TheThe stonestone from hellhell FundamentalFundamental toto thethe mythologymythology of Helston isis itsits namingnaming storystory involving involving thethe ArchangelArchangel St Michael. MichaelMichael is is knownknown forfor being the chief opponentopponent ofof Satan Satan andand local local legendlegend sayssays that he fought anan airborneairborne battle battle withwith his his foefoe inin thethe skiesskies above the town. SomeSome saysay thethe stonestone was St Michael’s weaponweapon andand sentsent the the devildevil intointo LoeLoe Pool, others thatthat thethe devildevil hadhad carried carried thethe stonestone from hell to crushcrush thethe town.town. EitherEither way way Michael Michael emergedemerged victorious and became thethe patronpatron sai saintnt of of Helston,Helston, with with the the churchchurch onon the hill named for him.him. ForFor centuriescenturies a a large, large, flatflat stone stone lay lay in in thethe rearrear courtyardcourtyard of the Angel HotelHotel (see(see PagePage 8). 8). It’s It’s saidsaid by by some some thatthat thisthis waswas thethe ‘hell stone’ of Helston’sHelston’s namingnaming story. story. UnfortunatelyUnfortunately inin thethe latelate 1700s1700s the stone was brokenbroken upup andand use usedd as as buildingbuilding material material forfor thethe rearrear extension of the hotelhotel –– itit isis sstilltill visible visible in in thethe wall wall either either sideside ofof aa windowwindow beyond the CellarCellar Bar.Bar. TestsTests have have proved proved thatthat it it is is not not meteoritic. meteoritic. DidDid you you know?know? YYouou cancan watch the story ofof StSt MichaelMichael played played outout alongside alongside otherother locallocal mythsmyths and legends duringduring thethe Hal-an-Tow Hal-an-Tow dancedance on on Flora Flora Day,Day, Helston’sHelston’s annual celebration ofof thethe coming coming ofof Spring. Spring. The The identityidentity ofof thethe masked devil isis apparentlyapparently a a closely closely guardedguarded secret secret eveneven amongstamongst those who take part!part! Signing your wayway As you follow the trailtrail youyou willwill find find numbered signs likelike thisthis oneone on on the the buildings and correspondingcorresponding with with the the numbers in this leaflet.leaflet. The signs each featurefeature Helston’sHelston’s symbolic flower, thethe LilyLily ofof the the Valley. Valley. 33 11 The The GuildhallGuildhall TheThe present present GuildhallGuildhall openedopened in 1839. ItIt standsstands onon the the site site of of the the town’stown’s old old market market house,house, whichwhich stood herehere fromfromfrom 1576. 1576.1576. TodayToday the the building building houseshouses the Council ChamberChamber (formerly (formerly used used as as aa court) court) and and Mayor’sMayor’s ParlourParlour and is registeredregistered forfor weddings. weddings. The The groundground floor, floor, whichwhich nownow hosts regular locallocal markets,markets, was was once once the the town’stown’s Corn Corn ExchangeExchange -- youyou can seesee thethe dateddateddated foundation foundationfoundation stonestone stone ofof of thethe original original buildingbuilding inin here.here. On Flora DayDay thisthisthis buildingbuildingbuilding isis is thethe the centrecentre centre ofof attention. attention. BedeckedBedecked withwith gorse, greenery andand bluebells, bluebells, the the GuildhallGuildhall marks marks thethe beginningbeginning of most ofof thethe dancesdances.. SummerSummer is a ComeCome--OO Helston’sandandHelston’s most most Winter Winter famousfamous eventevent is the wonderful is a a FloraFlora Gone Gone Day Day when when dancers dancers--OO snakesnake through through thethe streetsstreets fromfrom dawn tilltill dusk.dusk. The The midday midday dance, dance, inin in particular,particular, is is aa sightsight toto beholdbehold as ladies inin theirtheir finestfinest frocks frocks and and hats hats and and gentlemangentleman in in toptop hathat andand tailstails dance to thethe towntown band,band, winding winding their their way way inin and and out out of of shopsshops andand houses.houses. TheThe dancesdances areareare performedperformedperformed toto to thethe the samesame same famousfamous tune, tune, playedplayed byby HelstonHelston Town Band.Band. FloraFlora Day Day always always takestakes placeplace on May 8th,8th, unlessunlessunless this thisthis fallsfalls on on a a Sunday Sunday oror MondayMonday (traditionally MarketMarketMarket Day) Day)Day) inin which which case case thethe precedingpreceding Saturday isisis chosen.chosen.chosen. The The origins origins ofof thethe dancedance are unknown, butbut it’sit’s thoughtthought toto be be an an ancient ancient celebrationcelebration of the comingcoming ofofof spring.spring.spring. DidDid youyou know?know? You’llYou’ll find this image ofof thethe marketmarket house, house, which which usedused to to stand stand here,here, inin HelstonHelston Museum (no.