Cornwall

Towns & Villages

[back to top]

[back to top]

[back to top]

CAMELFORD

According to legend this small inland town on the edge of Bodmin Moor was none other than the Arthurian capital of Camelot while Slaughter Bridge was the scene of the British king’s last great battle.

To add an extra mystery, another contender for the title of Camelot, the brooding castle of Tintagel, lies close by on the coast.

An irresistible double act.

Camelford Centre - Photo: Chris Heaton CCL

CRANTOCK

Crantock Beach - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

This peaceful village, full of lovely thatched cottages, lies near the mouth of the River Gannel and looks out towards Newquay.

St Carantacus is reputed to have established an oratory here in the 5th century.

The mainly Norman church has fine carvings and a set of old-fashioned stocks.

Nearby is dramatic Kelsey Head and a cliff top Iron Age fort.

FALMOUTH

The ever-enthralling resort of Falmouth - otherwise known as Pennycomequick - lies at the mouth of the River Fal on Cornwall’s idyllic south coast, the so-called Cornish Riviera, and looks out onto the world’s third largest natural harbour.

An important port since the days of the Tudors, it is guarded both by Henry VIII’s angular Pendennis Castle and St Mawes Castle (1543).

A Ness-style, hump-backed sea monster said to lurk in the bay has allegedly been sighted many times.

Falmouth Custom House Quay -
Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

Falmouth Harbour - Photo: John Spivey CCL

The town only became a holiday centre with the arrival of the railways but before that pioneered the use of mail boats from the Continent. Britain's defeat of the French at the Battle of Trafalgar, and the death of Admiral Nelson, are said to have been first announced here.
 
Curiously, Falmouth was the inspired creation of Sir John Killigrew in the early 1600s. He had been urged to build it by Sir Walter Raleigh, a man well aware of its strategic position. On the harbourside is the award-winning National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

FOWEY

With its steep, narrow streets and busy, sea-going atmosphere, Fowey (pronounced ‘Foy’) is one of Cornwall’s leading tourist hotspots.



In a waterside house lived Sir Quiller-Couch (1863-1944), author of some of the best stories written about Cornwall, who turned Fowey into ‘Troy Town’.

Fowey Town Quay - Photo: Graham Proud CCL

Fowey Harbour - Photo: David Stowell CCL

A second literary connection was provided by the modern writer Daphne du Maurier who lived at 17th century ‘Mennabilly’. She immortalised the house as ‘Mandaley’ in her 1938 novel ‘Rebecca’.


Today’s ships carry cargos of china clay from Fowey but in the past it was this seaport which fitted out ships for the Crusades. Later, locals raided the French coast during the Hundred Years War and became known as ‘Fowey Gallants’.

HAYLE

With popular sands and intimate dunes, Hayle is a port and market town lying in the estuary of the Hayle river in St Ives Bay.





A scenic trek leads to Godrevy Lighthouse, the dramatic setting for Virginia Woolf’s famous novel ‘To the Lighthouse’.

Hayle Beach near Black Cliff  -
Photo: Sheila Russell CCL

HELFORD

Helford Village - Photo : Richard Johns CCL

This one-time tin mining port is superbly situated on the Helford River and has its own ferry service.




Thanks to its small and intimate harbour, it is a popular place for yachters and has been described as the loveliest village on the Cornish coast.
 

A short walk takes the visitor to idyllic Frenchman’s Pill’, or cove, the setting of Daphne Du Maurier’s world-famous novel ‘Frenchman’s Creek’.

Helford Estuary - Photo: Chris Johnson CCL

HELSTON

Helston Church Area - Photo: T. J. Wright CCL

Lying on the Lizard Point, this one-time tin mining centre is the most southerly town in Britain but is famous for its annual ‘furry dance’ (later corrupted into ‘floral dance’) in which couples dance not only through the streets but also through the houses.



Once an inland port, Helston lies on the River Cober and overlooks the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall.

