Cornwall is
noted for its wild moorland landscapes, its extensive and varied coastline
and its mild climate. Cornwall forms the tip of the south-west peninsula of
the island Great Britain, and is therefore exposed to the full force of the
prevailing winds that blow in from the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline is
composed mainly of resistant rocks that give rise in many places to
impressive cliffs.
The north and south coasts have different characteristics. The north coast
is more exposed and therefore has a wilder nature. The prosaically-named
High Cliff, between Boscastle and Tintagel, is the highest sheer-drop cliff
in Cornwall at 735 ft (224 m). However, there are also many extensive
stretches of fine golden sand which form the beaches that are so important
to the tourist industry, such as those at Bude, St Agnes, St Ives,
Perranporth, Porthtowan, Polzeath, Fistral Beach, Lusty Glaze Beach and
Watergate Bay, Newquay.
Bodmin is a town in Cornwall,
United Kingdom, with a population of 12,778 (2001 census). It was the county
town of Cornwall, until the Crown Courts moved to Truro, which is also the
administrative centre. It is in the North Cornwall district.
Boscastle is a village and
fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The name of the
village derives from Bottreaux Castle, a 12th century motte-and-bailey
fortress, of which few remains survive. A flash flood on 16 August 2004,
caused extensive damage to the village, but much of this was repaired by the
following year. Boscastle flooded again on the 21 June 2007 although the
scale of devastation was not nearly as bad as in 2004.
Bude is a small seaside
resort town in North Cornwall, at the mouth of the River Neet. Bude is
twinned with Ergué-Gabéric, France. Bude and the surrounding area has
impressive coastal scenery. Many ships have been wrecked on the jagged reefs
which fringe their base. The figure-head of one of these, the "Bencoolen"
lost in 1862, is preserved in the churchyard.
Callington is a small town and civil parish in southeast Cornwall. The civil
parish had a population of 4,783 in 2001, according to the 2001 census,
although recent figures show that the population has risen to around 6000.
The town is situated between Kit Hill and Bodmin Moor. A former agricultural
market town, it lies at the intersection of the North-South
Plymouth-Saltash-Launceston-Bude road and the East-West Tavistock-Liskeard
road.
Camelford is a town in
Cornwall. The town lies on the River Camel, and its main industry was slate.
It is the home of the North Cornwall Museum. Due to its name, it has been
linked to the legendary Camelot, and even Camlann, but historians have been
quick to refute these suggestions.
Falmouth is a town, civil
parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall. It has a
total resident population of 20,775.The name Falmouth comes from the river
Fal; the origin of the river name is unknown. Falmouth is famous for its
harbour. Together with Carrick Roads, it forms the third deepest natural
harbour in the world, and the deepest in Western Europe.
Fowey is a small town, civil
parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall,
England, UK. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.Fowey
lies at the end of the Saints' Way, and has ferries across the river to
Polruan (foot) and Bodinnick (vehicle). There are many historic buildings in
the town, including the ruins of St Catherine's Castle, while Readymoney
Cove possesses a local beach.
Hayle (Cornish: Heyl) is a
small town, civil parish and cargo port in the Penwith district of Cornwall.
The parish was created in 1888 from part of the now defunct Phillack parish,
with which it was later combined in 1935, and incorporated part of St Erth
in 1937. The modern parish shares boundaries with St Ives to the west, St
Erth to the south, Gwinear and Gwithian in the east, and is bounded to the
north by the Bristol Channel. The town, whose name derives from the Cornish
heyl, meaning estuary, is situated at the southern end of St Ives bay on the
estuary of the Hayle River, approximately 9 miles south-east of the town of
St Ives by road.
Helston is a small town and civil parish in the Kerrier district of
Cornwall, at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula. It is the most
southerly town in the UK, being 3 km south of Penzance. In 2001 the town
celebrated the 800th anniversary of the granting of its Charter, making it
the second eldest town in Cornwall after Marazion. The former tin-mining and
cattle market town is also known for the annual Furry Dance (known locally
as the Flora Dance), said to originate from the medieval period.
