Cornwall's History
& Historical Timeline

The granite areas were formed and weathered down to more like we see today. The dinosaurs came and went and flowering plants evolved, the climate was tropical and dominated by monsoons. Later during the Ice Ages the rotten rock was further broken up and washed down to lower areas to form soils, minerals and china clay. Ancestors of modern humans visited Cornwall for the first time. Cornwall is too far south to be under the ice sheet, and is joined to Continental Europe.

From 400,000 BC to 200,000 BC, the archaeological record (ie. flint axes and blades) shows us that people, that were probably settled in Devon, were beginning to make periodic visits into Cornwall. By 40,000 BC (The Upper Palaeolithic) these modern humans (Homo Sapiens Sapiens) have spread throughout the South West, but there is still no evidence of settlements in Cornwall at this time (as yet).

This period begins at the end of the last glacial period, when water levels began to rise cutting Cornwall off from the Continent as the Channel floods, and hunter-gatherer bands begin to settle around the coastlines of Cornwall, around the Lizard, for example, and have working sites on upland areas, such as Bodmin Moor as the lower areas would have been tree covered.

The Neolithic period is a time of great social and agricultural development. This can be seen through the adoption of farming and increased monument construction, brought about largely by an increasing population. Settlements begin to be fortified such as the one on top of Carn Brea, and structures such as Chun Quoit, Boscawen-Un and Chysauster Ancient Village.
The first Cornish hedges enclosed land for cereal crops during the Neolithic Age.

This period is defined by the introduction of metalworking, especially in bronze, which uses Cornwall's natural resources of tin and copper.
These sources are found by tin-streaming and open-cast mining for copper which then started a trade boom driven by the export of tin across Europe.
The period is also characterised by its ceremonial and burial monuments: the stone circles, rows and standing stones or menhirs, the barrows with their kist graves and many other ancient monuments.

The climate begins to get wetter during this period which causes settlement movement to lowland sites such as Trethellan, Newquay, and a move to more seasonal and less intensive grazing on the uplands. Population pressure, as a result, creates a more warlike society which often sacrifices weapons to their gods.
Arrival of the first Celtics in Britain by 600BC. Some recent scholarship suggests that it was before 1000BC, and possibly as early as 2000 BC.

Iron gradually replaces bronze for weapons and farming tools. People are starting to live in defended settlements called rounds which are bank-and-ditch enclosures protecting a number of round-houses within. There are also economic and social centres, where manufacturing and trading occur, establishing on hill-tops and headlands, such as Trevelgue Head, near Newquay.
First attempted invasion of British Mainland by Julius Caesar. Over the next century, the Romans come to rule Cornwall, then part of Dumnonia.
Greek historian Diodorus Siculus named Cornwall "Belerion" - "The Shining Land", the first recorded place name in the British Isles.

(AD 47 for Exeter / AD 55 for Nanstallon)
The late 1st century ostensibly brings Roman military occupation, but no noteworthy civil presence. The Britain annexed by Rome is divided among various tribes. The south west is occupied by the Dumnonii, Iron Age Celts who had held a large area for centuries. The rural society of the previous period continues, largely unchanged by the Roman influence in the rest of Britain. One fort is established, at Nanstallon on the River Camel, but it is occupied for 20 years; and one villa, at Magor, Camborne, which coincides with the increased trade in tin, during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, not only for bronze, but also to alloy with lead for pewter objects.
New trading posts are set up such as the one at Carvossa, Probus, and a new style of housing is introduced in Penwith, the courtyard house, at villages like Chysauster.

Cornwall's native name (Kernow) appeared on record as early as 400.

King Mark, of Tristan and Iseult fame, probably ruled in the late 5th century. According to Cornish folklore, he held court at Tintagel.

Earliest Christian church opens at St. Piran's oratory near Perranporth.

By now, the Saxons, have destroyed the remains of Roman civilisation in eastern England, and in the west it is almost forgotten. The Saxons are established as the most important tribe of invaders and they are converting to Roman Christianity.

English reach Bristol Channel: Celts of Cornwall cut off from Celts of Wales.

Cornwall had began to be recorded as Cornubia by the Romans, and its people as Cornovii or Cornavii.

Edmund Ironside, son of Aethelred II the Unready of England, becomes King. At the battle of Abingdon, in Essex, King Canute II of Denmark defeats Edmund who is assassinated a few months later and Canute takes the throne as King Canute of England.

Famine throughout Europe.

Harold Godwinson becomes King Harold II.

Robert of Mortain builds a castle at Launceston. Earl Ordulf is in charge of Moresk Castle, Truro.

The Cornish and Breton languages are mutually intelligible at this point.

William and his Norman army defeat Harold II and the Anglo Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. Harold is killed and, after subduing the south of the country William is crowned King of England.

Earl Moreton takes Moresk Castle at St. Clements near Truro, for William the Conqueror.

Robert, Count of Mortain is made Earl of Cornwall.

Domesday survey: the major landholders in Cornwall are Robert, Count of Mortain, King William, the Bishop of Exeter, and Tavistock Abbey.

Markets and fairs recorded are: Bodmin, Launceston, Liskeard, Methleigh in Breage, St. Germans, Trematon.

Cornwall was divided into 7 (subsequently 9) administrative areas known as 'hundreds'. The original hundreds were Penwith, Kerrier, Pydar, Powder, East and West Wivel and Trigg. Trigg was tri-divided to produce an additional two hundreds of Lesnewth and Stratton. Bodmin was recorded as the largest town in Cornwall with 68 houses.

Henry I succeeds his brother, William II.

'Rugby' evolved from hurling in Penzance.

Stephen usurps the throne from Matilda, Henry's daughter.

Edward the Confessor granted St. Michael's Mount to the Benedictine monks from Mont St. Michel in France, and they built a priory on the summit of the mount. They also constructed a harbour and causeway. Henry V granted it to the Abbey of Syon in Twickenham.

Richard I becomes King of England upon the death of Henry II.

Lostwithiel is granted a Royal Charter.

A passenger ferry between Cremyl and Plymouth is started.

Grant to William de Boterell of a market at Boscastle.

Grant of a market at St. Germans.

Cornwall is acknowledged as having the continuing right to appoint its own sheriff.

Grant of a fair at St. Keyne.

Henry III grants the Earldom of Cornwall to his younger brother, Richard of Cornwall.

A market charter was granted by Richard, Earl of Cornwall to Liskeard.

The Franciscan Friary at Bodmin is founded.

St. Mary's church, Truro is dedicated by Bishop Bronescombe (later to be absorbed within Truro Cathedral).

Walter de Bronescombe, Bishop of Exeter, makes a tour of Cornwall dedicating nineteen parish churches which had been rebuilt or remodelled. They include St. Anthony-in-Roseland, Antony, Botus Fleming, St. Breoke, St. Dominick, Pillaton, and Truro St. Mary's. By this time Norman designs are considered dark and old-fashioned.

Edward learns that he has succeeded to the throne on his way home from the Crusade after the death of Henry III.

The title Earl of Cornwall passes to Edmund, who holds it until 1300, and on his death it then reverts to Edward I then to Edward II.

Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, makes Lostwithiel the county capital where he built the 'Duchy Palace'. This once extensive building incorporated the Shire Hall, the Exchequer of the Earldom (later Duchy), the Stannary Goal and the Coinage Hall. Edmund also modernised Restormel Castle at Launceston. He was the last Earl of Cornwall to reside in the county.

Mappa Mundi [in Hereford Cathedral] shows the four constituent parts of Britain as England, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall.

Edward II accedes to the throne on the death of his father, Edward I.

The Tinners Charter is granted by Edward 1.

Edward II gives the title, Earl of Cornwall, to his court favourite Piers Gaveston who holds it until his execution in 1312.

Grant to the bishop of Exeter of a market for Caergaule (Cargoll, Newlyn East); grant of a market and fair at Castelboterell.

The Italian, Antonio Pessaigne, obtains from the Crown a lien on coinage dues in Cornwall and Devon and the authority to buy all tin coined. This causes great hostility in the stannaries. The miners continue to sell to whom they please and in 1316 obtain a revocation of the patent.

Grant of weekly market and 7-day fair at Penzance to Alice de l'Isle.

A Charter is granted to the village of Grampound by the Earl of Cornwall.

Grant of a market and fair at Inceworth (in Maker and Antony), and Shepstall (in Ruanlanihorne).

John de Boscawen Ros of St. Buryan married the heiress Johan de Tregothnan and he moved his home from the Penzance area to Tregothnan, where his descendants still live.

Greystone Bridge, which crosses the River Tamar on the Launceston to Tavistock Road is constructed.

Work is started on building a new quay at Newquay.

On the death of Edward IV, the crown passes to his 12 year old son, Edward V.

Richard III declares himself King after confining and possibly ordering the murder of his two nephews, Edward V and Richard Duke of York, in the Tower of London.

Henry VII becomes King after defeating Richard III of York at the Battle of Bosworth Field. The Wars of the Roses are ended.

Cotehele House was built by Sir Richard Edgcumbe, who also recieves a knighthood.

Henry VIII accedes to the throne on the death of his father, Henry VII.

Henry VIII's coronation procession includes 'nine children of honour' representing 'England and France, Gascony, Guienne, Normandy, Anjou, Cornwall, Wales and Ireland.'

As part of the colonisation of Ireland an English official suggests that one man should be sent from 'every parish in England, Cornwall and Wales'.

King Henry VIII granted Sir Piers Edgcumbe permission to create a deer park at Mount Edgcumbe.

Henry VIII creates a chain of fortifications along the south coast, including the castles of Pendennis and St. Mawes.

