History UsefulNotes / Cornwall

Cornwall is known for sunshine (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), stunning coastal scenery, tin mining, fishing, surfing, farming, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, smuggling, clotted cream, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, farmers driving tractors on main roads, a language that hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, farming, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

* ''Literature/HarvestHome'' is set in HawthorneCountry in the U.S., but it is based in a Cornish settlement, with names such as Tamar and other Cornish words popular among the townspeople, who still speak with Cornish accents.

* The Music/FishermansFriends are a folk group from Port Isaac who specializes in sea shanties. They've recorded several albums - one of which got into the top ten in the British album charts - and had [[Film/FishermansFriends a movie]] made about them in 2019.

* ''The Camomile Lawn'': focuses on holidays in Cornwall before and after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

** ''Frenchman's Creek'' is set during the reign of UsefulNotes/CharlesII following the love short of a noble English lady and a French Pirate who is terrorizing the Cornish coast.
** ''Literature/JamaicaInn'' takes place in Cornwall and is mainly about wreckers - people tricking ships to wreak themselves on the shores of Cornwall in order to steal their cargo.

* ''Theatre/KingLear'' takes place in Britain, with the kingdom divided between the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany. Most of Cornwall's scenes take place in Gloucester, which is located about 100 miles or more north of modern Cornwall, near the mouth of the River Severn on the English side, with the Severn serving as a natural boundary between England and Wales.

* The 2000 Comedy film ''Film/SavingGrace'' Starring Brenda Blethyn and Creator/CraigFerguson is set in Cornwall and was primarily filmed in and around the village of Port Isaac and surrounding cornish coast.

* Although Jim Hawkins is the son of a Bristol innkeeper (and therefore most definitely ''not'' Cornish), ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' does have a few hints of Cornwall. Squire Trelawney is named for an old Cornish family [[note]] 'Tre' is a common preface in Cornish surnames; as the old rhyme states: "By the Tre, and Pol, and Pen, ye shall know the Cornishmen"[[/note]] and one of his servants, Redruth, is named for a Cornish town. Also, at the time when [[Creator/RobertLouisStevenson Stevenson]] was writing it, the only pub in England called the Admiral Benbow was the one in Penzance.

Cornwall has an ongoing rivalry with Devon, its neighbour across the Tamar and the only other county with which it shares a border. To outsiders (especially those not from the rest of the UK), the whole "cream or jam first" debate may seem tame, but this is serious stuff [[note]] this relates to the West Country delicacy that is the cream tea; in Cornwall, they spread jam on the scone first, while in Devon it’s cream first. Both sides insist that their way is best and the other lot are wrong. Actual scientists have conducted detailed studies on which is the most effective method. Only in Britain[[/note]]. A few years ago historians claimed to have found evidence of pasties being made in Devon mining villages before the earliest known making of them in Cornwall, to the indignation of the Cornish who claimed that this was cultural appropriation [[note]] the Cornish pasty actually has Protected Geographic Indication status; if it’s not made in Cornwall, you can’t call it a Cornish pasty[[/note]]. Wars have been fought over less.

* The 2000 Comedy film ''[[Film/SavingGrace]]'' Starring Brenda Blethyn and Creator/CraigFerguson is set in Cornwall and was primarily filmed in and around the village of Port Isaac and surrounding cornish coast.

* The Music/FishermansFriends are a male singing group from Port Isaac who specialise in sea shanties. They've recorded several albums - one of which got into the top ten in the British album charts - and had [[Film/FishermansFriends a movie]] made about them in 2019.

Cornwall is known for sunshine (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), stunning coastal scenery, tin mining, fishing, surfing, farming, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, clotted cream, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, farmers driving tractors on main roads, a language that hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, farming, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

* The sculptor Barbara Hepworth was one of several artists who settled in St Ives during the twentieth century; along with the likes of Peter Lanyon and Ben Nicholson, she was a founder and leading member of the abstract Penwith Society of Arts.

* Richard of Cornwall - younger son of [[UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland King John]]. His fascination with the [[KingArthur Arthurian legends]] - the result of reading [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]] at an impressionable age - led him to build a castle at Tintagel despite it being of no strategic value [[note]](Geoffrey's stories weren’t entirely made up; archaeologists have established that there ''was'' a high-status settlement at Tintagel in the fifth and sixth centuries AD)[[/note]]. The castle was built in a notably old-fashioned style for the time (the 1230s) to make it appear more ancient.

Cornwall is known for sunshine (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), stunning coastal scenery, tin mining, fishing, surfing, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, clotted cream, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, a language that hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

* Although he's actually from Oxfordshire, celebrity chef Rick Stein has lived in Cornwall for many years and owns several restaurants (ranging from the high-end Seafood Restaurant to a fish & chip shop) in the fishing village of Padstow, which is sometimes nicknamed "Padstein" due to his impact on the local economy.

* St Piran - Cornwall's patron saint was on of many holy people who settled in Cornwall during the [[DarkAgeEurope Dark Ages]]. According to legend, he was thrown off a cliff in his native Ireland tied to a millstone - but rather than sinking, he floated across the sea to Cornwall.

