Aigra Nova
Aigra Velha
Alagoa
Albergaria
Alegria
Alvém
Bordeiro
Carcavelos
Carvalhal Miúdo
Casal Bordeiro
Carvão
Casal dos Moinhos
Casalinho de Baixo
Casalinho de Cima
Casal Loureiro
Caselhos
Cerdeira
Cerejeira
Chã e Favaqueira
Cimo de Alvém
Civado
Comareira
Conhais
Cortecega
Esporão
Folgosa
Frontão
Ladeiras
Liboreiro
Luzendas
Outeiro
Manjão
Nogueiro
Pena
Piães
Pião
Pontão do Seladinho
Ponte do Sótão
Portela
Portela de Góis
Póvoa de Cerdeira
Póvoa de Góis
Povorais
Quinta do Carvão
Regateira
Ribeira Cimeira
Ribeira Fundeira
Samoura
São Martinho
Vale Boa
Vale de Maceira
Vale Godinho
Vale Moreiro
Vale Torto
Vale Travasso

The village of Folgosa, high on a promontory above the river Ceira, is possibly one of the most interesting villages in the Góis region, qualifying on historic grounds and also for its charm, beauty, and the warmth of the people who live there. Today the village seems a long way from the neighbouring villages, the long road twisting round the valley from Góis, and eventually arriving at Folgosa.  Unlike most of the villages in the region, Folgosa is laid out quite formally, with a white cobbled road that runs the length of the village, and narrow little alleys forming crossroads.

The local xisto stone is of a very fine quality in this area, so not only the walls but also the roofs of the houses are built from xisto. The xisto was quarried close to the village, and the stones split into large thin sheets. A story tells that once a troop of Moors came to attack the village of Folgosa. It was raining, but the rain stopped and the sun started shining through the clouds, and the black xisto roofs began to glisten like mirrors. The Moors were afraid they would be blinded by the strong light and ran away.

It is said locally that Folgosa was the first village in the Concelho of Góis. The village is listed in the 1527 population census of the Concelho of Góis., in which it is recorded that there were nine permanent dwellings, indicating that it was one of the fifth largest villages in the Góis region at this time, equal to Cadafaz. One reason for its size is that the village sat on an old trading route. An old story tells that once a man came up the track from Góis, walking the very steep way from Foz Romão in the direction of Folgosa. In the place called “Corte Cabeça” was a little plateau and he arrived there exhausted, and taking a deep breath he said: “Fol goza!” meaning  “Enjoy the rest!” This is said to be the origin of the village´s name.

Around the village are cultivated terraces, and beyond these are olive trees, planted almost down to the river. The olive production of Folgosa was so great that the village had two presses: one in the village and one down by the river, over the bridge “Ponte do Romão”. The press in the village is possibly one of the oldest surviving olive presses in the region, or even beyond. The press was powered by two oxen turning the olive mill, and above the press was accommodation for the workers.

There were also many maize mills associated with the village (see the list of mills below).

Several of these mills had baking ovens. An older resident of the village remembers that the women used to grind the maize and then baked  “broa” (corn bread), returning to the village with the bread they had just made. As there were only very narrow tracks the maize was carried in baskets on their heads. Sometimes it was night by the time they came back to the village, with only the weak light of a lantern of olive oil to guide them, and perhaps the stars and moon to help illumine the path. But the women of the village knew the track so well that they could ‘do it with closed eyes’.

 Around Folgosa there are many beehives, still kept in the traditional way, using hives made from the local cork. The cork is cut locally and fashioned into a box into which the bees build honeycomb. The cork provides insulation from both the winter cold and the summer heat. The only modern adaptation is that many of the beehives have abandoned the old stone lid to keep off the rain, and substituted a piece of modern kitchen appliance!

The chapel of Folgosa, dedicated to São Simão, has some of the finest medieval artwork in the Góis region. On the curved ceiling of the church are four paintings depicting the four gospel-writers:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The stone arch is made from granite, which does not occur in the Góis region, and would have had to be transported by ox-cart. It also shows signs of medieval painting. The original chandelier of the chapel is said to now be in the Igreja Matriz of Góis. Some years ago there was a fire in Folgosa. The chapel was not touched at all, and people say that the chapel was protected by Sr.ª das Necessidades, who is believed to be a very powerful saint.

A story tells that once, during a war, the village was invaded and the villagers went to the chapel praying to Sr.ª das Necessidades and crying for her help. After a serious battle the villagers won out against the invaders, who ran away, and after a bend in the road called the “Volta das Mulas” were never seen again. The villagers all went together to the church to thank the Saint and they saw that she was washed in tears, the tears that they had cried before the battle.

In bygone times, when someone from the village died, the deceased was carried on the shoulders of four men, with the  help of two pieces of wood and some rope, down the track alongside the river to the cemetery at Góis. This track goes from Góis to Mestras, all along the riverside. The inhabitants of Mestras used to come to the square by the chapel of Folgosa to meet the villagers, and then they would all go together to the market in Góis. The children of Folgosa used to go  to school in Cerdeira, which was two  hours’ walk each way

One of the elderly women we met in Folgosa, who told us these stories, also told us that she never learned to read when she was young, but that she had taught herself recently while tending her goats, and now she is reading a book about the life of Stanley Mitchell. She also remembered that the first woman she had ever seen wearing trousers was Stanley Mitchell’s wife.

The Mills of Folgosa

The first mill is named: “Moinho das duas Pedras (mill of the two stones) and this mill had two sets of stones for grinding the maize.

Another mill was called: “Moinho do Corvo” (“corvo” means “crow”). Below the village is a place called “Cabeço do Corvo”.  About 150 years ago this mill was altered to give access to the Quinta do Corvo.

Another mill was the private mill: “Moinho do António do Passo”. A land owner from the other side of the river Ceira (Cabreira) asked António do Passo for water for the irrigation of his land and he gave him this right in exchange for some money.

Another mill was : “Moinho do Redondinho”. This was the mill that was furthest away from the village, situated in the direction of Cabreira, but on the river side of Folgosa, and situated at the limits of the freguesia of Cadafaz. Once a part of the mill´s dam was ruined and there was no money to rebuild it. But a man from Tarrastal bought a quinta there, made a levada up to the mill with the permission of the villagers, renovated the dam, and the mill started working again.

The Ribeira da Folgosa joins the River Ceira below the village. On this river was the privately-owned mill “Moinho Foz do Romão, where there was a collection of houses and an oven for baking broa.

Another mill “Moinho da Barreira das Cerejeiras, was also a privately-owned mill; the mill “Moinho Mosqueiro”, was also privately-owned; and another privately-owned mill was “Moinho da Eira Velha”, where there were houses, storehouses and a baking oven. The family sometimes lived there and sometimes lived in the village. In “Foz Penedos” there were two mills practically attached to one another.

About 40 years ago a new mill was built, because none of the aforementioned mills were working anymore. The place of this mill was called “Golinha” and the access was better because there was an ox-cart track, so the maize could be carried by cart. Although the mill was private, the owner let the villagers grind their maize there, and helped them with the transportation.