Dissolution of the Monasteries including most religious houses in Cornwall.

Edward VI accedes to the throne at the age of nine after the death of his father, Henry VIII.

Roger Palmer, a local mason, was commissioned to build Mount Edgcumbe House.

Richard Carew (1555-1620) is born at Antony.

Great famine.

Nicholas Prideaux begins building Prideaux Place at Padstow after inheriting the estates in 1581.

Sir Walter Raleigh was knighted and was appointed warden of the stannaries in Cornwall.

Meeting of the Convocation of Tinners of Cornwall petitions Queen Elizabeth I to confer powers to legislate, but this goes unheeded. In 1624 the Meeting of Tinners of Cornwall assumes the power to legislate. These laws are added to in later Convocations in 1636, 1688 and 1753.

Spanish Armada seen from the Lizard on July 7th. By the 20th July they were just off Rame Head and engaging the English fleet led by Sir Francis Drake near the Eddystone Rocks.

Enemy Spaniards land in Mount's Bay, attacking Mousehole, Newlyn, Penzance and Paul.

Sir John Eliot born at Port Eliot, St. Germans.

Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Arthur Hopton the Venetian ambassador described her as ruling over five different peoples: English, Welsh, Cornish, Scottish and Irish. James VI of Scotland becomes King James I of England, Scotland, and Ireland uniting the thrones of Scotland and England.

Henry Frederick, eldest son of James I becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

Sir Richard Robartes, a Truro tin and wool merchant. buys the Lanhydrock estate and begins to build the house which bears two dates at the front, 1636 and 1642. The gatehouse is only completed in 1658. In 1881 a large part of the house is destroyed by fire, but re-built with additions.

Richard Carew dies at Antony House.

The Mayflower, en route to America with the Pilgrim Fathers stops off at Newlyn to take on water.

Sir John Dodridge re-interprets preceding historical records in his book An historical account of the ancient and modern state of the Principality of Wales, Duchy of Cornwall and earldom of Chester, referring to Cornwall as 'anciently reputed a Dukedom', and earlier 'an Earldom'. He states that 'until the 11th year of King Edward III, at a time it was a-new constituted a Duchy, the first erected in England after the Conquest', suggesting ancient Duchy Charters and royal intents had been misunderstood over the preceding 300 years.

Charles, son of Charles I becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

William Noy (1577-1634) probably born in St. Buryan, MP for Grampound 1603-1614, Fowey 1623-1625 and Helston 1627-1631, becomes Attorney General. Author of several legal works.

Richard Lower is born near Bodmin. He was involved in some of the earliest experiments with blood transfusions.

War of the five peoples - Civil War in Britain, involving the English, Scots, Irish, Welsh, Cornish.

At the start of the Civil War a royalist force under Sir Ralph Hopton enters Cornwall in late September and the First Battle of Lostwithiel begins.

Battle of Stratton (16th May). The Earl of Stamford's Parliamentarian force is repelled by Hopton's men after day-long fighting, with 300 men killed and 1700 captured, and retreats to Bideford.

The victories for Hopton with the Cornish militia provide the impetus for campaigns in Devon and Somerset. Taunton and Bridgwater are taken by the Cornish army, but Sir Bevil Grenville and John Trevanion are killed in the moment of victory at the Battle of Lansdown in Somerset and Hopton is seriously wounded. Bristol falls to Hopton's troops, and later Exeter.

The seige of Plymouth begins (3rd December), but the result is disastrous for the Cavaliers. Sir Richard Grenville, having previously declared for Parliament, invites his troops to follow him into the King's service. Parliament proclaim him a traitor.

Sir Richard Grenville arrives in Plymouth in March to maintain a blockade, but it results in a stalemate as inhabitants obtain enough provisions to survive. The arrival of Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, in command of the Roundhead army of 8000 men forces Grenville to retreat westwards across the River Tamar.

Campaign at Lostwithiel.
(28th July) Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, taking the Parliamentarian forces into Cornwall, reaches Bodmin
(1st August) King Charles I arrived in Cornwall and spent the night at Trecarrel near Launceston.
(11th August) Sir Richard Grenville's Royalist men surround them at Lostwithiel, secure Respryn Bridge and take Bodmin.
(21st August) Grenville takes Restormel Castle and Beacon Hill, Lostwithiel. Intermittent fighting follows with gains and losses, but the Royalists push the Parliamentarians back to Castle Dore high above the Fowey River.
(31st August) Essex escapes leaving his army to surrender. They are not kindly treated by the Royalists, but sent off having had their weapons confiscated (2nd September). Perhaps 1000 of the 6000 Roundheads survive hunger, disease and exposure, but their time in Lostwithiel has seen the vandalism of Lostwithiel's Great Hall and Jonathan Rashleigh's Menabilly house, and the destruction of all the constitutional Charters and Stannary records placed in Luxulyan church for safety. The ensuing debate in London about the unsatisfactory manner of the war leads to the passage of the Self-Denying Ordinance. This is the prompt for a professional English army with a unified command and devoid of its earlier feudal nature - the New Model Army.

Sir Thomas Fairfax is chosen to command the New Model Army. The Royalist army is also reorganised and a succession of command changes and squabbling ensues. Prince Charles becomes the Commander-in-Chief. The Royalists suffers a noted defeat at Naseby in Northamptonshire and Fairfax's men overrun them in confrontations in the south and west of England.

Sir Francis Basset dies at Camborne.

Launceston Castle eventually fell to Cromwell.

Sidney Godolphin is born in Godolphin Hall near Helston. He served in Parliament for most of his life.

Cornish Royalist leader Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet made Launceston his base and he stationed Cornish troops along the River Tamar and issued them with instructions to keep "all foreign troops out of Cornwall".

The Prince gives Lord Hopton command of the Royalist forces, with Wentworth to command the horse and Grenville the foot. Sir Richard Grenville refuses and is imprisoned in Launceston prison.

The siege of Pendennis Castle began in April 1646 and lasted for five months. Parliamentary forces attacked the castle from both land and sea and it finally surrendered on 17th August 1646.

Hopton advances from Stratton to Torrington en route to Exeter, but is driven out by Fairfax's men, and falls back to Stratton. Fairfax proceeds into Cornwall reaching Launceston (25th February) and Bodmin (2nd March). Hopton's army is in disarray but he refuses to surrender. News at Bodmin of an imminent Irish invasion further damages the Royalist cause locally and Fairfax offers Hopton terms. Surrender of the Royalist forces to the Parliamentarians takes place at Tresillian Bridge near Truro on 15th March.

Rev. Hugh Peters baptised at Fowey in 1598 becomes Chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Author of numerous publications, his life ends by hanging and decapitation at Charing Cross in 1660.

John Grenville and Royalists driven out of the Isles of Scilly by Admiral Robert Blake during the Civil War.

Cromwell's Castle is built on Tresco as a replacement for the earlier King Charles Castle partially destroyed during the Civil War.

Richard Cromwell is forced to resign. The Rump Parliament is restored.

The St. Aubyn family buys St. Michael's Mount.

The village of Flushing near Falmouth is founded.

Falmouth received its charter from Charles II.

The church of King Charles the Martyr is built in Falmouth.

Charles II made Penzance a new coinage town for the tin mining industry.

James II succeeds his brother, Charles II.

Sir Robert Geffrye, born at Landrake in 1613, becomes Lord Mayor of London. Dying in 1703 he leaves money for the building of almshouses (built in 1715). They are now renowned as the Geffrye Museum.

Imprisonment in Tower of London of Jonathan Trelawny for refusing to sign a paper to bring back Catholicism as official religion - acquitted.

Falmouth is selected as the most westward port for packets to carry mails to the Groyne (Corunna), and was named The Royal Mail Packet Station, the first sailing being in January 1689.

James Frances Edward, the Old Pretender becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

Pentillie House is built by James Tillie, overlooking The River Tamar.

The first lighthouse is built on the Eddystone Reef by Henry Winstanley.

Anne succeeds her brother-in-law, William III.

Sidney Godolphin becomes Lord Treasurer until 1710.

The first Falmouth Packet service across the Atlantic to the West Indies.

(27th - 28th August) A violent storm, the tail end of an American hurricane results in damaged houses, ships being driven ashore and the destruction of Henry Winstanley's Eddystone Lighthouse.

Daniel Gumb is born at Linkinhorne. Raised as a stone-cutter, he makes a name for himself as a self-taught mathematician. He makes his home carving out a rock by The Cheesewring. The roof serves as an observatory, and the whole as a place where he can study uninterrupted but near to his work. He becomes more reclusive and the home also serves as a chapel for him as he was never seen to attend the parish church. His wife and several children also live in the rock dwelling.

The thatched Friends' Meeting House at Come-to-Good, near Feock is built.

Rudyerd's Tower built on the Eddystone rock, but burnt down in 1755.

(3rd May) "The most celebrated eclipse ever recorded in England. Totality passed right across England from Cornwall to Norfolk".

Jacobite uprising in Cornwall.

Trewithen House near Probus, under re-construction by Thomas Edwards of Greenwich is bought by Philip Hawkins.

(27th January) Samuel Foote, playwright and comedian, is born at Truro.

Thomas Newcomen comes to Cornwall to erect an atmospheric engine at Wheal Fortune in Ludgvan.

Thomas Pitt, otherwise known as 'Diamond Pitt', (1653-1726) buys Boconnoc, near Lostwithiel, and other manors in Cornwall with the proceeds of the sale of a famous 127 carat diamond to the Regent of Orleans (later Louis XV) in 1716 for approximately £125,000. While Governor of Fort St. George, Madras, he had bought it for around £20,400. Thomas Pitt becomes the grandfather of William Pitt the Elder (statesman) and Great Grandfather of William Pitt the Younger (Prime Minister), and 2nd Baron Camelford (see 1775).