The local scenery is magnificent although, for some, Flambards Theme Park, will prove equally attractive.


The town was the birthplace of Bob "Ruby Robert" Fitzsimmons, the first-ever triple world boxing champion.


In 1901 Marconi transmitted his first wireless message across the Atlantic from nearby Poldhu Point.

Cannon Helston Folk Museum -
Photo: T. J. Wright CCL

HOLYWELL

Holywell Perran Beach - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

This sleepy village shelters beneath Penhale Point and boasts no less than two ‘holy’ wells – hence its name.



One of these springs is contained in a small shrine while the second, about a mile away, is within a cave accessible only at low tide.

LANDS END

No trip to this part of the world would be complete without a sightseeing tour of Land’s End, the most westerly point on the British mainland.

Now designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, it is replete with quiet coves, towering cliffs, raging seas and romantic locations.

The best times to experience its raw magnificence are at sunrise and sunset, particularly if you are equipped with a camera.

Lands End Granite Cliffs -
Photo: Roger Butterfield CCL

LAUNCESTON

Launceston Castle - Photo: Chris Shaw CCL

Close to the border with Devon and lying on the River Tamar, this evocative hillside town was once the county’s capital and is often called the ‘gateway to Cornwall’.

Dominated by an 11th century Norman castle, it is largely Georgian, though the heavily-carved church of St Mary Magdalene dates to the 16th century.

Cromwell’s Parliamentarians captured the town in 1645 during the Civil War. During the medieval period Launceston was the only walled town in the county.

Local attractions include the Launceston Steam Railway.

LISKEARD

A once-booming tin mining centre, this hillside town lies at the head of the River Looe valley.








Within easy reach are the coves and resorts of the Cornish Riviera on the south coast as well as the rugged expanse of Bodmin Moor.

 

Liskeard Town Centre - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

LIZARD POINT

Lizard Point Kynance Cove -
Photo: John Spivey CCL

This is the most southern point of England and boasts glorious scenery and multi-coloured serpentine rock.

The area is replete with sheltered bays and charming coves, particularly Kynance Cove.

There are breathtaking views from the Point and its twin- towered, 18th century lighthouse.

The local rock can be seen in all its glory in the serpentine tower of 15th century Landewednack Church.

LOOE

This attractive coastal resort sits contentedly in beautiful Looe Bay, not far from its neighbour Fowey, and is split into two parts by the Looe estuary.



At one time local fisherman would set off on sea voyages in search of the humble pilchard but today the quarry might bite back – Looe is the undisputed capital of Britain’s shark-fishing industry.

Looe Beach - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

MEVAGISSEY

Mevagissey - Photo: Fiona Avis CCL

A former tin mining centre and pilchard port, this quaint village-resort with narrow, congested streets lies on Cornwall’s north coast, near St. Austell, and boasts two picturesque harbours which attract thousands of visitors each year.

MOUSEHOLE

At one time it was a veritable paradise for smugglers who built their own fast sailing boats to outrun eagle-eyed customs officers.

Hugging a dramatic coastline and sheltered by Mount’s Bay, this is a delightfully relaxed settlement and the epitome of a Cornish fishing village.

Mousehole Harbour South Pier -
Photo: Richard Thomson CCL

Mousehole Harbour - Photo: Steven Muster CCL

In the 16th century it was virtually burned to the ground by Spanish looters who left only one building – a pub – standing.




It was also the home of Dolly Pentreath, reputedly the last surviving exponent of the original Cornish language.

The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas described Mousehole as the ‘loveliest village in England’ after honeymooning here in the 1930s.

Mousehole Harbour - Photo: Nigel Smith CCL

MULLION

Mullion Church Cove - Photo: Steve Rigg CCL

The picturesque harbour and handsome cove of this timeless village on the Lizard peninsula form one of the prettiest sights on the Cornish coast.

