The remainder of the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period were relatively settled, with Cornwall developing its tin mining industry and becoming a duchy in 1337. During the Industrial Revolution, the tin and copper mines were expanded and then declined, with china clay extraction becoming a major industry. Railways were built, leading to a growth of tourism in the 20th century. During this period, the Cornish language went into steep decline, but is now being revived.
The Isles of Scilly have a long history of shipwrecks because of the rocky coasts. Cornwall has a small but growing film industry, mostly focusing on the Cornish language and culture. The Cornish film industry is supported by organisations such as War-rag (War-rag meaning “”ahead”” in Cornish). In 1549, the Prayer Book Rebellion caused the deaths of thousands of people from Devon and Cornwall. The Methodism of John Wesley also proved to be very popular with the working classes in Cornwall in the 18th century.
The picturesque fishing villages of Looe and Polperro are great places to explore and relax. In addition, you can visit Lanhydrock the National Trust property near Bodmin. The county of Cornwall sits at the south west tip of Great Britain facing the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered in large part with Devon by the River Tamar.
Levant Mine in St Just Mining DistrictMining of tin and copper was also an industry, but today the derelict mine workings survive only as a World Heritage Site. Cornish wrestlingThe main sports played in Cornwall are rugby, football and cricket. Athletes from Truro have done well in Olympic and Commonwealth Games fencing, winning several medals. Surfing is popular, particularly with tourists, thousands of whom take to the water throughout the summer months. Some towns and villages have bowling clubs, and a wide variety of British sports are played throughout Cornwall.
Poems, essays and short stories have also been published in newspapers and magazines e.g. Then there are literary works in standard English including conversations between dialect speakers, often with a typically Cornish humour. If you are into clambering over castles, then Henry VIII’s castles at Pendennis and St Mawes guarding the entrance to Falmouth are well worth a visit. For a magical day out take the family to Tintagel Castle, steeped in legend and mystery; said to be the birthplace of King Arthur and you can still visit nearby Merlin’s Cave.
The two main roads into Cornwall are the A30 and A38 and they may it accessible for road users to visit Cornwall with ease. The A30 runs between Exeter and Penzance with 111 mile stretch of road being largely a dual carriageway. The A38 runs from Mansfield to Bodmin and was the main “holiday route” until the opening of the M5 but is still a useful alternative if there is a traffic jam on the motorway. Other roads that reach Cornwall include the A39 from Barnstaple to Bude, the A3072 which runs from central Devon to Bude and finally the A3930 from Tavistock to Liskeard. The population of some of these locations can soar during the summer with tourists flocking to the destinations with Newquay’s population reaching over 100,000 making it a bigger town than West Bromwich, Preston and Bath. Cornwall is famed for its world-renowned beaches which make it a surfing haven in the UK as well as one of the leading holiday destinations in the UK.