Ralph Allen devises the first cross-country postal service. Known as 'The Man of Bath', he was born in St. Blazey in 1693, becoming Post Master in Bath; Contractor for Cross Posts (1722-1764) and Mayor of Bath 1742.

Birth of Samuel Wallis near Camelford.

(18th March) Francis Godolphin was appointed governor of The Scilly Isles.

John Wesley's Methodism becomes the dominant religious denomination. This is his first of forty visits to Cornwall.

(13th June) The Dutch East India Ship Hollandia was wrecked off the Isles of Scilly. The entire ship's company of 276 - crew, soldiers and passengers - all perished.

(9th September) William Bligh, grandson of John Bligh of St. Tudy is baptised in Plymouth. In 1787 he sets sail as Captain of the 'Bounty' to procure bread fruit trees from the South Seas.

'Antiquities of Cornwall' by William Borlase, published.

Henry Bone, enamelist, is born at Truro. He becomes enamel painter to the Prince of Wales in 1800, a Royal Academician in 1811, dying in 1854.

(1st November) The Lisbon Earthquake strikes at about 09:40 hours. Its magnitude is somewhere between 8 and 9 on the Richter Scale, the epicentre being some 200 km West of Cape St. Vincent. It has knock-on effects throughout Europe, mostly in the form of flooding. Further damage is done by a Tsunami hitting the city & this is followed by several massive fires. In Cornwall, at St. Michael's Mount, at about 14:00 hours, the sea is observed to rise suddenly and then to retire. After 10 minutes the sea rises nearly 6 feet, very rapidly coming in from the South East; it then ebbs again to the West with the same speed for about 10 minutes, until it is nearly 6 feet lower than before. It returns again, and falls again in the same space of time, and continues to do so for some 5 hours after. In Penzance the tide rises some eight feet, at Newlyn Pier some ten feet. The same effect is reported at St. Ives & Hayle somewhat later.

George III becomes king on the death of his grandfather, George II.

Rev. Richard Polwhele, who becomes the Vicar of Manaccan (1794-1821) and Newlyn East (1821-1838) and the author of a two-volume seven-part History of Cornwall, a similar work on Devon and many other books, is born at Truro.

Admiral Boscawen dies. A hero of his time, he assists in the capture of Porto Bello in 1740, commands a party which storms Carthagena in 1747 capturing two batteries, becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in 1758, and, with General Wolff, captures Louisberg and in 1759 beats the French fleet in Port Lagos.

John Opie born near St. Agnes.He was introduced to London in 1781 as 'the Cornish Wonder'. His style as a portraitist was marked by strong realism.

A new church, designed by Thomas Edwards of Greenwich at the behest of the Earl of Godolphin replaces the old one at Helston.

John Wesley first visits Gwennap Pit in 1762, and thereafter 18 times until his last visit in 1798 at the age of 86. In the entry in his Journal for Sunday 22nd August 1773 he estimates that 'two and thirty thousand' were present, and other dates record upwards of 20,000 in attendance. The pit we see today was remodelled by local tinners and their helpers, re-opening on Whit Monday 1807. The annual Whit Monday service is still a feature of the local Methodist calendar.

George Augustus Frederick, son of George III becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

(13th April) Richard Trevithick is born at Redruth. He was later to become one of Cornwall's most famous engineers.

The 123 feet high obelisk commemorating Thomas Pitt, Lord Camelford, is erected at Boconnoc.

John Edyvean an engineer from Cornwall, invented the inclined plane system, to reduce the necessity for locks within the Bude canal system. He started building work on the St. Columb Canal, but died in the 1780's before it was completed.

William Cookworthy passes his patent for making porcelain from Cornish china-clay to Richard Champion, prompting the interest of Josiah Wedgewood, the distinguished Staffordshire potter. Following a legal battle, Champion loses his monopoly over the Cornish materials.

(28th July) Richard Hussey Vivian (afterwards General Lord Vivian) is born at Truro. During a distinguished military career he became MP for Truro (1820-25) and Windsor (1825-30), and later a Privy Councillor (1834), Master General of Ordnance (1835) and MP for East Cornwall (1837-41) at which time he was created Baron Vivian of Glynn.

Sir John Call's mansion at Stoke Climsland near Callington is built. It is demolished in 1912.

Thomas Pitt, 2nd and last Baron Camelford is born at Boconnoc, near Lostwithiel. He becomes a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, leads a short but remarkably adventurous life, and is mortally wounded in a duel with a friend Captain Best in 1804, behind Holland House, London.

William Bodinar, who had learnt the Cornish language from fishermen, wrote a letter in Cornish which was probably the last prose in the language.

Bodmin Jail is opened.

James Watt erects his first pumping engine in a Cornish mine at Great Wheal Busy near Chacewater, one of the oldest of Cornwall's copper mines. It replaces a Newcomen engine installed by John Smeaton. By now, the mine has worked at various times from 1700 and continues to do so until 1900.

(December 17th) Sir Humphry Davy is born in Penzance, he later invents the safety lamp.

Jonathan Couch, Cornwall's foremost naturalist in the 19th century, is born at Polperro.

John Wesley's last visit to Cornwall.

Bread riots in Truro at the outbreak of the French Revolution - the tinners are nearly starved.

King George III and Queen Charlotte visited Cotehele House.

Mr Charles Rashleigh commences creation of the new port of Charlestown for the shipment of china stone to Liverpool for Worcestershire or Staffordshire porcelain manufacturers.

The official ferry service across the River Tamar at Torpoint started on the 4th July.

Cornwall County Library is founded at Pydar Street, Truro, with nearly 30 subscribers, minimum subscription 1 guinea, and survived until 1920. In that time the library moved to Princes Street and then to the Public Rooms, situated between Quay Street and the Green.

James Ruse, a Launceston man, is deported on the first Australian convict ship.

William Murdoch lights Redruth house by gas, the foundation for today's gas industry.

A public meeting is held at Bodmin which resolves that a canal linking the River Camel to the River Fowey at Wadebridge would be advantageous. Sir William Molesworth arranges surveying and costings and plans are sent to John Rennie for comment. It all comes to nothing, but Marc Isambard Brunel surveys the Padstow - Fowey route in 1825 for a ship canal., proposing one 13 miles long. This too is not taken further.

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney is born near Padstow, he later went on to be a surgeon in Wadebridge.

In Truro the building of Boscawen Street and Lemon Street is started.

Passing of the Truro Paving & Lighting Act enables the Corporation to improve Boscawen Street by pulling down Middle Row and to lay out and build Lemon Street (after Sir Charles Lemon).

Lanherne at St. Mawgan in Pydar, formerly the family home of the Arundells, becomes a convent.

Billy Bray, Cornish evangelist, is born at Twelveheads, near Chacewater.

The American engineer and inventor, Robert Fulton, with the surveyor Charles Moody, examined the practicality of building a canal from the Helford River at Gweek to the Hayle River near St. Erth. It was not proceeded with.

"On Saturday 20th August at 20 minutes past 2 o'clock (p.m.) a slight Shock of an Earthquake was felt at St. Hilary near Penzance, which lasted 2 or 3 seconds being in the middle space of a rumbling Noise which attended it and which lasted 6 or 7 seconds. The Motion was from East to West. The Air was still. The Thermometer at 70" - St. Hilary parish records.

Charles Rashleigh completes his very successful development of Charlestown harbour.

A canal from Hayle to Carwinnen bridge near Camborne via Angarrack is proposed but not built.

The Cornwall Gazette and Falmouth Packet newspaper commences publication in Truro, becomes the Royal Cornwall Gazette in 1803 and continues until 1951 when it is incorporated into The West Briton.

(28th December) Richard Trevithick, born in 1771 at Illogan, runs the first road-going locomotive in Camborne.

Richard Trevithick runs his road locomotive from Leather Lane, London - to Islington and back.

Trerice House is sold to the Acland family of Killerton in Devon.

Richard Trevithick invents a high pressure steam dredge.

Rev. Robert Stephen Hawker, the noted vicar of Morwenstow, is born in Plymouth. Famed as a poet,and particularly for The Song of the Western Men ('Trelawny'), he is remembered for risking his life to help shipwrecked mariners, supporting his impoverished parishioners, and for reviving harvest-time festivals. He dies in 1875. His cliff-top hut is a National Trust property.

Richard Lemon Lander (who afterwards discovered the River Niger) is born at the Fighting Cocks Inn, Truro.

(February) - Richard Trevithick runs his railway locomotive at Penydarren in Wales.

Perranzabuloe's church of St. Piran, the third church of the parish, is erected in a new location at Lambourne, with material from the earlier buildings.

John Opie (1761 - 1807) of St. Agnes, becomes Professor in Painting to the Royal Academy.

Glynn House, near Bodmin Parkway (formerly Bodmin Road) Railway Station is re-built.

The first announcement of the death of Nelson was made from the balcony of the Union Hotel, Penzance.

Ordnance Survey's first mapping of Cornwall. It is published at 1" scale in 1813.

The first rails are laid for the Poldice Tramway to serve the St. Day mines, providing a horse-drawn rail link (for goods and minerals) to the port of Portreath. It falls into disuse in the 1850s.

(21st June) HMS Primrose, an 18-gun Cruiser, was wrecked and sank after striking the Manacle rocks off The Lizard, with only 1 of the 126 on board surviving. Also on the same night HMS Dispatch was wrecked on the same reef.