Above the village are tall, erratic serpentine cliffs, the famous Poldhu Caves and a memorial to the Italian wireless inventor Guiglielmo Marconi, whose first transatlantic Morse signal was sent from here.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Mullion Cove was one of the county’s busiest smuggling areas. Bronze and Iron Age burial mounds lie nearby.

NEWLYN

The largest fishing port in England, Newlyn lies in Mount’s Bay and centres on a cluster of Cornish cottages that rise from the sea to occupy a steep hillside.




It is famous as the setting for the ‘Newlyn School’ of artists founded in the 19th century by Stanhope Forbes.

Newlyn Harbour - Photo: Bob Jones CCL

NEWQUAY

The Huer's Hut - Photo: David Long CCL

Lying on the north Atlantic coast, Newquay is one of Cornwall’s top seaside resorts yet dates back into prehistory.





Archaeologists have found a late Iron age hill fort and say occupation of the site lasted from the third century BC to the fifth or sixth century AD.
 

It was a fishing village famous for its pilchards until the early 20th century.




Now a prominent tourist destination, its has no less than 10 sandy beaches and styles itself “The Surfing Capital of Britain”, regularly staging major international competitions.

Lusty Glaze Beach - Photo: Gary Rogers CCL

 Fistral Bay -  Photo: David Long CCL

Newquay is also known for the "Run to the Sun" event, which takes place each May.





Thousands of people descend on the town in camper vans and customised cars.

 

Nearby, at Trerice, is a fine Elizabethan manor house now administered by the National Trust.




The 630 mile-long South West Coast Path runs through the town.

Trerice house - Photo: Andrew Longton CCL

PADSTOW

Padstow Harbour - Photo: Eryka Hurst CCL

A beautiful fishing port on the Camel estuary, Padstow reputedly came into existence when St Petroc founded a monastery here in the 6th century.

The town has a network of twisted streets and a fine harbour. Sir Walter Raleigh stayed here while collecting taxes.
 

Padstow - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

During the festival of the Hobby Horse on May Day each year a man dressed as a horse is led through the streets.





The Elizabethan mansion Prideaux Place is one of the country’s oldest deer parks.

PENZANCE

Sheltered by Mount’s Bay, this holiday hotspot looks out onto the English Channel and famously boasts a mild, subtropical climate.



The seafront has a promenade and an open-air seawater swimming pool, which is one of the oldest surviving art deco baths in the country.

Penzance Promenade - Photo: Phil Williams CCL

Sir Humphry Davy - Photo: Mrs. Blorenge CCL

The picturesque harbour dates back to the 19th century and Penzance claims to be the place where the death of Admiral Lord Nelson was first announced after local fishermen intercepted HMS Pickle as it returned to England.

Penzance was often sacked by foreign fleets and raided by Barbary pirates - the name of the town’s oldest building, 'The Turk's Head' pub, refers to such an incident.


The town was the birthplace of Sir Humphry Davy, President of the Royal Society and inventor of electrolysis and the miner's safety lamp, and has a statue of him in Market Jew Street, near the house in which he was born.

Places worth visiting include the art gallery and museum of Penlee House, famous for its paintings by members of the ‘Newlyn School’, the unique, sub-tropical Morrab Gardens and The Admiral Benbow public house. The Branwell House was once inhabited by the mother of the Bronte sisters.

Close by is Lanyon Quiot, a 5,000-year-old burial place, and The Merry Maidens Stone Circle.

Morrab Gardens - Photo: Richard Knights CCL

PERRANPORTH

Perranporth Beach - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

With a surfing beach that stretches for three miles, this one-time tin mining village has a joyful character with surrounding scenery capable of stealing one’s breath.

Close by is the 6th century St. Piran’s Church but there is also a 130ft amphitheatre called St. Piran’s Round where ancient mystery plays are re-enacted.

The village inspired the novelist Winston Graham to pen his famous ‘Poldark’ series of novels after he moved here in the 1930's.

