Portal:Cornwall

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Porth Kernow a'gas dynnargh!
Welcome to the Cornwall Portal!

P:CW

Cornwall (/ˈkɔːrnwɔːl, -wəl/; Cornish: Kernow; Cornish pronunciation: [ˈkɛrnɔʊ]; or [ˈkɛrnɔ]) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised by Cornish and Celtic political groups as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, Devon to the east, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement is Falmouth, and the county town is the city of Truro.

The county is rural, with an area of 1,375 square miles (3,562 km²) and population of 568,210. After Falmouth (23,061), the largest settlements are Penzance, Newquay, St Austell, and Truro. For local government purposes most of Cornwall is a unitary authority area, with the Isles of Scilly having a unique local authority. The Cornish nationalist movement disputes the constitutional status of Cornwall and seeks greater autonomy within the United Kingdom.

Cornwall is the westernmost part of the South West Peninsula. Its coastline is characterised by steep cliffs and, to the south, several rias, including those at the mouths of the rivers Fal and Fowey. It includes the southernmost point on Great Britain, Lizard Point, and forms a large part of the Cornwall National Landscape. The national landscape also includes Bodmin Moor, an upland outcrop of the Cornubian batholith granite formation. The county contains many short rivers; the longest is the Tamar, which forms the border with Devon. (Full article...)

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The 1864 chimney of Cape Cornwall Mine

Cape Cornwall Mine was a tin mine on Cape Cornwall, a cape at the western tip of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It operated intermittently between 1838 and 1883, after which time it closed permanently and the engine house was demolished. The mine's 1864 chimney near the peak of the cape was retained as an aid to navigation, and in the early 20th century the former ore dressing floors were for a time converted into greenhouses and wineries. In 1987 the site was donated to the nation by the H. J. Heinz Company. The remains of Cape Cornwall Mine now form part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Full article...)

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du Maurier, c. 1930

Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, DBE (/duː ˈmɒrieɪ/; 13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Her parents were actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and his wife, actress Muriel Beaumont. Her grandfather was George du Maurier, a writer and cartoonist.

Although du Maurier is classed as a romantic novelist, her stories have been described as "moody and resonant" with overtones of the paranormal. Her bestselling works were not at first taken seriously by critics, but they have since earned an enduring reputation for narrative craft. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now". Du Maurier spent much of her life in Cornwall, where most of her works are set. As her fame increased, she became more reclusive. (Full article...)

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Richard Trevithick Humphry Davy William Bligh Richard Lemon Lander Mark of Cornwall Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall John Arnold (watchmaker) Cuthbert Mayne Edward Boscawen

Did you know?

...that Cornish miners first brought football to Mexico, and the Cornishman Alfred C. Crowle was once manager of the Mexico national football team?
...that Tregenna Castle (pictured) in St Ives was the Great Western Railway's first holiday destination hotel?
...that the town of St Columb Major in Cornwall is used as a sports pitch for the game of Cornish hurling, making it the largest pitch in the world?
...that Cornish bagpipes, once common in Cornwall, feature two long chanters which are played independently?
...that a bowling green and a monument now occupy the site of Helston Castle in Cornwall?

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Photo credit: WordRidden

An aerial view of Carrick Roads, with Falmouth in the top right and Truro in the bottom right. The Roads are a large natural harbour and waterway, created after the Ice age from an ancient valley that flooded.

General images

The following are images from various Cornwall-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Celebrating Saint Piran's Day (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 2The Roman milestone in St Materiana's Church, Tintagel (from History of Cornwall)
Image 3Low tide at Bedruthan Steps (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 4An aerial view of Carrick Roads (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 5Lanner Band Room (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 6Millennium Cross, Landrake (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 7Boscawen-Un stone circle looking north (from History of Cornwall)
Image 8Wheal Owles, example of a historic Cornish tin mine (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 9The cross on the grave of Charles Bowen Cooke, St Just in Roseland (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 10The 9th-century Men Myghtern Doniert (King Doniert's Stone) commemorating the last independent King of Cornwall (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 11Rough seas off Trebarwith Strand on the north coast (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 12Bal maidens at work, showing traditional dress (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 13Penryn, Prayer Book Rebellion Memorial, near the site of Glasney College (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 14Cornish dancers (from Music of Cornwall)
Image 15Boscawen-Un stone circle looking north (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 16"A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach"l Stanhope Forbes; also showing traditional dress (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 17Will of Alfred the Great, AD 873–888 (11th-century copy, British Library Stowe MS 944, ff. 29v–33r) (from History of Cornwall)
Image 18The view northwest from Carn Brea, Penwith (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 19Remains of Tintagel Castle, according to legend the site of King Arthur's conception (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 20Cornwall's national tartan, bracca (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 21The War Memorial, in the churchyard, Constantine, Kerrier, carved from local stone by Elkana Symons (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 22Land's End (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 23Flag of St Piran, used as a flag of Cornwall (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 24A Cornish pasty, known traditionally as an oggy, can be found all over the world. (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 25Church of St Morwenna, Morwenstow (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 26Lady of Cornwall and flower girls at the 2007 Gorseth (Penzance) (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 27St German's priory church, St Germans (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 28A map of camps and earthworks in Cornwall (from History of Cornwall)
Image 29The font of St Nonna's church, Altarnun (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 30Three Holes Cross (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 31Harlyn Bay (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 32Cornish wrestling (Omdowl Kernewek) (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 33Lime-washed and slate-hung domestic vernacular architecture of various periods, Polperro (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 34Atlas of Cornwall by Christopher Saxton from 1576 (from History of Cornwall)
Image 35Bluebells on the Cornish coast (from Geography of Cornwall)
Image 36A map of inscription stones, with and without Ogham inscriptions. (from History of Cornwall)
Image 37Stargazy pie, with sardines looking skywards before it is baked in the oven
Image 38Entrance at Truro Cathedral has a welcome sign in several languages, including Cornish. (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 39The Minack Theatre, carved from the cliffs (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 40The cross at the end of Higher Bore Street, Bodmin (from Culture of Cornwall)
Image 41Cornwall seen from the International Space Station (from Geography of Cornwall)