Work is re-started at Great Wheal Vor Mine near Tregonning Hill. By 1820 it employs over 500 men underground. In the 1860s it is described as 'probably the richest tin mine in the world' by the Mining Journal. It closes in 1877, although part of the sett sees limited working at the end of the 19th century.

Refined soap is invented by William Pears of Mevagissey.

The brilliant Henry Martyn, born in Truro in 1781, dies alone in Tokat, having devoted his life to missionary work in India and Persia.

The worlds first steam powered rock boring machine was built by Harvey's of Hayle.

The Cornwall Central School is founded in Fairmantle Street, Truro, as Cornwall's first Anglican elementary school. It trains men and women teachers and, with a move to Agar Road, evolves into the Truro Training College which closes in 1938.

The Royal Geological Society of Cornwall was founded.

Ding Dong Mine in west Penwith is restarted and continues until 1878. Tradition says it was working in Roman times.

The 'Queen' transport ship is wrecked in Falmouth and 195 soldiers drown.

Tresavean Mine, near Lanner, worked through much of the 18th century, is said to have already produced over £1,500,000-worth of copper ore. In the 1830s it is for a while the third largest copper producer in Cornwall, employing over 1300 people. By 1860 another £1,500,000-worth of ore has been sold. Working finally ends in 1927. From 1819 to 1840 the Consolidated Mines of Gwennap, worked as a number of smaller concerns from the 1750s, are the richest of all the Cornish copper mines, and for many years richest of the whole world. Ores to the value of £2,250,000 are sold. By 1838 63 miles of underground workings have been driven, and the mine employs 2000 persons.

John Couch Adams was born in Laneast parish on Bodmin Moor. He later became a great scientist.

George IV accedes to the throne, having spent the last nine years as Prince Regent for his blind and deranged father.

The Basset Mines near Redruth become important producers of copper from now on, and later of tin. By 1879 the concern employs 550 men.

Silas E Martin of Crantock proposes a canal from Newquay to Retyn near St. Enoder to serve the then-prospering East Wheal Rose lead and silver mine and carry sea-sand for the land. John Edgcumbe carried out a survey but no action was then taken.

The population of St. Michael's Mount peaked with the island having 221 persons living on it. There were three schools, a Wesleyan chapel, and three public houses, mostly used by visiting sailors.

(November) The Scilly Isles experience very heavy gales, which cause the loss of roofs and chimneys.

John Passmore Edwards of Blackwater near St. Agnes, journalist and philanthropist, is born. He amasses his fortune as a publisher and devotes his resources to helping the public library and cottage hospitals movements in particular. He realises his aim of establishing a library for every one of the 19 letters in his name (for instance at Penzance, St. Ives, Camborne, Redruth, Truro, Falmouth, and Bodmin) as well as village Institutes to help the education of the miners (Blackwater, St. Agnes, Chacewater etc.) and cottage hospitals (Liskeard, Perranporth etc). Most were in Cornwall, but several were in London. Many of the buildings that he paid for are still in use for their original purpose.

The Bude Canal was dug 20 miles inland to Launceston to transport sea sand, rich in lime, to farms in North Cornwall.

Charles Rashleigh dies after his development of Charlestown harbour.

"The Song of the Western Men" was written by Robert Stephen Hawker, later known as the Cornish Anthem.

(11th December) Sir William Lemon of Truro dies.

Porthleven Harbour is completed after fifteen years of difficulties during the construction.

Trelissick House is built by Thomas Daniell overlooking Falmouth harbour.

William Jago of St. Columb Major announces plans to build a new port at St. Columb Porth for the conveyance of China Clay.

The Falmouth Packet and Cornish Herald newspaper commences publication in Falmouth and continues until 1848.

The St. Austell to Pentewan Railway (for goods and minerals) opens. It closes in 1918.

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney journeys from London to Bath and back in his steam carriage. Born in 1793 at Treator, near Padstow, he devises a steam jet, which is applied to boats and carriages in 1824.

Sir Humphry Davy of safety lamp fame, dies.

William IV succeeds his brother, George IV, at the age of 64.

Richard and John Lander (born in Truro in 1804 and 1806 respectively) go out to Africa to discover the course of the Niger and become the first to find its source in November, returning home in June 1831.

St. Martin-in-Meneage church is erected, with the 15th century tower of an older building remaining.

Richard Lander returns to Africa and dies of gunshot wounds at Fernando Po.

St. Anne' church at Hessenford, near Looe, is built. It is rebuilt in 1871 to a design by G E Street.

Brenton Symons AICI is born at Rosehill, Gwennap. He is educated at Truro Grammar School, becomes a noted lithographer, assayer, draughtsman and mineralogist, Civil Engineer of the Chontales Mining Co., Central America, 1866-68, Managing Director of the Servian Copper Mining and Smelting Co, 1871, and publishes maps of Falmouth, the Redruth Mining District and the Bodmin and Liskeard District.

Since 1823 Gwennap Mine has produced 30.1% of the total production of Great Britain's copper, and 37.7% of the Cornwall total.

Reform Act-Cornish M. P.`s reduced from 42 to 12.

Construction of Newquay harbour begins.

(22nd April) Richard Trevithick dies.

The Cornish Polytechnic Society in Falmouth is founded by 'the exertions of some ladies, among the most active of whom were the Misses Fox . . ' (reports RCPS, 1864). It was the first society to describe itself as 'polytechnic' and Miss Caroline Fox, (1820-1871), then aged 13, is credited with the idea.

Webb's Hotel, one of the finest in Cornwall, is built on the Parade at Liskeard.

The Isles of Scilly becomes the first place in Britain to have compulsory education, introduced by Augustus Smith.

The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway opens to carry sea-sand to farming districts for soil improvement.

St. Mary's church at Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly, is begun at the instigation of William IV. Penzance's church of St. Mary-the-Virgin, designed by Charles Hutchins, is built on the site of the ancient chapel on the headland which gives the town its name. It is made parochial in 1871. Severely damaged by an arson attack on 23rd March 1985 it is restored.

The church of St. Michael, Bude Haven, is built to the designs of architect, George Wightwick.

The West Briton joins the campaign against 'oppressive' royal taxation in Cornwall and miners rally in London to protest.

St. Anthony's Lighthouse is built at the entrance to Falmouth Harbour.

A 90ft high monument is erected on Carn Brea to the memory of Francis Lord de Dunstanville and Basset of Tehidy (1757 - 1835).

St. Mary'schurch in Penzance is built to the design of Charles Hutchins of St. Buryan, who also designed St. Day church (1828), now a preserved ruin.

Queen Victoria succeeds her uncle, William IV

The Hayle Railway, the first passenger-carrying line in West Cornwall, opens primarily as a mineral transport route for the Camborne and Redruth mines to the ports of Hayle and Portreath.

Discovery of copper at Caradon Hill on Bodmin Moor.

A gold cup called the Rillaton Cup was found in Rillaton Barrow, a copy of which can be seen in the Royal Cornwall Museum.

A Lifeboat station opened at St. Mary's on the Isles of Scilly, and another at Bude.

The earliest known published reference to the Cornish Banner - the Cross of St. Piran.

The Redruth Union Workhouse at Barncoose, Illogan is constructed to the design of George Gilbert Scott. Its remaining buildings now form part of the Camborne-Redruth Community Hospital.

China-clay production increases to around 13,000 tons a year from approximately 2,000 tons in the 1820s

Abolition of tin coinage (stannary), it was replaced by customs duties.

Construction of Newquay harbour is completed.

The Penzance Gazette newspaper commences publication, becoming the Penzance and Cornwall Gazette in 1855, and continues until 1858.

The Liskeard Union Workhouse is constructed, designed by John Foulston of Plymouth. It later becomes the Lamellion Hospital.

A chapel-of-ease for Liskeard parish is erected at Dobwalls.

Since 1823 Great Britain has produced 231,163 tons of copper, of which 198,200 tons, or 82.6%, have come from Cornwall's Mines.

(13th April) William and James Lightfoot were hanged at Bodmin Jail with an audience of 25,000 for the murder of businessman, Neville Norway.

Treslothan church, near Camborne, the chapel to Pendarves House and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, is erected to a design by George Wightwick.

Albert Edward, eldest son of Queen Victoria becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

Children's Employment Commission publishes a report by Dr. Charles Barham (of Truro) examining employment of children and young persons in the mines of Cornwall and Devon.

Completion at Luxulyan of the 100 feet high viaduct-cum-aquaduct serving Joseph Treffry's mineral tramway from the china clay area around Bugle to the port of Par.

St. Peter's church at Flushing, near Falmouth, is erected in a mock-Norman style. Porthleven's St. Bartholomew's is also built.

Man engine installed at Tresaven Mine, it had been invented 8 years earlier by Michael Loam.

All Saints Church at Tuckingmill near Camborne is erected to designs by J Hayward of Exeter.

Robert Stephen Hawker introduced the harvest festival service.

St Pirans oratory was excavated before the site was engulfed by sand again.

Holy Trinity church at Penponds, near Camborne, is erected.

(14th April) Charlotte Dymond was murdered on the slopes of Rough Tor. Her murderer Matthew Weeks was hanged in Bodmin Jail in front of a crowd of 20,000.

John Couch Adams, born at Laneast in 1819, reported on his 1841-5 calculations re Neptune. His submission to the Astronomer Royal was put aside until 1846 when calculations by the French scientist Le Verrier were verified.

(9th July) East Wheal Rose (Newlyn East) mine disaster, 39 lives lost in flooding.

Christ church, Lanner, is built. A south aisle is added in 1883. St. Luke's, Tideford, near Saltash, is also erected.