POLPERRO

This characterful resort lies within the so-called Cornish Riviera and has successfully retained the flavour of an old pilchard fishing village.

Its colour-washed cottages and boat-bobbing harbour are reminders of days long gone.

One of the many waterfront cottages contains a smuggling museum while a natural outdoor ‘swimming pool’ is refilled each day at high tide by the inrushing ocean.

Polperro Inner Harbour - Photo: Alan Fleming CCL

POLZEATH

The Rumps - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

A small, pretty seaside resort, Polzeath nestles in Padstow Bay and has superb beaches.


Nearby is the village of Pentire. Above it is Pentire Head, a popular viewpoint.

PORTHLEVEN

Porthleven - Photo: Rob Davies CCL

A former seaport nestling in Mount’s Bay, this atmospheric seaside resort boasts a shingle beach that stretches for a full two miles and an 18th century Harbour House.




One of its most unusual attractions is a large freshwater pool cut off from the ocean by a protective sand bar.

PORT ISAAC

Fresh lobster and crab and the smell of the ocean combine here to create an unforgettable Cornish resort in an old fishing village which boasts a small harbour, a pebble-strewn beach and access to some of the coast’s most evocative holiday spots, from Portquin Bay and Port Gaverne to dramatic Pentire Head.


The circular Iron Age fort of Tregeare Rounds is only a few miles away.

Port Isaac - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

PORTLOE

This beautiful village on Veryan Bay is sheltered by a rocky harbour where small boats frequently lie up on the shingle beach.




The coastal scenery nearby is awe-inspiring.

Portloe - Photo: Ron Strutt CCL

REDRUTH

Redruth Town Centre - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

Stone-built Redruth came to the fore in the 18th century when there was a sudden demand for copper. It quickly became one of the largest and richest mining areas in the country.

William Murdoch (1754–1839), a founding father of gas lighting, lived here and as early as 1792 is said to have used gas to light his house. In nearby Saltash stands Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s remarkable Royal Albert Bridge, opened in 1859 to carry the railway across the River Tamar. The cottage of Mary Newman, wife to Sir Francis Drake, can also be found in Saltash.

ROCK

Lying on the estuary of the River Camel, the picturesque village of Rock looks out onto the tourist hotspot of Padstow.




Nearby are the remains of an early Norman church.

River Camel - Photo: Ron Strutt CCL

SALTASH

Royal Albert Bridge - Photo: Neil Kennedy CCL

A beautiful old fishing village, Saltash is known as the gateway between Devon and Cornwall and is overshadowed by Brunel’s great 19th century rail bridge, the Royal Albert.


There are many charming houses and the remains of Trematon Castle. Ince Castle - built in 1642 at the start of the English Civil War - has four three-storey towers. It burned down in 1986 but has now been rebuilt.

SENNEN

Arguably one of the best-known places in Cornwall, Sennen is a small, picturesque village noted for its intimate cove and lovely beach.

Lying on Whitesand Bay it boasts a sheltered harbour and a church that is the most westerly in England.

According to legend, King Arthur teamed up with Cornish chieftains to defeat a Danish army here, later staging a celebration on a granite rock known as Table Men. The coastal scenery is magnificent.

Whitesand Bay - Photo: Bob Brown CCL

ST. AGNES

Old Tin Mine - Photo: John Spivey CCL

Located in an idyllic setting, this former tin mining centre has been transformed into a typical Cornish seaside resort with a number of sandy beaches, wonderful scenery and a sublime cove.

The panoramic views from 700ft St Agnes Beacon are breathtaking. The county’s most famous painter, John Opie, was born at Harmony Cottage in 1761.

The engine house of a defunct tin mine sits precariously on the edge of a 300ft cliff.
 

ST. AUSTELL

This popular resort was literally built on clay. In fact, local deposits of china clay were so crucial they ousted tin and copper as the area’s most important minerals and created huge wealth in the 19th and early 20th centuries, making St Austell one of Cornwall’s most vibrant commercial centres.
 