Launceston is a town and civil parish in the north of Cornwall,
England, United Kingdom with a population of approximately 7,000. It is
situated about two miles from the border with Devon at the River Tamar, and
is known as the "gateway to Cornwall.
Liskeard is an ancient
stannary and market town at the head of the River Looe valley in the ancient
hundred of West Wivelshire in southeast Cornwall. Liskeard is one of the few
towns in Cornwall still to have a weekly traditional market. The main market
day is Thursday, when the bellows of cattle arriving can be heard across the
town. Liskeard is currently going through change with new shops such as
Morrisons, Argos and the large DIY chain Focus being added to the outskirts
of the town.
Lostwithiel is a civil parish
and small town in Cornwall, at the head of the estuary of the River Fowey.
According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,739.The town lies on
the A390 road from Tavistock to Truro. Lostwithiel railway station is on the
Cornish Main Line from Plymouth to Penzance. It is situated on the south
side of the town, just across the medieval bridge.
Mevagissey is a village and
fishing port situated six miles south of St Austell in Cornwall. In recent
years tourism has passed fishing as the dominant industry in the village.
The village nestles in a small valley near the centre of east-facing
Mevagissey Bay. The inner and outer harbours are busy with a mixture of
pleasure vessels and working fishing boats, the remains of a once major
industry. The old centre consists of very narrow, picturesque streets with a
wide choice of places to eat and shops aimed at the tourist trade.
Mullion is a village, civil parish and small fishing harbour in the Kerrier
district of Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, situated on the west coast of
the Lizard Peninsula. The parish encompasses the Churchtown (now known
simply as Mullion) and four smaller settlements, Mullion Cove and Predannack
to the southwest, and Trewoon and Meaver to the east.
Newquay is a town, civil
parish, seaside resort and fishing port on the north Atlantic coast of
Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is bounded to the west by the River
Gannel and its associated salt marsh, and in the east by the Porth Valley.
The town has been expanding inland (south) since it was founded. According
to the 2001 census it had a permanent population of 19,423.
Penzance is a town, civil
parish, and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall. Situated in the
shelter of Mount's Bay, the town faces south-east onto the English Channel,
is bordered to the west by the fishing port of Newlyn and to the east by the
civil parish of Ludgvan. The town's location gives it a temperate climate
that makes it warmer than most of the rest of Britain. Every June since
1991, the Golowan Festival (which includes Mazey Day) has been held in the
town. Before the 1930s Penzance was the scene of large May Day celebrations,
which saw local children making and using tin 'May horns' and 'May
whistles'. The Feast Day of Corpus Christi was also celebrated in Penzance.
The Corpus Christi fair has been a long standing event in the town, and is
currently undergoing attempts to revive it in a more traditional format.
St Austell is a town in
Cornwall. St Austell has a population of 22,658 (according to the 2001
census), larger than any other town in Cornwall (including the city of
Truro, the county's capital, which has population of 20,920). Tourists are
drawn to the area by nearby beaches and attractions such as the Eden
Project, sited in a former clay pit, and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Visitors to the town make a sizable contribution to the local economy during
the summer season.
Truro is a city in Cornwall.
It is the administrative centre and only city within the county, and the
most southerly city in Great Britain. The city grew to be an important
centre of trade thanks firstly to its port, but later because of its role as
a stannary town for the mining industry. The city is well-known for its
cathedral (completed in 1910), as well as its cobbled streets, open spaces
and many examples of Georgian architecture.
Wadebridge is a town in North Cornwall. located on the Camel Estuary some 5
miles (8 km) upstream from Padstow. For many years Wadebridge was a traffic
congested town but in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with
the Egloshayle bypass causing the two settlements to regain much of their
former charm. The main shopping street in Wadebridge (Molesworth Street) has
subsequently become pedestrianised through an inner link road, allowing
traffic free shopping. The permanent population is 6222 (Census 2001). |