The first pan-kilns for the artificial drying of Cornish china-clay are introduced at Greensplat and Parkandillick and by 1858 annual production increases to 65,600 tons from 89 active china-clay works.

A new church is built at Illogan on a new site. The 14th century tower of the old one with a ring of six bells remains nearby.

Truro St. Paul's church is built as a chapel-of-ease for St. Clement. It becomes parochial in 1865.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visit Fowey, Land's End, Botallack Mine, The Lizard, Penzance and St. Michael's Mount.

A railway from Plymouth to Falmouth is begun.

The Penzance Journal newspaper commences publication and continues until 1850.

(16th July) Devastating floods swept down from Davidstow Moor, caused terrible damage in Boscastle and washed away all but 2 of the bridges along the River Camel - Wadebridge and Helland being the only survivors.

Trevose Head Lighthouse completed.

The church of St. Michael, designed by the architect William White, is built at Baldhu near Truro. The revivalist preacher Billy Bray is buried in the graveyard in 1868. Baldhu church is now closed.

St. Agnes church, formerly a chapelry of Perranzabuloe, is rebuilt to the design of J P St. Aubyn.

Holy Trinity church at Bolventor, on Bodmin Moor, is erected.

Rhododendron arboreum specimen at Carclew, planted about now by Sir Charles Lemon, becomes one of the most famous in Cornwall. By 1928 it is about 35 feet high.

Holy Trinity church at Carnmenellis is erected to serve the thriving mining community. In the same year Herodsfoot All Saints is constructed for similar reasons. G E Street's church at Treverbyn, St. Austell, dedicated to St. Peter, is also built. Declining population around Carnmenellis in the twentieth century leads to the eventual demolition of its church in 1970.

Joseph Treffry, famous for building the viaduct at Luxulyan and the harbour at Par, dies.

Period of greatest mining prosperity.

1850's - The greatest influx of Cornish miners to South Africa, to mine in the Namaqual and copper mines in the northern Cape.

The Census on Religious Worship showed that in Cornwall 27% are Anglicans. 60% are Methodists and the remaining are mostly non-conformists of other denominations.

The Cornish Telegraph newspaper commences publication in Penzance and continues until 1915.

Mary Kelynack, a Madron fishwife born in 1777 at Newlyn, walks alone from Cornwall to London to see the Great Exhibition where she met Queen Victoria.

J P St. Aubyn's design for the church of St. John Baptist at Godolphin is realised. The Rev Robert Aitken's church of St. John Baptist at Pendeen is also erected by the villagers to his designs.

West Wheal Basset near Redruth is re-started and yields good quantities of copper. By the 1860s it employs over 400 men. The adjacent South Wheal Frances is successfully worked at the same time.

Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail born in Luxulyan. He was Mayor of Truro 1894 - 1895 and, President of the Society of Architects.

Wheal Sophia, near Greystone Bridge on the River Tamar becomes the first Cornish mine to detonate a blasting charge with electricity.

West Cornwall Railway (Penzance-Truro) finished.

Caerhays Castle was bought and restored by a Cornish Member of Parliament, Michael Williams.

Lifeboat station opened at Sennen Cove.

The Newlyn 40 foot fishing boat called Mystery, sails to Australia.

(30th November) The Nile, a passenger steamer was wrecked with the loss of all hands on the Stones at Godrevy Point.

Legal arguments of the Duchy of Cornwall defeat the Crown's aspirations of sovereignty of the Cornish foreshore. The Duchy argues that the Duke has sovereignty of Cornwall and not the Crown. During the same case, Parliament defines the Cornish as 'aborigines'.

Also on behalf of the Duchy, the following submission was made.

1. That Cornwall, like Wales, was at the time of the Conquest, and was subsequently treated in many respects as distinct from England.
2. That it was held by the Earls of Cornwall with the rights and prerogative of a County Palatine, as far as regarded the Seignory or territorial dominion.
3. That the Dukes of Cornwall have from the creation of the Duchy enjoyed the rights and prerogatives of a County Palatine, as far as regarded seignory or territorial dominion, and that to a great extent by Earls.
4. That when the Earldom was augmented into a Duchy, the circumstances attending to it's creation, as well as the language of the Duchy Charter, not only support and confirm natural presumption, that the new and higher title was to be accompanied with at least as great dignity, power, and prerogative as the Earls enjoyed, but also afforded evidence that the Duchy was to be invested with still more extensive rights and privileges.
5. The Duchy Charters have always been construed and treated, not merley by the Courts of Judicature, but also by the Legislature of the Country, as having vested in the Dukes of Cornwall the whole territorial interest and dominion of the Crown in and over the entire County of Cornwall.

Thenceforth mineral rights above the Low Water Mark belonged to the Duchy and below it to the Crown.

The Launceston Weekly News commences publication and continues until 1931, when it is incorporated into the Cornish and Devon Post

John Verran, who becomes Premier of South Australia in 1910, is born at Cusgarne, Gwennap. Working in the Australian mines he becomes a strong trades unionist and is elected for Parliament in 1901, achieving leadership of the Labour Party in 1908. He dies in 1932.

Year of maximum copper production, 209,000 tons of ore produced.

Lake's Falmouth Packet Newspaper commences its publication in Falmouth.

Construction of Godrevy Lighthouse begun.

Bishop Rock Lighthouse completed at a cost of £34,560.

The Miners Association established.

(May) The Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash is Isambard Kingdom Brunel's spectacular solution to bridging the River Tamar to allow the connection of the railway through Cornwall with the rest of the GWR system. 2,200 feet long and 100 feet above the water, it is officially opened on 2nd May 1859 by Prince Albert, having cost £225,000 and is opened to the public on 4th May 1859.

(October) Storm, said to be the worst since 1823, with numerous shipwrecks off Cornish coasts.

The East Cornwall Times newspaper commences publication in Launceston, and continues until 1877, when it is incorporated into the Cornish and Devon Post.

The St. Day Brick Works is begun at about this time by a Mr. Hawke. A large kiln is erected in 1874 and daily output is eventually 20,000 bricks per day. It closes down in 1912.

The Liskeard and Caradon Railway opened from Liskeard to Looe.

Lifeboat station opened in Newquay.

The foundation stone for Falmouth Docks was laid by Viscount Falmouth.

The Falmouth and Penryn Weekly Times newspaper commences publication, and continues until 1952 after a change of title in 1896 to the Cornish Echo.

Marazion's All Saints church, designed by J P St. Aubyn, is built, replacing an old chapel-of-ease, which had become ruinous by 1735 and was rebuilt. In the same year St. Peter's church, Mithian is erected to a design by William White. Its spire is taken down in 1898 and a new three-stage tower is built in 1928.

Lifeboat station opened in St. Ives.

'Cornwall Works' in Birmingham is built by the Tangye's, tool-makers of Illogan. The growth of their business follows success in moving Brunel's 'Great Eastern' ship from its stocks when all else had failed.

Cornwall's first Mining Exchange, where mining men could gather and transact business, is established in November in Camborne by Charles Carkeek in the former premises of the Miners' Bank. It closes around 1865. The Redruth Mining Exchange is established at the end of 1863 and its later premises in Alma Place still stand.

John Tabois Tregellas, 'the Cornish Matthews', a gifted lecturer and story-teller, dies and is buried at Llantysilio in Wales. Born at St. Agnes in 1792, and a merchant and mine purser by trade, he is best known for his dialect stories - for example Specimens of Cornish provincial dialect (1846) and Peeps into the haunts and homes of the rural population of Cornwall (1879).

The Duchy of Cornwall Management Act confirms that the Duke possesses seignory and territorial rights befitting a king.

(26th May) Bob Fitzsimmons, who later becomes a boxing champion is born at Helston.

(21st November) Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, was born at Bodmin.

(22nd April) John Harris, the poet (1820-1884) of Bolenowe, Camborne, wins the Shakespeare tercentenary first prize.

Mines Commission introduced.

Collapse of copper prices begins the de-industrialisation of Cornwall and increases Cornish emigration.

Halsetown church, St. Ives, dedicated to St. John Evangelist, and designed by J P St. Aubyn is built.

The Redruth Times and Camborne Advertiser newspaper commences publication and continues until 1925, after changing its title to The Cornubian in 1879, and the Cornwall County Times in 1924.

The High Sheriff appeals for aid to prevent 'severe distress and great destitution' in Cornwall. Between 1860 and 1870 700 people die of poverty-related diseases in Truro alone.

Lifeboat station opened in Falmouth.

Five of the crew of thirteen of Padstow lifeboatmen were drowned when going to the rescue of the schooner "Georgiana".

The Wolf Rock Lighthouse is completed at a cost of £62,726.

The Lostwithiel and Fowey Railway was opened.

Lifeboat station opened in Port Isaac.

The Cornish & Devon Post newspaper commences publication at Launceston.

(1st May) Bishop Benson is enthroned at St. Mary's church, Truro as the first Bishop of Truro.

(17th August) City status granted to Truro.

The first use of a high-pressure hose in the extraction of Cornish china-clay is introduced by the West Of England Company, but is sabotaged by the workers.

The railway branch line to St. Ives was opened.

The Cornishman newspaper commences publication in Penzance.

A telegraph cable was laid from Porthcurno to the Isles of Scilly.

The Redruth Independent newspaper commences publication and continues until 1895.

(August 15th) Sir Richard Vyvyan dies at Trelowarren.

(25th May) HRH Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, lays foundation stone of Truro Cathedral (St. Mary's church is demolished except for the South Aisle).

Tresmere church is wholly rebuilt except for the tower, and re-consecrated in 1881.

