Cornwall is responsible for more than you may realise. When you think of Cornwall you automatically start thinking of sandy beaches and crashing waves, however, there is much more to the county than this. On your next visit into Cornwall, think about the amazing facts and creations that have come from the seaside county. From scientific discoveries, to Hollywood blockbusters, Cornwall is responsible for some of the world’s greatest creations.
Rocket Line Apparatus
Image SourceThe rocket line apparatus is a system where a line is launched from a ship in distress to the shore. This amazing system was created by Henry Trengrouse,who was originally a cabinet maker and was from Helston.Trengrouse created the apparatus after the tragic accident of the frigate HMS Anson was grounded. Over 100 men died just off of Loe Bar, which is located near Porthleven. The tragedy happened in 1807 and by 1808, the rocket line had been created. Trengrouse Way in Helston was named after Henry because of the great success of his invention.
Transparent Soap
Image SourceStandard soap has been around for thousands upon thousands of years, however, a brilliant Cornish mind created transparent soap much later. The idea came from barber Andrew Pears, who was born in Mevagissey in 1770. At the age of 17, he went to Soho to pursue his barbering dream, this is where he made his discovery.This is where he became conscious of the fact that people with sensitive skin needed a much more gentle soap. Pears soap was created in 1807 and was a high quality transparent soap with long-lasting bubbles. Pears soap is still sold in most major supermarkets and pharmacies.
Museum Of Witchcraft
Image Source Located in Boscastle, the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic was first opened in 1960 by Cecil Williamson. The museum is home to the world’s biggest collection of magical items and the museum delved into the practices of witchcraft and magic in Britain. The museum explores the differences in witchcraft from ancient times to the present day. The museum is also home to some extremely rare bewitching objects.
Austin Healeys
Image SourceDonald Healey was born in July of 1898 in Perranporth and was a rally racer. The Cornishman created the Donald Healey Motor Company and named the first car he created, the ‘Healey Elliott’. The Cars were first produced in 1946 all the way until 1950 when the Tickford model replaced the Elliott.Around 101 Elliotts were made but only around 25 of the cars remain now. Although the cars weren’t actually manufactured in Cornwall, they would never have come into fruition if not for the fantastic Cornish mind of Donald Healey.
Planets, Lunar Craters And An Asteroid
Image Source Something remarkable to come from Cornwall is the discovery of the planet Neptune. John Couch Adams was a mathematician and astronomer who was born in Laneast in 1819. Adams had suspicions about a planet beyond Uranus as early as 1841, although it wasn’t until 1845 when he informed Cambridge Observatory where the planet was located, this means that Adams’ discovery was a year earlier than the official discovery in Berlin.Because of his extraordinary discovery, John had an asteroid, a lunar crater and even one of Neptune’s rings named in his honour.
Incredible Authors
Image Source Daphne Du Maurier was born in 1907 near Fowey and was a fabulous author and playwright. Daphne wrote dozens of books that became world famous, including the classic gothic novel Rebecca. She had a writing career which spanned over four decades and wrote Jamaica Inn, which the inn near Launceston is named after.Rosamunde Pilcher is a Cornish writer who is exceptionally popular abroad; she was born in Lelant in 1924 and started writing when she was only 7 years old. In 1943 she joined the women’s Royal Naval Service and by 1949, she had published her first book “Secret To Tell” a great deal of her novels were turned into TV movies; these are strikingly popular in Germany.
Iconic Movie Locations
Image Source Cornwall is one of the most beautiful places in the whole of the UK, which means it’s no surprise that some of Hollywood’s most iconic movies were filmed in locations in the quaint seaside county. The locals are very used to new blockbusters announcing that they will be filming on the stunning coast.One of the most famous movies filmed in Cornwall, specifically at the Eden Project in Newquay is the James Bond classic “Die Another Day” which starred Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry and Judi Dench. Another famous movie filmed in the county was Tim Burton’s version of “Alice In Wonderland”, which has some scenes filmed at Antony house starring the Golden Globe winning actor Johnny Depp.
The Steam Engine
Image Source Richard Trevithick was born in 1771 in Tregajorran, which is a hamlet located near Redruth. Trevithick was well known for being a famous mining engineer, but not a lot of people know that he was responsible for creating and manufacturing the first steam locomotives before he went away to pursue his career in Peru.Unfortunately, not a lot of people know about Trevithick as James Watt is widely credited with the birth of the modern engine, however, in truthfulness, Richard Trevithick is the real father of the high pressure steam engine.
