Cornwall: Encyclopedia - Cornwall

Cornwall

• Julia Goldsworthy
• Dan Rogerson
• Colin Breed
• Andrew George
• Matthew Taylor

1. Penwith
2. Kerrier
3. Carrick
4. Restormel
5. Caradon
6. North Cornwall
7. Isles of Scilly (Unitary)

Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county on England's south west peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar. In the 20th century there has been a revival of the Cornish language and there has been some debate over the constitutional status of Cornwall.

The administrative centre and only city is Truro. Including the Isles of Scilly, located 28 miles (45 km) offshore, Cornwall covers an area of 1,376 square miles (3,563 km²). There is a population of 513,527 with a population density of 144 people per square kilometre (373/mi²) ^[1]. Tourism forms a significant part of the local economy. However, it is the poorest area in the United Kingdom with the lowest contribution to the national economy. [2]

Cornwall - History

The history of Cornwall begins with the pre-Roman inhabitants, including speakers of a Celtic language that would develop into Brythonic and Cornish. After a period of Roman rule, Cornwall reverted to independent Celtic chieftains. The Roman term for the tribe which inhabited what is now Cornwall at the time of Roman rule, the Cornovii, was derived from a Brythonic tribal name which gave modern Cornish Kernow. (For other examples of the survival of Brythonic names noted by the Romans, see Dyfed / Demetae, Gwynedd / Veneti and Gododdin / Votadini.) The present English language name of the region derives from suffixing of Old English wealhas ("foreigners, Britons") to the Celtic name.

The site of ancient Belerion, Cornwall was the principal source of tin for the civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean, and at one time the Cornish were the world's foremost experts at mining. As Cornwall's reserves of tin began to be exhausted many Cornishmen emigrated to places such as the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where their skills were in demand. The Cornish Rebellion of 1497 is attributed to tin miners. The tin mines in Cornwall are now worked-out at current prices, but the expertise and culture of the Cornish tin miners lives on in a number of places around the world. It is said that, wherever you may go in the world, if you see a hole in the ground, you will find a Cornishman at the bottom of it. Several Cornish mining words are in use in English language mining terminology, such as costean, gunnies, and vug.

Since the decline of tin mining, agriculture and fishing, the area's economy has become increasingly dependent on tourism — some of Britain's most spectacular coastal scenery can be found here. Nevertheless, Cornwall remains the poorest part of Britain and it has been granted Objective 1 status by the EU. A political party, Mebyon Kernow, MK, or 'Sons of Cornwall', was formed in 1951 to attempt to assert some degree of autonomy (see Cornish nationalism); while the flag of St Piran is seen increasingly across Cornwall at protests, demonstrations and generally, the party has not achieved significant success at the ballot box, although they do have a number of district councillors. Two of the current MPs to Westminster — Andrew George, MP for St Ives; and Dan Rogerson, MP for North Cornwall — repeated their Parliamentary oaths in Cornish. Further, there is a caucus of local county councillors who are well known locally for their persistent advocacy of Cornwall's political uniqueness.

Cornwall - Physical geography

Cornwall, being exposed to the full force of the Atlantic Ocean, is composed entirely of resistant rocks, as less resistant rocks have been eroded away. The centre of the county is largely Devonian sandstone and slate. The north east of the county lies on Carboniferous sandstone. Cornwall is particularly known for its igneous outcrops, which include the granite of Bodmin Moor and the areas around Camborne and Land's End, and the dark green serpentine of the Lizard Peninsula. The granite forms high treeless moors on which sheep graze, and the characteristic Cornish cliffs.

Cornwall is the southernmost part of Britain, and therefore has a relatively warm and sunny climate. However, being unprotected from the Atlantic it also has more extreme weather. The average annual temperature for most of the county is 10.2 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 °F), with slightly lower temperatures on the moors ^[3]. The county has relatively high rainfall, though less than more northern areas of the west coast, at 1051 to 1290 mm (41.4 to 50.8 in) per year ^[4]. Most of the county enjoys over 1541 hours of sunshine per year ^[5].