(no. 22 onon the the trail). trail). Beneath Beneath it it isis is aa clock clock face face whichwhich waswas discovereddiscovered being usedused asas anan ornamental ornamental g goldfisholdfish pondpond o onn a a nearby nearby farm.farm. It’sIt’s believed this isis thethe clockclock face face from from the the old old marketmarket building building —— makingmaking it over 400 yearsyears old.old. 44 22 Museum Museum ofof CornishCornish Life, Helston WalkWalk down down the the steps steps toto thethe right of the Guildhall ontoonto Church Church Street. Street. OnOn your your right, right, housed housed inin whatwhat were the butterbutter andand meat meat markets markets fromfromfrom 1837/8, 1837/8, you’ll you’ll findfind thethe Museum.Museum. ThisThis impressiveimpressive recordrecord record ofof of CornishCornish life life was was foundedfounded byby the Helston OldOld CornwallCornwall Society Society ininin 1949 19491949 with with Mr Mr William William Dalton,Dalton, licensee ofof thethe Beehive,Beehive,Beehive, asas as itsits its firstfirst first honoraryhonorary curator. curator. OutsideOutside you’ll you’ll see see aa cannoncannon retrieved retrieved fromfrom thethe HMS HMSHMS Anson,Anson, Anson, wreckedwrecked off off Loe Loe Bar Bar inin 1807.1807. Peer Peer through through the the archwayarchway atat the side to spy thethe oldold marketmarket bell bell,, ,whichwhich which wouldwould have have rung rung outout onon SaturdaysSaturdays for 100 yearsyears betweenbetween 1837 1837 and and 19371937 to to announce announce marketmarket day.day. In later years thethe bellbell was was used used tototo summon summonsummon the the town’s town’s firefire service.service. StepStep back back in in time: time: ImagineImagine yourself on a marketmarket dayday in in the the 1850s. 1850s. TheThe street street would would bebe aa hubbubhubbub of activity -- barrowbarrow boys boys unloading unloading horsehorse drawn drawn wagons, wagons, cratescrates of geese and chickens,chickens, housemaids housemaids scurryingscurrying off off towards towards thethe bigbig houses of CrossCross StreetStreet with with their their purchases,purchases, and and farm farm ladslads sneakingsneaking off to nearbynearby taverns.taverns. InsideInsideInside the thethe museum museum youyou cancan peerpeer through thethe glassglassglass ofofof an anan originaloriginal original 17th17th century century window window foundfound during renovations toto aa formerformer bakery bakery on on MeneageMeneage Street Street -- andand eveneven come face-to-face withwith aa dragon! dragon! You’llYou’ll also also find find a a remarkableremarkable record of Cornish domesticdomestic life, life, the the local local fishing,fishing, agricultural agricultural andand miningmining trades, as wellwell asas memorabiliamemorabilia from from lostlost lost HelstonHelston gems gems including including thethe fire station and railway.railway. DidDid you you know?know? TheThe waterwater channels downdown thethe sideside of of the the streets streets areare known known as as kennels kennels.. NoNo oneone really knowsknows quitequite howhowhow oldold old theythey they areare are butbut the the one one on on Church Church StreetStreet has hardly changedchanged inin over over 600 600 yea years.rs.rs. TheThe kennels kennels once once helpedhelped purifypurify the town’s airair andand streets.streets. Old Old photos photos showshow rakesrakes propped atat thethe ExtendExtend sideside of of the the roads roads forfor pushingpushing horsehorse dung andand YourYour Stay Stay sewagesewage into into them. them. PeoplePeople alsoalso washed their EntryEntry to to the the Museum Museum isis is clothesclothes and and their their fishfish herehere andand from the FREEFREE.. It’s It’sIt’s worthworth worth poppingpopping popping deeperdeeper parts parts people people wouldwould drawdraw drinking backback to to have have a a good good waterwater in in buckets buckets beforebefore mainsmains water was looklooklook roundround round.. pipedpiped to to the the town. town. 555 3 The Well Facing the Museum, turn left and walk a little way along Church Street to Number 15, once the site of the New Inn (see photo) and thought to have witnessed one of the bloodiest incidents in Helston’s history. It’s quiet now, but in 1548 the King’s Commissioner William Body met his end close by here at the hands of an angry mob. Body had been sent to oversee the dissolution of the monasteries and had stripped the church at St Keverne of its Catholic artefacts. When he arrived in Helston he met a baying crowd who dragged him out into the street and stabbed