St. Austell Railway Viaduct -
Photo: Crispin Purdye CCL

St. Paul's Parish Church -
Photo: Pam Brophy CCL

Today, tourism forms a major part of the local economy thanks to glorious local beaches and St Austell’s proximity to top attractions such as the Eden Project – created inside a former clay pit - and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

The oldest modern structure here is a small granite bridge that has existed since the days of Henry VIII. Other buildings of note include the 13th century church and the Menacuddle Holy Well.

These are all pre-dated by the prehistoric hillfort of Castle Dore. It is thought to have been the castle of King Mark of Cornwall and is associated with King Arthur and the legend of Tristram and Isolde.

The impressive St Austell brewery is housed in a building designed by Inskipp & Mackenzie in London. Lethbridge of Plymouth was the contractor and the buildings were erected for around £7000 - £8000.

The town houses many buildings designed by the famous Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail.

Silvanus Trevail (often misspelled as Sylvanus Trevail by many people) was born in Luxulyan in October 1851. He rose to become Mayor of Truro and, nationally, President of the architects' professional body, the Society of Architects.

More importantly perhaps, he was Cornwall's most famous architect, certainly of the 19th Century. Following the Education Act of 1870 which created Board Schools, Trevail designed around fifty such schools throughout the county.

He was also largely responsible for putting Cornwall, and particularly Newquay, on the tourist map, designing many of the major coastal hotels including those at Tintagel (King Arthur's Castle), St. Ives (Carbis Bay), The Lizard (Housel Bay), Falmouth (Pendennis) and Newquay (Atlantic & Headland).

 

Members of the STS outside the 'Red Bank' in St Austell

He also designed private houses, chapels, churches, banks and several libraries and institutes. In the cases of churches and chapels, he often also helped the congregations with their fund-raising or, as in the case of Temple in the heart of Bodmin Moor, gave his services free.

In his buildings he showed an exceptional flair in the choice of material, using satisfying combinations of granite and other stone. His close association with the brick and quarry tile works at Ruabon in North Wales gave him the opportunity to use their red brick and terracotta for window surrounds or indeed whole buildings.

For more information on his work in this town and elsewhere, visit the Silvanus Trevail Society website which we gratefully acknowledge as source for this information.
 

ST. BURYAN

The tower of the local 15th century church has long been used as an important landmark by ships as they round nearby Land’s End.



A few miles from here is the famous prehistoric stone circle of Boscawen-un, better known as The Nine Maidens.

 

St. Buryan Church - Photo: Richard Knights CCL

ST. IVES

St. Ives Harbour - Photo: Chris Coleman CCL

A special place for artists and sightseers, this sublime seaside resort lies to the north of Penzance and is an ancient fishing port. Legend has it that was created following the arrival of the Irish Saint Ia in the 5th century.

 

The coming of the Railway Age transformed the town into a pleasure ground for Victorian holidaymakers and today the clifftop railway is an attraction in itself.

 

Full of quaint alleys and old houses, St. Ives still possesses a timeless quality. Its church dates back to the 15th century and has a 120ft tower while the surfing paradise of Porth Meor beach is must-go.

The town became the focal point for a colony of leading artists in the 1920's. Later three of them, Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Naum Gabo, came here to live.



More recently a branch of the Tate Gallery was opened in St Ives and looks after the Barbara Hepworth Museum and sculpture garden.


 

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden -
Photo: Rowena Ford CCL

Knill's Monument - Photo: Shelia Russell CCL

The pyramidal, granite Knill Steeple, built by a former mayor in the late 18th century, overlooks the resort.




Meanwhile, the St. Ives feast incorporates one of the few remaining examples of Cornish hurling.
 

ST. JUST

Lying close to magnificent Land’s End, this picturesque resort has an amphitheatre where mystery plays used to be performed.