A telegraph cable was laid from Porthcurno to Brest in France.

St. Andrew's church, Pencoys is built, as is Penzance's St. John Baptist church.

Most of Lanhydrock House is destroyed by fire.

Walter Langley settles in Newlyn, the first of those who become known as artists of the Newlyn School to reside there.

St. Peter's church at Port Isaac, is built, and St. Mary's church at Looe begins construction on the site of an old chapel. Its 13th century tower remains.

Douglass's tower built on Eddystone rock.

At Temple on Bodmin Moor, the site of a 12th century Knights Templar commandery, St. Catherine's church is built to a design by Sylvanus Trevail in the location of an earlier one which had become ruinous by the 18th century.

Artists' colony established at Newlyn.

The Newquay Guardian newspaper commences publication, and continues until 1911 when it is incorporated into the Newquay Express.

All Saints church is built at Falmouth to the designs of J D Sedding. It becomes parochial in 1924.

Round Island Lighthouse completed on the most northerly outpost of the Isles of Scilly.

The Cambornian newspaper commences publication in Camborne, changes its title to The Western Star in 1890 and continues until 1896.

Camborne School of Mines was established.

(31st May) A new Town Hall is opened in Wadebridge.

Artists' colony established at St. Ives.

(1st April) Cornwall County Council is created by the Local Government Act of 1888. Committees include County Rate Basis, Finance, Highways and Bridges, Lunatic Asylum, Contagious Diseases of Animals, General Purposes & Parliamentary, Standing Joint, and Sea Fisheries.

The Cornish Post and Mining News newspaper commences publication in Camborne, and continues until 1944 when it is incorporated into The Cornishman. The St. Austell Star newspaper commences publication and continues until 1915. The Western Echo newspaper commences publication in St. Ives and continues until 1957 when it is incorporated in the St. Ives Times.

Bob Fitzsimmons of Helston is the first native Briton heavy-weight boxing champion. He also wins three world titles at different weights at an age when most of today's boxers would have retired.

Commencement of the 'Cornishman' train service from Paddington to Penzance.

(10th January) Wheal Owles (St. Just) mine disaster, 20 lives lost in flooding.

(6th June) John Passmore Edwards is made the first Freeman of the City of Truro for his generous gifts to the City and the County.

The St. Ives Weekly Summary newspaper commences publication and continues until 1918. From 1910 it becomes a local edition of The Cornishman.

The first free public library building in Cornwall is provided when Penzance's Public Library is opened in Morrab Road. It is established with a bequest of £1,947 from Octavius Allen Ferris of Highgate, London, who gives similar amounts to Truro, Falmouth, Camborne and Redruth. Thomas Bedford Bolitho and J. Passmore Edwards each present 1,000 volumes. Passmore Edwards finances the building of these libraries too, as well as those at St. Ives, Bodmin, Liskeard and Launceston.

All Saints church, Millbrook, is built echoing the 15th century style.

Mullion harbour was completed and financed by Lord Robartes.

The 1,187 ton steamer "Escurial" was wrecked with a loss of eleven hands out of a full crew of nineteen in a severe winter storm off Portreath.

A slipway was built at Towan Head, Newquay so the lifeboat could launch directly into the sea.

(29th November) The Rose of Devon was wrecked off Porthtowan.

Blue Hiils Tin mine finally closes.

The Victoria Gardens in Truro are laid out and opened for public use in commemoration of the 60th year of the reign of Queen Victoria.

A telegraph cable was laid from Porthcurno to Gibraltar.

(14th October) The SS Mohegan was wrecked after striking the Manacle rocks off The Lizard.

(2nd May) The liner The Paris, was stranded on the Manacles off the Lizard.

The railway arrived at Padstow.

Annual production of Cornish china-clay is over 550,000 tons.

(26th September) Pendeen Lighthouse is commissioned.

Edward VII becomes King on the death of his mother, Queen Victoria.

Marconi sends first transatlantic signal from Cornwall - details of archaeological surveys at the Marconi Visitors Centre, Mullion.

The Cornish Guardian newspaper commences publication in Bodmin.

A telegraph cable was laid from Porthcurno to Maderia.

George Frederick Ernest Albert, second son of Albert Edward becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

New Iceworks are built at Newlyn harbour.

The Old Post Office at Tintagel is aquired by The National Trust.

Publication of Jenner's 'Handbook of the Cornish language', prompts the revival of Cornish.

The first Cornish Rivera Express was run, reducing the Paddington to Penzance time to 7 hours from 8½ hours.

Cornwall accepted into Celtic Congress.

The Newquay Express newspaper commences publication, and continues until 1945, when it becomes the Newquay Guardian and Cornwall County Chronicle. In 1955 it is incorporated as a local edition of the Cornish Guardian.

Geevor Mine is the name given to the former North Levant Mine which has worked from about 1810. It survives as a working mine until August 1986. It re-opens as a mining heritage centre in August 1993.

A twelve-arched viaduct is built at Calstock across the River Tamar.

(13th May) Author Daphne du Maurier is born.

Thomas Merritt, composer of famous carols was born at Broad Lane, Illogan on October 26th 1863, the son of a copper miner. He attended Pool School until his father died when Thomas was age 11. For a time Thomas then worked at Carn Brea mine & later Tolvaddon Tin Streams. Mr Humphrey Broad taught him music for about 6 months at Redruth when he was about 18 or 19, but apart from that he appears to have had no formal training. He was organist at Chili Road Chapel & Illogan Highway Chapel. In addition to his carols, Merritt also composed (among others) The Christian Solider, an Oratorio & Shepherd of Israel, a Sacred Cantata. Merritt died on April 17th 1908, aged 46.

Lifeboat station opened at Newlyn.

(4th October) The Alice Marie was wrecked in Mounts Bay after hitting the Runnel Stone.

The last hanging is performed in Bodmin Jail.

(June) The Prince and Princess of Wales' visit Liskeard, Minions, Bodmin, St. Columb Major and Newquay before presenting cups at the Royal Cornwall Show.

George V becomes King and Emperor of India on the death of his father, Edward VII, and his son Edward becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

Truro's three-spired cathedral is completed.

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, is knighted.

The St. Ives Times commences publication and continues until 1971.

St Pirans oratory was excavated and a number of skeletons, including one of a large headless man, were found before the remains were encased in a large concrete structure.

A new coal-fired power station is opened on Hayle Quay, it closed in 1977.

Newquay St. Michael's, a large church in the Cornish style designed by Sir Ninian Comper, is erected. It is destroyed by an arson attack on 29th June 1993 but re-opens following complete restoration.

Author William Golding born at Newquay.

The granite quarries at Lamorna Cove ceased production.

75% of Cornish china-clay production is for shipment overseas.

Among the 2,000 people on board the ill-fated Titanic on 15th April, there was a group of Cornish miners hoping to build a new life in America.

(26th December) The SS Tripolitania ran aground and wrecked on the Loe Sand Bar near Porthleven.

The St. Ives Times newspaper commences publication and continues from 1957 as the St. Ives Times and Echo (incorporating the Western Echo).

A wooden mission church is constructed at Carbis Bay. Foundations for a new church are laid in 1927, the tower is finished in 1959 and the nave is completed in 1964-8.

A major strike occurs in support of a minimum wage of £1 5s 0d (equal to approx £82.00 in 2005) for the china clay industry in the St. Austell area. 200 policemen met 2,000 strikers at Bugle and charged the strikers and beat them back with truncheons.

159 china-clay works are in operation in Cornwall.

Botallack Mine finally closed during the mining depression.

W J Burley author born in Falmouth. The Cornish TV detective series Wycliffe is based on novels by him. His first novel was published in 1966, he died in Cornwall in 2002.

(1st February) The German steel barque Hera was wrecked on Gull rock off Nare Head and was sunk with a loss of 19 lives. The sailors are all buried at Veryan churchyard.

Young men across Cornwall flocked to join the services at the start of WW1.

The novelist, D.H.Lawrence, and his wife Frieda moved to Zennor in West Cornwall, as a first step toward emigrating to America.

The poet and writer Jack Clemo was born at St. Stephen near St. Austell.

A Torpedoed Tramp Steamer beaches near Land's End.

Celebrations across Cornwall as WW1 ends.

(20th October) Levant Mine (St. Just) disaster, 31 lives lost when main rod of man-engine broke.

Royal Institution of Cornwall occupies its present building in River Street, Truro.

The amalgamation takes place of three large china-clay companies - Martin Brothers, the west of England and Great Beam Company, and the North Cornwall China Clay Company, to become English China Clays Ltd or ECC. It controls 50% of the production.

Tehidy House, near Illogan, is destroyed by fire.

Donald Healey transmits an air-to-ground radio message over Perranporth, the first in Cornwall and possibly in the country.

First Old Cornwall Society founded at St. Ives

Bernard Leach started the Leach Pottery in St. Ives.

(29th November) The Capitaine Remy ran aground just off Polkerris.

Cornwall's deepest mine, the 3,500ft Dolcoath, near Camborne closes.

The telegraph cable from Bilbao in Spain which had previously landed at the Lizard was diverted into Porthcurno.

Joan Rendell, the author was born in Launceston.

Lifeboat station opened in Fowey.

The Forestry Commission purchase Cardinham Woods.

(February) The five-masted schooner Adolf Vinnen was wrecked off the Lizard in a gale during her maiden voyage.

Rosamunde Pilcher, a best selling novelist was born in Lelant near St. Ives.

(24th March) The schooner Wyoming, the longest wooden ship ever built, was wrecked with the loss of all hands, off the Isles of Scilly.

