BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 Welcome to Best of Cornwall By Penny Fincken ... or as they say in the Cornish language, Kernow A’Gas Dynnergh! The Cornish language survives still and whilst you probably won’t hear Cornish spoken on the streets you may notice the road name signs that are being replaced with both English and Cornish. Cornish is recognised as a language by the European Union and is being taught in the local schools. It was spoken here for more than 2,000 years. Cornish is similar to the Welsh language and to Breton. © Bella Wright 2 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 Kernow is the Cornish language word for Cornwall and the first package holidays. Unfortunately today one has to you may also notice the Kernow flag in the county. This is the transport oneself and one’s own luggage. Many of the original flag of St Piran who is the patron saint of tin miners. It is a posters, produced by the railway companies, advertising black flag with a white cross. Saint Piran is believed to have holidays in Cornwall are now collectors’ items and command adopted these two colours from seeing the molten tin spilling quite large sums of money. out of the black ore in his fire. There are regular flights to Cornwall Airport Newquay The population of Cornwall is approximately 550,000 from London & Manchester throughout the year with many although this number rises in the summer months and during additional routes available in the summer months. the year up to 5 million visitors can be expected to make the journey down here. The county is scattered with small ISLES OF SCILLY villages and hamlets with a few larger towns such as Bodmin, The archipelago called the Isles of Scilly is located 28 St Austell and Penzance. miles off the Cornish coast. Divided by a stretch of the most The major one is Truro which is Cornwall’s only city and treacherous of the waters surrounding Cornwall, the crossing has become the capital, being the centre for commerce and on the ferry, Scillonian III, in bad weather is not for the administration for the county. It is special amongst Cornish fainthearted. Of the many islands of granite rock, only five are towns because of its unique past. still inhabited. A leisurely walk through the opes, streets and gardens reveals St Mary’s is the largest, with a generous harbour able to the city’s character and hidden heritage. A visit to the Tourist accommodate the ferry and the cargo ship Gry Maritha as Information Centre will provide the visitor with maps, and well as visiting cruise ships. The other islands are Tresco, other helpful information. Truro Cathedral attracts thousands St Agnes, St Martin’s and Bryher. Cars are permitted on St of visitors from all over the world. This late Victorian cathedral Mary’s for residents but not for visitors. The other islands do was the inspiration of Edward White Benson, the first Bishop not allow cars at all. Transport for heavy goods is tractor and of Truro, and trailer and there is limited use of golf buggies. A favourite TRURO CATHEDRAL ATTRACTS designed by the holiday is to stay on St Mary’s and visit the other islands by architect John THOUSANDS OF VISITORS boat and then walk and explore. Loughborough FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD Pearson. The Isles of Scilly : ©simplyscilly.co.uk Building started Truro Cathedral in 1880 and was completed in 1910 and retains the south aisle of the parish church of St Mary’s that was formerly on the site. The river Tamar in the east of the county forms a natural border between Cornwall and Devon; or as some people say, England! The river is 50 miles long and rises just 4 miles from the town of Bude on the north coast. As the land here forms a peninsula, wherever you live no-one is more than 13 miles The Boatmen on the islands are well organised and trips from the sea or one of the many wonderful beaches. leave every morning from 10.00am. However, at the end of It was Isambard Kingdom Brunel who brought the railway the day they have to leave on time because of the tides, and to Cornwall and in order to do so he built the magnificent do not wait, so you are well advised to listen to the departure Royal Albert Bridge over the river Tamar. Today it has been times. The islands are magical and a haven for all wildlife. joined by a road bridge. Crossing either of these necessitates There are also boat trips to the Eastern Islands to see the a cheer if one is returning from a journey ‘upcountry’. From puffins and seals, especially delightful in the spring. Paddington, London, to Penzance by rail takes 5+ hours and there is also an overnight sleeper service. The Abbey Garden on Tresco is a very special pleasure both for the variety of plants from all over the world as well We are fortunate to have retained three branch lines from as to see what has been achieved there. The islands are this mainline service: from Par to Newquay, Truro to Falmouth owned by the Duchy of Cornwall but Tresco is leased to the and St Erth to St Ives. Many people follow in the footsteps Dorien Smith family. It was their ancestor Augustus Smith who of the Cornish Riviera holidays of the 19th century when brought education and planning to the islands. the rail journey and hotel booking were combined, luggage could be sent ahead and passengers were met, formerly by Once you’ve spent a couple of days on the Isles of Scilly horse drawn carriage and latterly by a motor car. These were you will find all your worries have disappeared! 3 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 ECONOMY The economy of Cornwall has been significantly influenced by metal mining for millennia and indeed mining for tin is understood to have been taking place at least 4,000 years ago. During the Industrial period (1750-1900); it was the production of copper particularly which would set Cornwall on the path towards becoming, by the mid-19th century, probably the most important mining district in the world. Some 2,600,000 tonnes of copper and tin are estimated to have been produced from across Cornwall and Devon; much of this would have been mined during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The explosion of mining which took place at this time would reshape much of the Cornish landscape and also create new towns and villages to accommodate the growing industrial workforce. Enormous fortunes were made by established landowners who held the mineral rights to the land. The left Cornwall during the century after 1815. Important wealth secured from these rights enabled such families to migrant destinations included North America, Latin America, create or extend grand houses and gardens located across Australia and South Africa. Indeed it is said that at the Cornwall. This led to funding plant collecting overseas and bottom of a mine anywhere in the world you will find a many of the species now common in British gardens, such ‘Cousin Jack’ (a Cornishman)! as the camellia and rhododendron, were introduced by these mining funded expeditions. The importance of the Cornish and West Devon Mining Landscape was recognised internationally in 2006 when Iron foundries, tin smelters, fuse works and gunpowder UNESCO designated selected mining landscapes across manufactories are just some of the many businesses which Cornwall and west Devon as a cultural World Heritage Site sprung up across Cornwall in the wake of metal mining. placing it on a par with international treasures like the Engineering innovations such as the Cornish high-pressure Taj Mahal and The Great Wall of China. steam boiler and the Cornish type beam engine were also to Farming is also important here. There are dairy farms, put Cornwall on the international stage in the 19th century arable farms and several mixed farms with sheep and pigs and the foundries which produced these, such as Harvey’s of as well. Many farmers have diversified and opened their Hayle, gained global recognition. farms to the public so one can see cows being milked, ice Cornish mineworkers followed this mining technology in cream and cider being made and some have children’s large numbers when it was applied to mines elsewhere in entertainment on offer. In Cornwall we retain the smaller Britain and overseas. fields as many of them are bordered by Cornish hedges. It is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 people Whilst these may look like innocuous hedges bordering the Heartlands - Robinsons Shaft © Ainsley Cocks Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith 4 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 THE DIVERSE LANDSCAPE OF CORNWALL lanes they are in fact stone walls built with earth between Padstow (and on our TV channels!) to thank for this. However the stones where the flora and fauna have their habitat. if the weather has been stormy, there may not be sea bass They display lovely wildflowers throughout the year but on the menu! if you are lucky enough to visit in springtime they are at So what are we left with to provide employment here? their best. It also means we have a patchwork of beautiful Well, tourism. This has become our major industry. We can fields. However, if you are an unwary motorist driving down offer almost everything here from relaxing on one of the a narrow lane and you pull in to let another vehicle pass, many beaches, any kind of water sports from sailing and please remember that the hedge is made of stone, or your surfing to diving and canoeing as well as horse riding, cycling car’s paintwork could be damaged! and walking - especially the 300 mile coastal path all of Fishing is another of the industries that has been which is passable.