Cornwall - Politics

Parliamentary representation for Cornwall is dominated by the Liberal Democrats. Currently all five of the Cornish MPs are Liberal Democrat. The local councils also have a large portion of Lib Dem members. Most local Liberal Democrat MPs and councillors strongly support moves for Cornish devolution, as do some Welsh nationalists.

Although Cornwall is administered as a county of England, an independence movement exists that seeks more autonomy. Additionally some groups and individuals question the constitutional status of Cornwall and its relation to the Duchy of Cornwall. Cornish nationalists have organised into two political parties: Mebyon Kernow and the Cornish Nationalist Party. In addition to the political parties the Cornish Stannary Parliament acts as a pressure group on Cornish constitutional issues and Cornwall 2000 the Human Rights organisation works with Cornish cultural issues.

In November 2000 the Cornish Constitutional Convention was formed. It is a cross-party organisation including representatives from the private, public and voluntary sectors, of all political parties and none.

Between 5 March 2000 and December 2001, the campaign for a Cornish Assembly collected the signatures of 41,650 Cornish residents endorsing the Declaration for a Cornish Assembly, in total 50,546 including people outside Cornwall. The British government however has no plans to devolve more power to Cornwall.

Cornwall - Flag

There is some dispute about whether the patron saint of Cornwall is Saint Michael, Saint Petroc or Saint Piran. Saint Piran is the most popular of the three; his emblem (a vertical white cross on a black background) is recognised as the flag of Cornwall, and his day (March 5) is celebrated by Cornish people around the world. The Saint Piran's Flag features on the packaging for Ginster's Cornish pasties to advertise their status as a Cornwall-based company.

Cornwall - Demographics

Cornwall's population is 513,527, and population density 144 people per square kilometre, ranking it 40th and 41st respectively compared to the other 47 counties of England. Cornwall has a relatively high level of population growth, however, at 11.2% in the 1980s and 5.3% in the 1990s, giving it the fifth highest population growth of the English counties ^[6]. The natural change has been a small population decline, and the population increase is due to immigration into the county ^[7]. . According to the 1991 census, the population was 469,800.

Cornwall has a relatively high retired population, with 22.9% of pensionable age, compared to 20.3% for the United Kingdom ^[8]. This may be due to a combination of Cornwall's rural and coastal geography increasing its popularity as a retirement location, and due to the emigration of younger residents to more economically diverse areas. Migration of pensioners from southern England to Cornwall, and emigration of young Cornish people, is a persistent concern — the Cornish ethnicity figures in the census of 2001 showed that 10.8 per cent of those identifying as ethnically Cornish in Britain lived outside Cornwall, a relatively high rate in terms of global diasporas, comparable to the experiences of Italy or Greece.

Cornwall is one of the six modern Celtic nations alongside Brittany, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales. Just under 7% of the population of Cornwall gave their ethnicity as Cornish in the last census, however, in a survey by Mogan Stanley 44% of the population considered themselves Cornish ^[9].

Cornwall - Economy

Cornwall is the poorest area in the United Kingdom. The GDP is 62% of the national average ^[10]. Cornwall is one of four UK areas that qualifies for poverty-related grants from the EU (European Social Fund). Today, the Cornish economy depends heavily on its successful tourist industry, which makes up around a quarter of the Cornish economy.

Cornwall - Tourism

Cornwall's unique culture, spectacular landscape and mild climate make it a popular tourist destination, despite being somewhat isolated from Britain's main tourist centres. Surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel and Celtic Sea, Cornwall has miles of beaches and cliffs. Other tourist attractions include moorland, country gardens and wooded valleys, and tourism is a significant economic sector.

Five million tourists visit the county each year, mostly drawn from within the UK^[11]. In particular, Newquay is a popular destination for surfers. In recent years, the Eden Project has been a major financial success, drawing one in eight of Cornwall's visitors^[12].