The County Library Service begins. In January 1925 Cornwall County Council adopts the Public Libraries Acts, and by 1926 48 villages have boxes of up to 30 volumes sent out by bus and rail. In 1928 the first 'exhibition library van' is purchased, to carry about 2,000 books, visiting each village regularly to permit the public to select books for their village centre.

The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum is opened in Bodmin.

HMS Cornwall was launched at Devonport Dockyard, watched from across the river at Saltash by the crowds.

David Treffry, a member of the old Cornish family of Treffry, was born at Porthpean near St. Austell.

The St. Ives Society of Artists was founded.

Carclew House Gardens first opened to the public.

Bodmin Jail, the last County Jail in Cornwall, eventually closed.

Ferryside at Bodinnick is bought by the Du Maurier family, where Daphne du Maurier wrote her first book.

First Cornish Gorsedd at Boscawen-un, (instituted by Henry Jenner) symbolising the resurgent interest in Cornwall's cultural and linguistic heritage conducted by Pedrog, Archdruid of Britain.

Cornwall College at Camborne is the first college of further education in the county.

The Roman Villa at Magor Farm, Camborne, is discovered.

Daphne du Maurier publishes her first book 'The loving spirit'.

Sir John Betjeman publishes his first book of poems 'Mount Zion'.

A new lifeboat boathouse and roller slipway were built at Padstow.

Cornish author Silas Kitto Hocking becomes the first author to sell 1 million books in his lifetime.

The Wayside Folk Museum in Zennor is opened.

George VI accedes to the throne upon the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII.

A large coal-fired power station is built by ECLP at Drinnick to serve the whole Hensbarrow area.

(23rd January) The St. Ives lifeboat capsized with the loss of seven of her crew when proceeding to a vessel in distress off the Cornish coast.

(3rd September) Start of WW2.

(29th June) Bombs fall on Torpoint during a German air raid.

Charlestown dock taken over for fitting out mine sweepers.

Mount Edgcumbe suffered a direct hit by a German bomb and was gutted by fire.

Captain Dick Yelland retires in January after 60 years work at the same china-clay works.

An RAF airfield was built at Davidstow on Bodmin Moor.

A medium wave radio transmitting mast is erected near Redruth.

(12th May) Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, dies at Fowey aged 81.

(30th May) Falmouth is bombed during a German air raid, destroying a large petrol storage tank.

(6th June) Troops left from various ports and beaches all along the south Cornish coast for the WW2 D-day invasion.

(6th June) David Penhaligan was born in Truro, he later became an MP for Cornwall.

East Pool mine closed and its engine was given to The National Trust in 1967.

Winston Graham published the first of his Poldark novels - Ross Poldark.

(8th May) VE day celebrated across the county marking the end of WW2.

Helston Folk Museum is opened in the former Market House.

Penlee House Art Gallery & Museum is opened in Penzance.

Royal Institution of Cornwall suggests to the County Council the establishment of a County Record Office.

The Cable & Wireless Telegraph Engineering College opens at Porthcurno.

(6th September) Torrential rain causes terrible floods in Boscastle.

Wesley Cottage at Trewint was restored and opened to the public.

Mebyon Kernow (The Sons of Cornwall) is formed, initially as a pressure group working within existing political parties, canvassing for Cornwall to have greater control of its own destiny.

Charles Causley's first volume of poetry is published - Farewell Aggie Weston.

(6th February) Queen Elizabeth II's reign begins on the death of her father, George VI, and Charles her son becomes the Duke of Cornwall.

Launceston railway station closed.

A telegraph cable was laid from Porthcurno to Harbour Grace in Newfoundland.

Lanhydrock House and its estate was given to The National Trust by the 7th Viscount Clifden.

Rev Frederick Densham dies alone in his vicarage at Warleggan, which he is now said to haunt.

Mebyon Kernow wins first council seat.

St. Michael's Mount was given to the National Trust by Lord St. Levan.

The first of three Formula 1 motor races was held at the Davidstow Circuit on Bodmin Moor.

Trelissick Garden was given to the National Trust by Mrs Ida Copeland.

The Pendarves family home known as Pendarves House near Camborne was demolished and the grounds used as a nature reserve.

The Greensplat Cornish beam engine in the china-clay district ceases working, the last such engine to work in Cornwall, is moved to The Poldark Mine near Helston.

The Atomic Energy Authority took over operations in the tunnel under Kit Hill, and used the tunnel for underground explosions.

Tamar Road Bridge opens for traffic at Saltash.

St. Austell Public Library is built to the design of F K Hicklin, County Architect. It is now a listed building.

Cornish Author, Derek Tangye, published his first book, 'A gull on the roof'.

New lifeboat station opened at the Lizard.

The witchcraft museum was opened in Boscastle.

Antony House & Gardens are donated to The National Trust.

An 800ft television mast is erected on Caradon Hill to supply East Cornwall with an improved TV service and some commercial channels.

(26th April) The Tamar bridge at Saltash was officially opened by the Queen Mother.

(July) Goonhilly Earth Satellite Station's first aerial ready for the launch of Telstar. This was the first satellite communication between the UK and the rest of the world.

Sir James Smith Comprehensive School at Camelford, designed by F K Hicklin, is built.

Newquay County Branch Library is built to the design of F K Hicklin, County Architect.

Penzance to Scilly helicopter service is launched. This is the first scheduled passenger helicopter service in Europe.

The last steam train ran between Plymouth and Penzance.

Lawrence House Museum in Launceston was given to The National Trust.

An 500ft television mast is erected at Four Lanes near Redruth to supply West Cornwall with an improved TV service.

Cornwall's new County Hall in Truro, now a listed building, is completed to the design of the County Architect's Department under Alan J Groves.

(8th June) Leo Walmsley, a Yorkshire born author who lived most of his life in Cornwall, dies at Fowey.

Closure of the railway line between Halwill Junction and Wadebridge.

The Tall Ships Race started in Falmouth.

(18th March) The Torrey Canyon goes aground on the Seven Stones reef between Land's End and The Isles of Scilly with a cargo of 119,328 tons of crude oil en route from the Persian Gulf to the BP Refinery in Milford Haven. Salvage preparations are begun, but by 21st March the oil slick was 35 by 20 miles in extent and the ship is abandoned. The entire Cornish coastline, north and south, is polluted by the end of the month.

Isles of Scilly Museum opened on St. Mary's.

Levant Beam Engine was given to the National Trust.

A Chapter House is added to Truro Catherdral.

Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Prince Charles and Princess Anne visit the Isles of Scilly.

Closure of the railway line between Wadebridge and Padstow.

Foundation of the Institute of Cornish Studies in Exeter University.

The Dobwalls Adventure Park and Steam Railway opens near Liskeard.

A country park is created around Mount Edgcumbe House which is then leased back to the Edgcumbe family.

Institute of Cornish Studies set up at Trevenson House, Pool, with Prof. Charles Thomas as its first Director.

Elliotts grocery store in Saltash was opened as a museum.

The Cornish Chough became extinct in Cornwall.

Reform of Cornish Stannary Parliament.

(1st April) Local Government re-organisation establishes 6 new districts, Penwith, Kerrier, Carrick, Restormel, Caradon and North Cornwall.

Creation of the Cornish Studies Library in Redruth.

The North Cornwall Courier newspaper commences publication in Bodmin, continues as the Cornwall Courier, published in Falmouth, and thence until 1986, to be succeeded by the Newquay Packet and the St. Austell Packet (local editions of the Falmouth Packet).

The engine house at Pool near Redruth was rebuilt by the National Trust.

(20th May) Barbara Hepworth dies at St. Ives aged 72.

The filming of the famous Poldark series begins using many locations on the north coast.

(24th September) 80 properties in Polperro are seriously flooded.

Charlestown Shipwreck & Heritage Centre opened.

(6th August) The Queen and Prince Philip arrived at Falmouth on the Royal Yacht Britannia during their Silver Jubilee tour of Cornwall and went on to Truro and several other towns during their visit.

The Stannators right to veto Westminster legislation is confirmed by Parliament.

Mid Cornwall Galleries opened at St. Blazey Gate.

The new Mary Williams Pier at Newlyn harbour was completed, and opened by her Majesty the Queen.

The QE2 moored off Falmouth on route to The Falkland Islands is stocked and re-fuelled by helicopter from RNAS Culdrose airfield.

(15th June) The Falklands war ends when Argentine troops surrender to the British.

The Tall Ships Race started in Falmouth.

(17th January) Radio Cornwall begins its service in Truro.

Tehidy Country Park was bought by Cornwall County Council.

(16th July) A British Airways Helicopter crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, when en route from Penzance to St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly in thick fog. Only six of the 26 on board survived.

(26th December) Launceston Steam Railway opens on the original LSWR Track.

Channel 4 TV finally arrived in Cornwall.

The Gazette: Launceston and Bude newspaper commences publication in Launceston. In 1987 it becomes The Launceston and Bude Gazette, in 1989 the Launceston, Bude and Holsworthy Gazette, and changes its title again, to the Journal Gazette in 1991.

(19th May) Author Sir John Betjeman dies.

Geo-thermal experiments using hot-rock energy are successful at Rosemanowes, Longdowns, near Helston.

Kit Hill Country Park was given to the people of Cornwall to mark the birth of Prince William, by his father, Prince Charles the Duke of Cornwall.

(22nd December) Cornwall's most popular MP, the member for Truro, David Penhaligon,is killed in a car accident, aged 42.

Creation of the new Courts of Justice at Truro, designed by Evans and Shalev, begins.

(1st April) Britain's first Air Ambulance service is launched in Cornwall.

