Richard Carew

Born at Antony in Cornwall on July 17, 1555, Richard Carew was an English antiquary, translator, and scholar. He is chiefly remembered for The Survey of Cornwall (1602), a work that helped preserve the county’s history, customs, landscape, and everyday life in unusual detail.

Carew was educated at Oxford and later studied at the Middle Temple. Alongside his literary work, he also held local public roles in Cornwall, and that practical experience seems to have sharpened the grounded, observant tone of his writing.

What makes Carew appealing now is the mix of learning and personality in his work: he was curious, wide-ranging, and deeply interested in the place he came from. He died on November 6, 1620, but his writing remains one of the richest early windows into Cornwall and its culture.