Cornwall is one of the most beloved places in the UK for stays, but there are so many things about Cornwall that not a lot of people know and are very interesting to learn about before your next visit. Some of these facts will even make you rethink what you know about the Cornish seaside county, Cornwall has so much history and so much of it is unknown, so here are 8 facts you probably didn’t know about Cornwall.
Cornish Pasties Are Very Practical
Image source Cornish pasties were originally created for the cornish tin miners to take to work. They needed a substantial and nourishing snack to keep their energy up throughout their long working hours. The large crusts were added so that the cornish miners had something to hold and once they had eaten the rest of the pastie, they would throw the crust away. This is because of all the harmful and poisonous chemicals that were involved in tin mining, the large crust meant that the pasties wouldn’t get contaminated.
Cornwall Has The Longest Coastline In The Country
Image sourceThree sides of the beautiful southern county are covered by clear blue oceans which means that the county has the longest coastlines in the whole of the UK, the coast has actually been measured to be a colossal 1,086km, which doesn’t even include the coasts of the isle of scilly. The gorgeous Cornish coastline is the perfect setting for romantic walks, breathing in the sea air and taking in the astonishing scenery.
Cornwall Has The Largest Selection Of Plant Species In The UK
Image sourceThe Eden Project is a “global garden” with plants from all over the globe. Because of this, Cornwall is home to the largest collection of species found in the British isles. Plants have been collected from all around the world and are kept in two huge biomes, which activate the exact temperature that the plants need to survive. The larger biome mimics a rainforest and the smaller biome recreates the gorgeous mediterranean. This means that even in the colder months, the plants are in an area with temperatures of over 28 degrees.
Cornwall Has A Native Language
Image sourceOne of the lesser-known facts about Cornwall is that it has its own language, Kernewek. The language comes from celtic origin but it sadly began its decline in the18th and 19th century. Most reports say that the last person who spoke Kernewek as a first language died in 1777 and was a lady named Dolly Pentreath, however, there are some claims that the last native speaker didn’t die until much more recently in 1914. Although, in recent years, schools have begun teaching the language in hopes of a Kernewek revival.
Some Cornish Waters Are Shark Infested
Image sourceYou may not realise quite how vast the aquatic animals that habitat the area are. Of course they have crustaceans and small common fish, but the waters also house larger animals such as Bottlenose Dolphins, Grey Seals, Basking Sharks, and Whale Sharks, which sound extremely intimidating, but they only actually eat plankton. Recently a Blue Shark even took a trip to the harbour in St Ives, although some experts believe that the shark may have just got lost.
Waves Reach Unbelievable Heights
Image sourceSurfing is obviously one of the most popular activities in Cornwall, and with the stunning crystal clear waters, we can see why. However, a lot of people don’t realise just how striking the waves can become, especially on Fistral Beach, which is located on the Newquay coastline. During winter storms, the waves can reach breathtaking heights of around 30ft, definitely not for the faint hearted, but these waves are a surfer's dream.
There Is A Cornish Flag
Image sourceThe cornish flag is known as St Piran’s flag or “Baner Peran” in Kernewek, it is a black flag with a white cross through centre and a lot of of Cornish people use it to symbolise their identity. Whilst the exact date the flag was created is unknown, the earliest reports of the flag being used date back to 1188, when the flag was being used in crusades. It was then accredited to Saint Piran who was a 5th century Cornish patron saint. Many locals celebrate this flag and some even have stickers of the flag on their cars and fly the flag on masts in their gardens.
Cornwall Has Over 300 Beaches
Image sourceClearly with a coastline of over 1,000km you would expect Cornwall to have a huge amount of beaches, but over 300 is astounding. Cornwall has beaches that are suited for everyone, if you are wanting to have a whimsical picnic on the beach then visiting one of the beautiful secluded coves is a must.If you are on a fun filled family holiday, then the long golden sandy beaches are perfect and the pebbled beaches can act as a great setting for a seashell pirate treasure hunt. There are also many different dog friendly beaches so you don’t have to leave your furry friend behind. The majority of the beaches also have highly qualified lifeguards so you can relax whilst your children have fun and of course you can’t forget about the iconic surfing beaches, some of which offer surfing lessons, you can find out more about that here.