The Duke of Cornwall suggests the formation of a Devon and Cornwall Development Corporation thereby promoting closer administrative links. Concerned Cornish label this concept 'Devonwall'.

Trebah Gardens near Falmouth is opened to the public.

(6th July) Pollution of Lowermoor Water Treatment Works, Camelford.

Mount Edgcumbe House is opened to the public.

Cornwall produces over 3.25 million tons of refined china-clay, mostly from the St. Austell area.

The town of Saltash is by-passed with a 3-lane tunnel on the Cornish side carrying the A38.

Newquay's Martin Potter was World Surfing Champion.

Work began to restore Stuart House in Liskeard.

(19th April) Author Daphne Du Maurier dies aged 81 at her home, Kilmarth near Par.

Lakeside Gallery is opened by Linda and Roger Garland near Launceston.

(24th - 25th January) Storm winds of 177 mph are recorded in Falmouth. The Polurian Hotel at Mullion loses its roof. 400,000 South West residents are left without power for 2 hours. 50,000 Cornish residents lose power for over 24 hrs.

Geevor tin mine closes.

The Trinity House National Lighthouse Centre is opened in Penzance.

Cornwall's unemployment has increased by 300% since 1961 (20,000 cf. 5,000) while its population has increased by 39% (473,000 cf. 339,000).

(17th November) Thousands of gallons of heavily polluted water overflow into the Carnon River near Redruth from the recently closed Wheal Jane Mine after the drainage pumps had been turned off.

Cornwall's first commercial wind-farm in service at Delabole.

Restoration of The Lost Gardens of Heligan is begun.

(3rd April) Cornwall's first commercial radio station, Pirate FM102, begins broadcasting from Redruth.

New lifeboat station opened in Looe.

(23rd June) Prince Charles opens the Tate Gallery at St. Ives.

(30th December) Polperro suffers extensive flooding and 99 properties are deluged.

The joint Cornwall and Devon bid for Objective One funds fails because of Devon's high GDP.

Geevor tin mine opens as a heritage centre.

The Cable & Wireless college at Porthcurno closed.

The Queen handed out maundy money during a visit to Truro.

Launch of new campaign for a University for Cornwall by Sir Geoffrey Holland, Vice-Chancellor of University of Exeter.

New lifeboat station opened at Rock.

(2nd June) Callington Heritage Centre opened.

Sharp's brewery is established in Rock.

The Pilchard Works in Newlyn opens.

Seaton Valley Country Park is opened by Caradon District Council.

Richard Trevithick's Cottage at Penponds is opended to the public.

The Ministry of Agriculture conducted an official investigation into the Beast of Bodmin.

Harold Wilson was buried at St. Mary's Old church, Isles of Scilly.

Land's End goes on sale in a package deal with John O'Groats.

Statistics reveal that out of 56 deprived communities in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, 51 are in Cornwall.

(26th October) Author of the Minack Chronicles, Derek Tangye dies.

The first Lafrowda Festival is held at St. Just.

(24th May) Keskerdh Kernow marchers set off from St. Keverne in remembrance of 1497 events.

(July) A major restoration programme is carried out at Penlee House Art Gallery & Museum.

(November 15th) The inaugural performance at The Hall for Cornwall takes place.

(6th March) Closure of South Crofty mine is widely believed to mark an end to 4000 years of metal mining in Cornwall.

(19th July) The Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race started in Falmouth.

(February) Cornwall County Council vote in support of the campaign to include Cornish as a minority ethnic group for the purposes of the forthcoming 2001 Census. The Government's Office of National Statistics subsequently agrees the inclusion. English China Clays International (ECCI) is acquired by the French company Imetal, which changes its name in the same year to Imerys.

(25th March) Cornwall is awarded Objective 1 status.

(22nd May) Cornwall beat Gloucestershire at Twickenham in the Rugby Union County Championship.

(August) The Government's Compliance Report to the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities declines to recognise the term 'national minority' as applicable and applies the Council of Europe principles to ethnic groups and visible minorities, using the Race Relations Act 1976 to define racial groups. The Scots, Welsh and Irish, although not 'national minorities' as defined by the Government, are included as racial groups, implying that the Cornish are neither.

(11th August) A total eclipse of the Sun occurs over the south-western part of the UK mainland.

(17th March) The Eden Project opens near St. Austell.

(April) A sturgeon is caught off Cadgwith and is offered to the Duke of Cornwall. When landed in other parts of Britain the fish is customarily offered to the monarch.

(22nd October) The Cornwall Centre opens at Alma Place, Redruth, as a significant town centre regeneration project, at a cost of £2.6million. It incorporates the much-enlarged Cornish Studies Library with a visitor centre, 12 shop units with a market stall area, and Cornwall's first 'Forum' scheme for housing and training homeless young people.

The Cornish Chough returns to the cliffs in Cornwall.

The Tamar Bridge at Saltash is widened to 5 lanes.

(12th December) The Marconi Visitors Centre, is opened near Mullion.

(March) The Council of Europe request the Government to consult the Cornish with a view to incorporating Cornish language, history and culture into the education curriculum.

(April) Liskeard and District Museum was re-opened in the refurbished and extended Foresters Hall.

(5th November) UK Government confirms that Cornish will be included in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, joining Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots and Ulster Scots as a protected and promoted language within the United Kingdom.

A new lifeboat boathouse and slipway were built at Looe.

(14th March) The National Maritime Museum opens in Falmouth.

(10th July) The author of the Poldark novels Winston Graham dies aged 95.

(4th November) Charles Causley, the poet from Launceston, dies aged 86.

(27th March) HMS Scylla was sunk in Whitsand bay near Rame Head to provide a living reef.

(13th April) Baseresult claims a new era of mining has begun at South Crofty mine, which it acquired in 2001, with the blasting of a new tunnel to link the Tuckingmill Decline with New Cook's Kitchen shaft. The company estimates an 80-year life for the mine.

(11th July) A new boathouse for the lifeboat is built at Bude.

(16th August) Boscastle and Crackington Haven are inundated with devastating floods, which result in extensive damage and loss of property but no loss of life.

The annual value of china-clay sold from the UK is over £200 million. UK china clay from the St. Austell area is used for paper coatings (21%), paper filling (49%), ceramics (21%) and plastics, rubber, paint, etc (9%).

(10th June) Nick Darke a well known Cornish playwright dies. He was born in 1948 in St. Eval near Padstow.

Radio Scilly started transmissions from the The Isles of Scilly.

(July) A boathouse to accommodate a new Tamar class lifeboat was completed in Padstow.

The university at Penryn starts offering courses on Cornish Studies.

(18th August) Penhallow hotel in Newquay was destroyed by fire and cost the lives of three people.

(21st August) Dr Roger Slack, St. Ives GP and resident, dies aged 88. He started his career in St. Ives in 1947 and cared for local artists including Barbara Hepworth.

(August) Godolphin House was aquired by the National Trust.

(18th October) The Castle, Bude is opened to the public as a restaurant and heritage centre.

(January) Radio St. Austell Bay launched in the St. Austell area.

The standard written form of the Cornish language was agreed.

A million pounds has been awarded to 'Funding for Cornish Museums'.

(10th July) The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall visit Tintagel, Ladock, Bodmin, St. Mawes and Truro.

(30th October) Parts of north Cornwall are hit by serious flooding.

An Eco-Town has been short listed for contruction in the St. Austell area.

(4th June) An election for Cornwall's new unitary council took place.

(19th June) First cases of swine flu hit Penzance.

(13th July) A private buyer bought the Upton Towans beach near Hayle for £80,000.

(4th May) Joan Rendell, a famous cornish author dies in a fire at her bungalow near Launceston.

(12th May) A very ancient tomb was discovered in St. James's church in St. Kew near Wadebridge.

(24th August) David Cameron's wife Samantha gives birth to their fourth child in Truro hospital.

Wave Hub installed off the Cornish coast near Hayle. The world's largest wave energy site.

Trewey Mill at Zennor Wayside Folk Museum is restored and put into working condition.

(17th November) Altarnun and other parts of Cornwall hit by flash floods.

(22nd February) Delabole wind farm re-opened with 4 new huge wind turbines replacing the 10 earlier ones.

(17th March) The Eden Project celebrates its 10th anniversary.

(18th May) Land's End is announced as the starting point for the 2012 Olympic torch relay across Britain.

(4th June) Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visit the Isles of Scilly.

(12th September) The new Five Islands School opens in St. Mary's on the Isles of Scilly.

(6th December) Princess Anne visits the Tamar Bridge at Saltash which celebrates its 50th anniversary.

(14th March) St. Austell looses its bid to be given city status.

(20th April) The new Heartlands visitor centre at Camborne opens to the public.

(19th May) The 2012 Olympic torch parade sets off from Land's End on its journey across Cornwall.

(2nd July) Prince Charles and Camilla visit The Isles of Scilly and Cornwall for three days.

(20th July) The author E. V. Thompson dies at his Launceston home.

(16th October) Floods occur due to weather and tidal conditions in Looe, Fowey and Mevagissey.

(21st January) St. Odulphus church at Pillaton, near Saltash is struck by lightning. One of the pinnacles smashed down through the roof leaving a large hole and major damage.

(6th March) BT announces plans to connect the Isles of Scilly to the Internet by fibre optic cable.

(22nd March) After days of heavy rain a house in Looe is swept away in a landslide with one person killed.

(21st April) A new landmark to mark the county's boundary - a 20 metre high Celtic cross was erected on the Saltash side of the River Tamar.

(17th May) The Queen and Prince Phillip visit St. Ives, The Tate Gallery, Marazion and St. Michael's Mount.