With its only land border consisting mainly of a river (the Tamar), Cornwall's boundaries have remained unchanged for over a thousand years. It has a distinctly Celtic heritage, making it closer to Wales and Brittany (which has a sub-division called Cornouaille) in historical and cultural terms than the rest of England.

* ''Series/{{Poldark}}'' and the novels on which it's based are set in Cornwall. The author, Winston Graham [[note]] who also wrote ''[[Film/{{Marnie}}]]''[[/note]], lived in Cornwall for many years.

* Robert Newton, the actor widely held to be responsible for the whole TalkLikeAPirate thing thanks to his portrayal of Long John Silver in ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1950 Treasure Island]]'', for which he used an exaggeration of his natural West Country accent (he was in fact born in Dorset but was raised in Lamorna, not far from Penzance).

Ahh, Cornwall. Or Kernow in Cornish. A small county at the southern tip of UsefulNotes/TheWestCountry, but also so much more than that.

Cornwall is known for sunshine (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), sea, tin mining, fishing, surfing, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, clotted cream, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, a language that hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With tin mining gone, fishing in decline and farming on wobbly territory, Cornwall thrives mostly on tourism and tourists, known locally as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmet_(Cornish) emmets]].
In fact, Cornwall is one of only four areas in the UK eligible for EU 'Objective One' funding: money given to poverty-stricken areas [[note]]Defined as being below 70% of the European GDP.[[/note]]. Ironically, in the June 23 2016 Brexit referendum, Cornwall voted to leave the EU by 56.5%, but then got desperate to keep the funding.

Proud of its Celtic heritage, Cornwall has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Piran%27s_Flag its own flag]] - the Cross of St Piran (white cross on a black background) is widely flown west of the Tamar and is available on badges, bumper stickers, etc. From around 2002 onwards, knowledge of this elsewhere has led to most (other) English counties adopting their own flags.

Cornwall has an ongoing rivalry with Devon, its neighbour across the Tamar and the only other county with which it shares a border. To outsiders (especially those not from the rest of the UK), the whole “cream or jam first” debate may seem tame, but this is serious stuff [[note]] this relates to the West Country delicacy that is the cream tea; in Cornwall, they spread jam on the scone first, while in Devon it’s cream first. Both sides insist that their way is best and the other lot are wrong. Actual scientists have conducted detailed studies on which is the most effective method. Only in Britain[[/note]]. A few years ago historians claimed to have found evidence of pasties being made in Devon mining villages before the earliest known making of them in Cornwall, to the indignation of the Cornish who claimed that this was cultural appropriation [[note]] the Cornish pasty actually has Protected Geographic Indication status; if it’s not made in Cornwall, you can’t call it a Cornish pasty[[/note]]. Wars have been fought over less.

* Daphne Du Maurier, author of ''Literature/{{Rebecca}}'' and many other works, was born in London but lived and died in Cornwall. Menabilly, the house near Fowey where she lived, was the inspiration for Manderley.

* ''The Birds'' by Daphne Du Maurier is set in Cornwall. Of course, the short story is [[AdaptationDisplacement eclipsed]] by [[Film/TheBirds the better-known]] FilmOfTheBook by Creator/AlfredHitchcock, who moved it to UsefulNotes/{{California}}.

* ''Frenchman's Creek'': a novel set during the reign of UsefulNotes/CharlesII following the love short of a noble English lady and a French Pirate who is terrorizing the Cornish coast.

* ''Literature/JamaicaInn'', another story by Daphne Du Maurier, takes place in Cornwall is partly about people tricking ships to wreak themselves on the shores of Cornwall to steal their loot.

* The Poldark novels and [[Series/{{Poldark}} TV series]] written by Winston Graham, who was himself Cornish.

Proudly Celtic, Cornwall has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Piran%27s_Flag its own flag]] - the Cross of St Piran (white cross on a black background) is widely flown west of the Tamar and is available on badges, bumper stickers, etc. From around 2002 onwards, knowledge of this elsewhere has led to most (other) English counties adopting their own flags.

Cornwall has an ongoing rivalry with Devon, its neighbour across the Tamar and the only other county with which it shares a border. To outsiders (especially those not from the rest of the UK), the whole “cream or jam first” debate may seem tame, but this is serious stuff [[note]] this relates to the West Country delicacy that is the cream tea; in Cornwall, they spread jam on the scone first, while in Devon it’s cream first. Both sides insist that their way is best and the other lot are wrong. Actual scientists have conducted detailed studies on which is the most effective method[[/note]]. A few years ago historians claimed to have found evidence of pasties being made in Devon mining villages before the earliest known making of them in Cornwall, to the indignation of the Cornish who claimed that this was cultural appropriation [[note]] the Cornish pasty actually has Protected Geographic Indication status; if it’s not made in Cornwall, you can’t call it a Cornish pasty[[/note]]. Wars have been fought over less.

