However the Stannary Court still exists in Truro although it does not try cases. It is where miners can register tin bounds and is recognised legally as the court for such registration. Incidentally, the Cornish Stannary Parliament also exists, although not now principally concerned with mining matters. The English Parliament may have passed an Act abolishing the Stannary Courts but only in the light of 'force majeure' as the Charters of 1201, 1305 and 1508 make it clear that the Cornish are not legally bound by the laws of England. That is why Cornwall is a Duchy not a legal county and why the border between Cornwall and England is still the east bank of the river Tamar and why when crossing the Tamar: 'us be gwain awver tew England'. Stephen > Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 15:34:53 -0600 > From: "David Coppin" <coppin@comcast.net> > Subject: Re: [CORNISH-GEN] Stannaries Court and Rule Nisi The Stannary Courts were a separate system than the county courts or Assizes and came from the Middle Ages with a quasi-independent system granted to the tin miners and the towns (such as Lostwithiel) where tin was the major industry.  In all but the most serious cases, anyone associated with tin mining was governed by the Stannary Courts and Stannary Parliament.  It was peculiar to Cornwall and Devon, but the independence and influence waned as the tin mining declined within the last 200 years or so. The UK parliament passed an act abolishing the Stannary Courts in 1896.