Cornwall - Industry

Other industries are fishing, although this has been significantly damaged by EU fishing policies, and agriculture, which has also declined significantly. Mining of tin and copper was also an industry, but today no longer exists, and several defunct mines have applied for status as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ^[13]

Cornwall - Culture

Cornwall - Language

The Cornish language is closely related to Welsh and Breton, and less so to Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx. It continued as a living Celtic language until 1777 and the death of Dolly Pentreath, the last person thought to have used only the Cornish language (although this is disputed on a number of counts). The publication of Henry Jenner's "Handbook of the Cornish Language" in 1904 caused a resurgence of interest in the Cornish language. The subsequent revival gathered pace during the twentieth century and, although there has never been a census, most estimates agree that there are now around 2,000 Cornish speakers, 100–150 of whom are fluent, and there are several families who have raised their children with the language. Cornish has recently been officially recognised by the UK government as a minority language and although currently less than 0.1% of the population speak it fluently, it is taught in many schools and used in religious and civic ceremonies and has boosted Cornish cultural identity.

Some Cornish surnames are prefixed by Tre, Pol, or Pen, as indicated in the rhyme "by Tre, Pol and Pen ye shall know Cornishmen." These come from Cornish language words meaning, respectively, town (or farm), pool, and head.

Cornwall - Cornish studies and literary references

The Institute of Cornish Studies, established in 1970, is a branch of the University of Exeter, and now part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall Campus at Tremough, Penryn. Philip Payton, professor Cornish studies, has written a history of Cornwall as well as editing the Cornish studies series, and other academics, including Mark Stoyle of the University of Southampton and John Angarrack of the human rights organisation Cornwall 2000, have also produced work on Cornish culture.

A detailed overview of literature is provided by A. M. Kent's 'The Literature of Cornwall'. It covers everything from Medieval mystery plays to more recent literary works that draw on the Cornish landscape. Notable Cornish writers include Arthur Quiller-Couch alias "Q", the deaf short story writer, Jack Clemo and D. M. Thomas acclaimed author and poet.

Cornwall also produced a substantial amount of passion plays during the Middle Ages. Many are still extant, and provide valuable information about the Cornish language.

Daphne du Maurier lived in Cornwall and set many of her novels there, including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and The House on the Strand. She is also noted for writing Vanishing Cornwall. Charles de Lint's novel The Little Country, Winston Graham's series Poldark, Kate Tremayne's Adam Loveday series, Susan Cooper's novels Over Sea, Under Stone and Greenwitch, Mary Wesley's The Camomile Lawn and Gilbert and Sullivan's musical The Pirates of Penzance are all set in Cornwall.

Cornwall - Religion

Traditionally, the Cornish have been nonconformists, in religion. Celtic Christianity was a feature of Cornwall and many Cornish saints are commemorated in legends, churches and place names.

The Methodism of John Wesley also proved to be very popular with the working classes in Cornwall in the 18th century. Cornwall has shared in the post-World War II decline in British religious feeling.

In 2003, a campaign group was formed called Fry an Spyrys (free the spirit in Cornish) [14]. It is dedicated to disestablishing the Church of England in Cornwall.

Cornwall - Music and festivals

Cornwall has a rich and vibrant folk music tradition which has survived into the present. Cornwall is well known for its unusual folk survivals such as Mummers Plays, the Furry Dance in Helston, and Obby Oss in Padstow.

Cornish players are regular participants in inter-Celtic festivals, and Cornwall itself has several lively inter-Celtic festivals such as Perranporth's Lowender Peran folk festival[15].

Cornwall - Sports and games

Cornwall has its own unique form of wrestling related to Breton wrestling.

Cornwall's other county sport is hurling, a kind of medieval football played with a silver ball. Hurling is distinct from Irish Hurling. The sport now takes place in St Columb and St Ives although hurling of a silver ball is part of the beating the bounds ceremony at Bodmin every five years.

Rugby has a larger following in Cornwall than football, with the Cornish Pirates RFC (the name change — previously the team were Penzance Newlyn RFC — is recent and designed to tap into the large amount of Cornish nationalist sentiment), Launceston RFC and Redruth RFC in the national leagues. The Cornwall rugby team often draws very large crowds of supporters, dubbed Trelawny's Army.

Due to its large coastline, various maritime sports are popular in Cornwall, notably sailing and surfing. International events in both are held in Cornwall. Cornwall will host the Inter-Celtic Watersports Festival in 2006. Rock climbing on the sea cliffs and inland cliffs has been popular since the pioneeering work of A. W. Andrews and others in the early 1900s, and is now highly developed.

