Cornwall's Hidden History Blog
The narrow lane to Boleigh fogou takes you by surprise. Tucked away on a bend, just after the turning to Lamorna Cove, the entrance is narrow and one side lined with large granite boulders. Up until yesterday I had never been here before. The fact that you must pre-arrange a time to come and see […]
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The artistic community in Cornwall is thriving. Drawn to the county by the dramatic coastal scenery, the strong creative atmosphere and the famous clarity of the light, there are more artists here than in any other area of the country outside of London. And that pull has been felt for more than 200 years. Here […]
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I love a donkey. So why have I never taken the time to visit the Flicka Foundation before today? Mary Berryman founded this wonderful charity more than 20 years ago and it provides a safe place and rehabilitation for more than 600 animals. Today the sanctuary cares for around 100 donkeys and horses in the […]
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We’ve all heard the stories. Unsuspecting travellers on some dark, remote road being led astray by strange lights, false paths or mysterious strangers and becoming hopelessly lost. The Cornish call it being piskie-led, (it often happens on the way home from the pub) and there are certain paths that were once famous for such misadventures. […]
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This strange tumbled rock tor feels like an island as you approach it through the surrounding marshy ground. Looking up at the jutting outcrops of stone it appears like a castle, a fortress, rising above you into the blue sky. Helman, like the mighty Carn Brea or Trencrom further south, is an example of what […]
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Cornwall, like so many rural areas, thrives and survives because of its close-knit communities which provide fund raising, educating and much needed support in a county where poverty and isolation often lurks behind the sunsets and sandy beaches. Institutions like the Women’s Institute, the Lions Club, Rotary Club and the Girl Guides are long established […]
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On the 20th July 1980 celebrations were being held in Truro for the introduction of British Rail’s new InterCity 125 to Cornwall. The Mayor of Truro, John Farndon, and other local dignitaries were gathered at Truro Railway Station for the arrival of this high-speed, streamlined engine but for many it was another engine that rather […]
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This small village on the North Coast of Cornwall was once one of the area’s best kept secrets but these days it is well and truly on the tourist trail and for good reason! Not only is Boscastle a picture-perfect example of a hidden Cornish harbour but it also offers the visitor a rather lovely […]
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I am always on the look out for the unusual, the odd and the downright peculiar, whether it is a house with a 3000 years lease, a lost golden cup, or a sighting of mermaids I just love to find the story behind it all! So when I heard about a grave in the village […]
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My house is full of past lives. My family have lived on the farm where I grew up for just over 100 years, consequently as a child I was surrounded by other people’s possessions; their books, furniture and knick-knacks. One generation after another has added to the chattels of the house. The mirror that I […]
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