Cornwall has an ongoing rivalry with Devon, its neighbour across the Tamar and the only other county with which it shares a border. To outsiders (especially those not from the rest of the UK), the whole “cream or jam first” debate may seem tame, but this is serious stuff [[note]] this relates to the West Country delicacy that is the cream tea; in Cornwall, they spread jam on the scone first, while in Devon it’s cream first. Both sides insist that their way is best and the other lot are wrong. Actual scientists have conducted detailed studies on which is the most effective method[[/note]]. A few years ago historians found evidence of pasties being made in Devon mining villages before the earliest known making of them in Cornwall, to the indignation of the Cornish who claimed that this was cultural appropriation [[note]] the Cornish pasty actually has Protected Geographic Indication status; if it’s not made in Cornwall, you can’t call it a Cornish pasty[[/note]]. Wars have been fought over less.

Cornwall has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Piran%27s_Flag its own flag]] - the Cross of St Piran (white cross on a black background) is widely flown west of the Tamar and is available on badges, bumper stickers, etc. From around 2002 onwards, knowledge of this elsewhere has led to most (other) English counties adopting their own flags.

* KingArthur, maybe. Specifically, according to [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]], Arthur's mother Igraine was wife to Gorlois Duke of Cornwall. She was [[BedTrick bedded by the disguised Uther Pendragon]] at Tintagel in Cornwall, leading to Arthur's birth.

* Richard of Cornwall - younger son of [[UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland King John]]. His fascination with the [[KingArthur Arthurian legends]] - the result of reading [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]] at an impressionable age - led him to build a castle at Tintagel despite it being of no strategic value [[note]](Geoffrey's stories aren't entirely made up; archaeologists have established that there ''was'' a high-status settlement at Tintagel in the fifth and sixth centuries AD)[[/note]]. Richard had the castle built in a notably old-fashioned style for the time to make it appear more ancient.

* KingArthur, maybe. Specifically, Arthur's mother Igraine was wife to Gorlois Duke of Cornwall. She was [[BedTrick bedded by the disguised Uther Pendragon]] at Tintagel in Cornwall, leading to Arthur's birth.

* Richard of Cornwall - younger son of [[UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland King John]]. His fascination with the [[KingArthur Arthurian legends]] led him to build a castle at Tintagel in the 1230s, despite it having no strategic value whatsoever. Tintagel’s association with Arthur was the work of [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]] (see above) [[note]](Geoffrey's stories aren't entirely made up; archaeologists have established that there ''was'' a high-status settlement at Tintagel in the fifth and sixth centuries AD)[[/note]]. Richard had the castle built in a notably old-fashioned style for the time to make it appear more ancient.

Cornwall has an ongoing rivalry with Devon, its neighbour across the Tamar and the only other county with which it shares a border. To outsiders (especially those not from the rest of the UK), the whole “cream or jam first” debate may seem tame, but this is serious stuff [[this relates to the West Country delicacy that is the cream tea; in Cornwall, they spread jam on the scone first, while in Devon it’s cream first. Both sides insist that their way is best and the other lot are wrong. Actual scientist have written academic papers on which is the most effective method[[/note]]. A few years ago historians found evidence of pasties being made in Devon mining villages before the earliest known making of them in Cornwall, to the indignation of the Cornish who claimed that this was cultural appropriation [[note]] the Cornish pasty actually has Product of Designated Origin status; if it’s not made in Cornwall, you can’t call it s Cornish pasty[[/note]]. Wars have been fought over less.

!!Famous people from (or strongly associated with) Cornwall:

* Richard of Cornwall - younger son of [[UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland King John]]. Built Tintagel Castle in the 1230s to establish a connection with the [[KingArthur Arthurian legends]] that were associated by [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]] with the area [[note]](Geoffrey's stories aren't entirely made up; archaeologists have established that there ''was'' a high-status settlement at Tintagel in the fifth and sixth centuries AD)[[/note]]; the castle was built in a more old-fashioned style for the time to make it appear more ancient.

Cornwall is known for sunshine (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), sea, tin mining, fishing, surfing, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, a language that hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Cornwall is known for sun (which comes as a surprise to its inhabitants), sea, tin mining, fishing, surfing, great beaches, Cornish pasties, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrecking_%28shipwreck%29 wrecking]], holidays (for people who live elsewhere in the UK), cider, mining, granite, Cornish pasties, fishing, mining, farming, the [[http://www.edenproject.com Eden Project]], a long-standing rivalry with Devon, a language the hardly anyone speaks in real life, [[OverlyLongGag mining, fishing, Cornish pasties]] and a dialect that is nigh-indeciperable to anyone from 'up country', otherwise known as [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} England]]. Large stretches of the coastline, as well as Bodmin Moor, are protected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

* Richard of Cornwall - younger son of [[UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland King John]]. He's the man who built Tintagel Castle in the 1230s to establish a connection with the [[KingArthur Arthurian legends]] that were associated by [[Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae Geoffrey of Monmouth]] with the area [[note]](Geoffrey may not have made ''everything'' up; archaeologists have established that there was a high-status settlement at Tintagel in the fifth and sixth centuries AD)[[/note]]; the castle was built in a more old-fashioned style for the time to make it appear more ancient.