The place was named after a Celtic saint who extolled the virtues of Christianity during the 6th century. Nearby are old tin mines and the hazardous Brisons Rock.
 

St. Just - Photo: Phil Williams CCL

St Just is also the location for the local airport from which fixed-wing aircraft (as distinct from helicopters) leave for the Scilly Isles.

Lands End Airport

St Just, Cornwall
Tel: 0845 710 5555    
E-mail: info@islesofscilly-travel.co.uk
Website: www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk

ST. MAWES

St. Mawes Castle - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

Yachting, swimming and sun seeking are the stock in trade of this prosperous harbour resort opposite Falmouth on the Roseland peninsula.



Its sturdy, well-preserved castle was built in 1542 by Henry V111 to help guard the Fal estuary against a French invasion that never materialised.
 

ST. MICHAEL’S MOUNT - Marazion

Gaunt and menacing, this is a small island on the south coast comes complete with its own castle. It was a tin mining port even in prehistory.


A priory was built here in the 12th century by the Norman abbot of Mont St. Michel.


It became a battlemented castle during the 17th century, since when it has been home to the St. Aubyn family.
 

St. Michael's Mount - Photo:  Pam Brophy CCL

St. Michael's Mount Courtyard -
Photo: Richard Thomson CCL

It can only be accessed at low tide via a causeway and is now in the hands of the National Trust.


Celtic legend has it that the Mount was built by the giant Cormoran.


The original church was built after the archangel St Michael appeared to local fishermen in the 5th century.

 

ST. NEOT

Famous for the medieval painted glass of its 15th century church, this village in the wooded valley of the St Neot river lies within the rugged expanse of Bodmin Moor and is surrounded by superb scenery.












Dozmary Pool is (allegedly) where Sir Bedivere threw away King Arthur’s sword after the legendary ruler was slain in his final battle.
 

St. Neot The Church - Photo: Rob Farrow CCL

TINTAGEL

Tintagel Castle - Photo: chestertouristcom CCL

Was Tintagel Castle, situated dramatically on the cliffs above this sleepy village and its shingle beach, ever the home of King Arthur?





And did his famous magician Merlin live in a sea cave below it?
 

Although the castle was built for the Earl of Cornwall in the 11th century there is real evidence of an earlier settlement dating to Arthur’s time.

Whatever the truth, the village itself is a genuine Cornish curiosity.

The old Post Office is a 14th century manor house that has been restored to show how the mail got through even in Victorian times.

 

Tintagel Old Post Office -
Photo: Carol Walker CCL

TRURO

Truro Cathedral - Photo:  Ron Strutt CCL

Cornwall's only city is the most southerly in
the UK and is famous, among other things, for its three-spired, 19th century cathedral and
240ft tower.




The fascinating city lies on the confluence
of the rivers Kenyan and Allen and is a
former market town, port and tin mining
centre.




Lemon Street is one of the
best-preserved examples of Georgian
architecture in the country.





 

VERYAN

This picturesque village is protected from gales by the dramatic Nare Head allowing sub-tropical plants to flower unmolested among the whitewashed cottages, many of which are thatched.




Curiously, some of these properties were built without corners to prevent the Devil himself from gaining entrance.
 

Veryan Round Houses - Photo: Tony Atkin CCL

WADEBRIDGE

The Old Bridge - Photo: Ron Strutt CCL

A market town on the Camel Estuary, Wadebridge has a stunning 14-arch medieval bridge believed to have been built on sacks of wool.

It was erected in the late 15th century to replace a ferry across the hazardous Camel.

During the Civil War the bridge was of such strategic significance that Oliver Cromwell himself captured it with an army of 1,000 horsemen and 500 dragoons.
 

The town has more than a dozen beaches within easy reach on Cornwall’s northern coast and each year, since 1960, has staged the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show. Nearby stands the beautiful 18th century mansion of Pencarrow.

 

Pencarrow House - Photo: Bernard May CCL