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Landscapes & Heritage In Cornwall
English
Heritage exists to protect and promote
England's spectacular historic properties and
sites and there are around 20 English Heritage sites and properties in
Cornwall. To find them all, visit the English
Heritage site and search for Cornwall
Below
we have listed some of the sites that are
protected by the National
Trust, English
Heritage or are a specific Conservation
village like Polperro. The list is not
exhaustive and the whole of Cornwall of course
has some of the most fantastic landscape in
the whole of the British Isles and literally
oozes with heritage.
If you are exploring Cornwall, you should visit some or all of
the sites listed but really you should visit
all of Cornwall and take a few years to do it,
maybe a lifetime. Holiday Cottages Cornwall
can offer you fantastic accommodation nearby
to wherever you decide to base yourself, with
new cottages joining all the time.
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Chysauster
Ancient Village
Gulval, Penzance
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This
Celtic settlement was originally
occupied almost 2,000 years ago. The
'village' consisted of eight
stone-walled homesteads known as
'courtyard houses', which are only found
on the Land's End peninsula and the
Isles of Scilly. Each house had an open
central courtyard surrounded by a number
of thatched rooms. The houses form one
of the oldest village streets in the
country.
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Pendennis
Castle
Pendennis Head, Falmouth
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Pendennis
and its sister, St Mawes Castle, face
each other across the mouth of the River
Fal. Constructed between 1540-45, they
are the Cornish end of a chain of
castles built by Henry VIII on the south
coast. In 1598, during Elizabeth I's
reign, a new type of defensive wall was
added around the original fort.
Strengthened again prior to the Civil
War, Pendennis was host to the future
Charles II in 1646. It was re-armed
during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, seeing action during World
War II. Visit the World War II Half Moon
Battery, the Guardhouse, the
Discovery Centre and the
underground tunnels.
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St
Mawes Castle
St Mawes
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This,
the most perfectly preserved of Henry
VIII's coastal fortresses, was built to
counter the invasion threat from Europe
in partnership with its twin, Pendennis,
on the other side of the Fal Estuary. It
fell to landward attack from
Parliamentarian forces in 1646 and was
not properly refortified until the late
19th and early 20th centuries.
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Boscastle
Boscastle
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Boscastle
is a charming medieval harbour with much
of the land in and around
Boscastle
owned by the National Trust. Now well
known as a result of the recent floods,
Boscastle is well worth a visit to see
dramatic coastline, sheltered valleys
and ancient woodland and it is
internationally renowned for its
wildlife and geology.
Forrabury Stitches, high
above the village is divided into
ancient 'stitchmeal' cultivation plots,
and there are large areas of woodland
and meadow in the lovely Valency Valley.
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Penrose
Estate
Helston
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At
the heart of the Penrose Estate lies Loe
Pool, Cornwall's
largest freshwater lake
that meets the sea at the dramatic
shingle bank of Loe Bar. Surrounding the
Pool is a mix of rich farmland and
woodland through which there are many
paths, including the 5-mile circuit of
the Pool itself. Wildlife
is in abundance here, including many
birds and mammals including notable
species such as the otter.
At
Gunwalloe, two sandy coves lie either
side of the 14th-century church (not NT)
and the valley reed
bed provides a haven for bird life.
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St
Michael’s Mount
Marazion
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St
Michael’s Mount is a rocky island with
a medieval
church and castle on it’s summit.
Accessible on foot at low tide across a
causeway, at other times it is reached
by a short evocative boat trip. The
oldest surviving buildings date from the
12th century, when a Benedictine priory
was founded here. Following the English
Civil War, the island was acquired by
the St Aubyn family, who still live in
the castle. In the intervening years
many additions and alterations were made
to convert it for use as a mansion
house. Fascinating rooms from different
eras include the mid-18th-century
Gothick-style Blue Drawing Room. St
Michael’s Mount was the film location
for Orsino's
castle in 'Twelfth Night'
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Restormel
Castle
Lostwithiel
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Surrounded
by a deep moat and perched on a high
mound, the huge circular keep of this
castle, built at the turn of the 14th
century, survives in good condition.
Built as a symbol of wealth and status
and once home to Edward, the Black
Prince, it offers splendid views over
the surrounding countryside. It's also a
marvellous picnic spot.
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Tintagel
Castle
Tintagel
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With
its spectacular location on one of
England's most dramatic coastlines,
Tintagel is an awe-inspiring and
romantic spot. It is also a place of
legends. The remains of the medieval
castle represent only one phase in a
long history of occupation. Even before
Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built his
castle, Tintagel had come to be
associated with the conception of King
Arthur. After a period as a Roman
settlement and military outpost,
Tintagel is thought to have been a
trading settlement of Celtic kings
during the 5th and 6th centuries. The
remains of the 13th-century castle are
breathtaking.
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The
Goldolphin Estate
Goldolphin
Cross, Helston
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The
Goldolphin Estate is Historic
landscape offering extensive walks and
wonderful views over west Cornwall from
Godolphin Hill. The National Trust acquired
this ancient 555 acre estate in 2000 and
have made and are making; improvements
to public access. From Godolphin Hill
there are wonderful views over west
Cornwall. There are more than 400
recorded archaeological features which
range from Bronze Age enclosures to
dramatic 19th-century mine buildings.
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Land's End
Lands
End
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The
dramatic scenery of Land’s End
combined with an extensive visitor
centre and range of attractions ensure a
great day out for all the family. There
are
magnificent cliffs, seabirds and wild
flowers so see and over 20 separate
shops, cafes and attractions to visit.
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Polperro
Polperro
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Polperro
is a 13th century Conservation fishing
village situated on the south east coast
of Cornwall. Unspoilt by progress,
there are countless historic houses and
buildings of interest in the village.
Couch's House for example dates from
1595 and in the 19th century was lived
in by Dr. Jonathan Couch, physician,
naturalist and collector of fossils.
Visit the Polperro Heritage Museum
(pictured) which is open every day from
March to October and packed with
interesting artefacts and displays of
the life and customs of Polperro through
the centuries.
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Launceston
Castle
Launceston
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Launceston
Castle is set on the high motte of a
stronghold built soon after the Norman
Conquest. It was famously used as a jail
for George Fox during the reign of
Charles II. As the venue for the county
assizes and jail, the castle witnessed
the trials and hangings of numerous
criminals. The last execution was in
1821. A hands-on display at the castle
traces 1,000 years of history, with
finds from site excavations.
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St
Breock Downs Monolith
St Breock Downs, Wadebridge
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A
prehistoric standing stone, originally 5
metres (16 ft) high and weighing some
16.75 tonnes, this is Cornwall's
heaviest. The stone is set in beautiful
countryside.
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Carnewas
and Bedruthan Steps
Bedruthan, Wadebridge
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This
is one of the most popular destinations
on the Cornish coast because of the
dramatic coastline with clifftop views
over massive rock stacks stretching into
the distance across the sweep of
Bedruthan beach. There are magnificent
walks along the coast path between
Carnewas and Park Head. The National
Trust has rebuilt the cliff staircase
down to the beach, but it is unsafe to
bathe at any time and visitors need to
be aware of the risk of being cut off by
the tide.
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Godrevy
Gwythian, Hayle
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The
National Trust owns all the coastline
from Godrevy to Navax Point. Fantastic
for walking, you can enjoy the cliffs,
smugglers coves and long sandy beaches.
The main beach below the summer car park
connects to Gwithian Beach, forming an
impressive sweep of unbroken sand around
the edge of St Ives bay. Away from the
bustle of the beach the coastal
grasslands and heathland are rich with
wild flowers and provide open access for
miles of walking. Seals are a common
sight and guillemot, razorbill, fulmar
and cormorant breed on the cliffs
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The
Lizard & Kynance Cove
Lizard
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The
Lizard is the most southerly point of
mainland Britain and the turning point
of one of the busiest shipping lanes in
the world. The coastline on either side
offers dramatic cliff walks, masses of
rare wild flowers and fascinating
geological features. The area played a
key role in the history of modern
communications. And you can visit the
Lizard Wireless Station and the Marconi
Centre at Poldhu. Two miles north of
Lizard Point lies Kynance Cove - white
sand, turquoise water and islands of
multi-coloured serpentine rock with
stacks and arches hidden amongst the
towering cliffs.
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St
Anthony Head
St Mawes, Falmouth
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At
the southernmost tip of the Roseland
peninsula, St Anthony Head overlooks the
spectacular entrance to one of the
world's largest natural harbours -
Carrick Roads and the Fal estuary. The
starting point for a number of excellent
coastal and sheltered creekside walks,
the Head also bears newly revealed
remains of a century of defensive
fortifications.
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Tintagel
Old Post Office
Tintagel
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One of
the Trust's most delightful medieval
buildings, enhanced by a cottage garden.
Tintagel Old Post Office is a 600
year-old traditional Cornish Longhouse
set in enchanting cottage gardens. A
rare survival of Cornish domestic
architecture of its time, this
diminutive 14th-century yeoman farm
house is well furnished with local oak
pieces, some dating to 16th
Century. One room was used in the 19th
century as the letter-receiving office
for the district and is now restored to
show how it looked and functioned in
Victorian times.
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Truro
Cathedral
Truro
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Truro
Cathedral was completed in 1880 and
Edward White Benson was the first Bishop
of Truro until 1883 when he became the
Archbishop of Canterbury. A
Bill establishing the Diocese of Truro
was passed by Parliament in 1876.
Cornwall had its own Bishop at St
Germans, near Saltash, until the towards
the end of the 10th Century after which
the Cornish Diocese was then held
jointly with Devon at which point the
Cornish Diocese ceased to be a separate
entity. It took over 800 for the Cornish
Diocese to be re-established at Truro.
The Diocese of Truro covers the whole of
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and the
site chosen in Truro was where the
Parish Church of St Mary’s stood.
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King
Doniert’s Stone
St Cleer, Liskeard
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Situated on Bodmin Moor, near St Cleer, is King Doniert’s Stone, the
remains of a Cornish Cross Two decorated
pieces of a 9th-century cross, with a
Latin inscription
"Doniert
Rogavit pro anima" meaning "Doniert
asks for prayers for his soul."
This is a monument to King Doniert who
drowned in the River Fower in the 9th
century.
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