Richard Carew

Born at Antony House in Cornwall in 1555, Richard Carew grew up in a prominent Cornish family and was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. He later studied law, traveled abroad, and went on to serve in public life, including as a Member of Parliament and as sheriff of Cornwall.

Carew is remembered chiefly for Survey of Cornwall, published in 1602. More than a county history, it paints a detailed and often engaging picture of the land, customs, economy, and daily life of Cornwall in his time, which is why it remains his best-known work.

He also translated works from Italian and was known in his own day as a learned and curious writer. Dying in 1620, he left behind a book that still stands as one of the most vivid early portraits of Cornwall and its people.