, working to establish the validity of the names attributed. Some are, for me, in no doubt, others I would like to be able to confirm. Copyright is retained by the Renals family. Please do not copy or share without requesting permission.

It is here, at Poplars, that my paternal grandfather and his siblings were born and raised — a Renals family home in the most literal sense.

Poplars remains in Renals family ownership today.

Photographs and further details will be added in due course.