Prideaux Skelton
Prideaux A.M. Skelton is a Cornish novelist writing from the family home in coastal south east Cornwall.
Entrenched in the neighbouring counties of Cornwall and Devon, the family have lived on the Rame Peninsula since the fifteenth century to this day. More widely they have lived in mid and far west Cornwall since before the Norman Conquest.
Prideaux writes stories of different branches of the family based on fact, folklore, legend and myth as well as a good deal of personal instinct forged from yarns and tales passed down over the generations.
The intention originally was not to openly publish, but to write stories to inspire future generations of the family to discover for themselves more about the fascinating times in which the characters lived. These were stories to encourage them to tread the lands their fore-bearers once trod, stay in their towns and villages, to feel as they felt.
The stories are now being put into novels for publication to the general public. The first has been published with help of friends and is currently available for both kindle and paperback readers through Amazon.
The books written to date form two of a core trilogy of novels with accompanying prequels and sequels.
They are all based on the lives and times of three Cornish families. spanning the sixteenth to the nineteen centuries.
Although each book forms an individual novel in its own right, they are all linked, and do come together in the end.
Hannibal Marks is the story of 4 generations of Marks smugglers from the middle of the 1700s to the mid 1800s.
It traces the rise in fortunes of the Hannibal Marks family, from the first Hannibal, who leaves his home in South Tawton, near the Devon and Cornwall border, to gradually make his way down to the epicentres of the smuggling trade in south east Cornwall. These are the neighbouring villages of Cawsand Kingsand where they forge their fortune and dynasty in this murky and secretive world. Tragedy accompanies their rise in prosperity and adventure, both flowing in equal measure through the next three generations of Hannibal Marks to Hannibal 4th.
The locations for the novel are mostly intact today. The villages, Churches, farmsteads and grand houses can be visited and seen much as they were in these times. They are there for readers to discover, enjoy. These are places where you too can immerse yourself in the stories of these truly remarkable people who lived in even more remarkable times.
Curse of the Skeltons is based on the story of a Cornish family, with origins established in Cornwall since before the Norman Conquest. They get caught up in the English Civil War on the side of the King, Charles II.
Close to the Royal Household from seats throughout England for centuries, the family travel from their Cornish Estate with the exiled Court of the King. Fighting, plotting for the restoration of the English monarchy, one of their most famous sons is rewarded with his own knighthood and King’s favour on return to England.
His son, by the same name, John, duels with the son of one of the most wealthy and honoured families in Cornwall. This sets into motion changes in fortunes and futures as the King is forced to take sides, whilst trying to forge a middle ground. The families feud, the impact of which is then destined to travel the centuries that follow.
The Curse of the Skeltons is born.
Hannibal Marks is currently also being put into an audio version.
It is read by the author, friends and family, supported with signature tune and song composed in the area about the area.
The audio book will be made available free of charge through a Cornish charity supporting blind and partially sighted people in the County, anticipated release date October 2020. Check this site again for launch details.
If you would like advance notification of the publication of the next book and contact details of the publishers from who the books can be obtained, please email: prideaux@prideauxskelton.co.uk.