Euchre is a popular card game in Cornwall, it is normally a game for four players consisting of two teams. Its origins are unclear but some claim it is a Cornish game. There are several leagues in Cornwall at present.

A recent application for a place in the 2006 Commonwealth Games failed to impress the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). The Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association claimed that Cornwall should be recognised with a team, in the way that other sub-state entities such as England, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are. However, the CGF noted that it was not their place to make political decisions on whether or not Cornwall is a separate nation [16].

Cornwall - Food

Cornwall is famous for its pasties (a pastry dish; traditionally a Cornish pasty — known locally as simply a pastie or an oggie — contains meat and vegetables, often peppered), but saffron buns, Cornish Heavy (Hevva) Cake, Cornish fairings (biscuit), Cornish fudge and Cornish ice cream are also quite common.

Cornwall is famous for clotted cream and many types of cider, these are also made in the neighbouring English counties. There are also many types of beers brewed in Cornwall – the St Austell brewery is the best-known — including a stout and there is some small scale production of wine. There is no tradition of high alcohol spirits, such as whisk(e)y, in Cornwall.

Rodda's cream (a creamery based in Cornwall) is eaten by the Queen at Christmas.

Cornwall - Settlements

This is a list of the main towns and cities in the county; for a complete list of settlements see list of places in Cornwall.

• Bodmin
• Bude
• Camborne
• Falmouth
• Hayle
• Helston
• Launceston,
• Liskeard
• Newquay
• Penzance
• Redruth
• Saltash
• St Austell
• St Ives
• Truro
• Wadebridge

Cornwall - Transport

Cornwall borders the county of Devon at the River Tamar. Major road links between Cornwall and the rest of Britain are the A38 which crosses the Tamar at Plymouth via the Tamar Bridge, and the A30 which crosses the border south of Launceston. A car ferry also links Plymouth with the town of Torpoint on the opposite side of the Hamoaze. A rail bridge, the Royal Albert Bridge, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1859) provides the only other major transport link.

Newquay has an airport which has flights from London Gatwick, London Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Dublin, Birmingham, Durham Tees Valley and a flight to Málaga has recently been announced. The airport shares RAF St. Mawgan's runways and facilities; however, this is under threat as the Ministry of Defence is planning to mothball the base.

Cornwall - Places of interest

• Bodmin and Wenford Railway
• Bodmin Moor
• Carn Euny
• Carrick Roads
• Chûn Castle
• Chûn Quoit
• Chysauster Ancient Village
• Commando Ridge, Bosigran
• Cotehele
• Eden Project
• Godrevy Island
• Goonhilly Downs
• Gweek seal sanctuary
• Kynance Cove
• Land's End
• Lanhydrock House
• Lanyon Quoit
• Lappa Valley Steam Railway
• The Lizard
• Loe Pool

• Lost Gardens of Heligan
• Mên-an-Tol
• Minack Theatre
• Mullion Cove
• Pencarrow
• Pendennis Castle
• Penlee House
• Poldhu
• Polperro
• Museum of Submarine Telegraphy
• Restormel Castle
• River Fowey
• River Looe
• Roseland Peninsula
• South West Coast Path
• St Mawes Castle
• St Michael's Mount
• Tintagel Castle
• Trelissick Gardens
• Truro Cathedral

The Isles of Scilly have in some periods been served by the same county administration as Cornwall, but are today a separate Unitary Authority. Some secessionists have found the phrase "English Heritage" to be controversial, and in 2003, there has been a general move to replace these signs, and the Tudor Rose with the Cornish flag, after a group started removing them.

See also

• Cornish people
• Cornish language
• Cornish nationalism
• Mebyon Kernow
• List of Cornish people
• Constitutional status of Cornwall
• Kingdom of Cornwall
• West Country dialects
• Celt
• Modern Celts
• Cornish Rebellion of 1497
• Legendary Dukes of Cornwall
• Duchy of Cornwall
• Duke of Cornwall
• Earl of Cornwall
• Perkin Warbeck
• List of not fully sovereign nations

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Cornwall", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki