Cornwall's Hidden History Blog
The church of St Grada and the Holy Cross stands on high ground above Cadgwith Cove. Surrounded by fields with a view of the sea, it is a peaceful place that can only be reached on foot. Although it has been dedicated to Saint Grada since 1310, the church is thought to have had an […]
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With so many well known prehistoric sites on Bodmin Moor and Penwith it is easy to imagine that the central region in between, around Falmouth, Redruth and Truro, is devoid of ancient monuments. However, they are there if you know where to look. Rather than standing alone with a backdrop of dramatic moorland, these relics […]
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When Margaret Kennedy published her ninth novel The Feast in 1950 it was met with considerable fanfare. It had been more than twelve years since her last, The Midas Touch, had been released and fans of her work were desperate for more of her writing. Set in a Cornish hotel after the Second World War […]
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The Helford River is fringed by beautiful ancient woodland. Dominated by oak trees, each of these woods has its own name and its own history. There is Bonallack, Bosahan, Calamansack, Carminowe, Merthen and Roskymmer, old Cornish names that dance on the tongue. Most remain untouched, home to rabbits, the odd deer and perhaps a clamour […]
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On the 19th May 1845 the greatest Arctic expedition ever planned set off from England, its mission – to find to elusive North-West Passage. This was the most technologically advanced and best-equipped enterprise of its age and, despite the failure of many previous attempts, the Admiralty and all those aboard the HMS Erebus and HMS […]
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In a copse of trees known as the Rookery not far from the city of Truro there is a large granite column called the Pencalenick Obelisk. This isolated stone pillar has been the cause of speculation and rumour for more than a hundred years, since those who remember why it was built have all gone. […]
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Not far from the village of Coverack is an open stretch of moorland called Crousa Downs. This rough ground is a home to adders, thick with knee-deep undergrowth and dotted with large boulders. But hidden amongst these natural stones is an ancient man-made structure called the Three Brothers of Grugwith (sometimes Grugith). In an area […]
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One of the highlights of walking along Cornwall’s stunning coastal path is coming upon a lighthouse perched precariously on a cliff edge or rocky headland. These are magnificent buildings – bold, seemingly impregnable but undeniably functional. Their towers stand smooth and solid against the rough rock and the inconstant sea. But perhaps the most fascinating […]
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The precipitous descends and ascents of the north coast near Millook Haven can be a challenge to even the most experienced walker! John Lloyd Warden Page wrote in the 19th century that these coves are “desperately hard to get out of!” and I think it is fair to say that he was right. But it […]
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Robert ‘Bobby’ Leach was a daredevil stuntman said to hail from Cornwall. In July 1911 he became the first man, and only the second person, to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. After recovering from his injuries he became an international celebrity, travelling the world with his barrel, regaling audiences with his tales of […]
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