St Agnes, Cornwall
Encyclopedia
St Agnes is a civil parish and a large village on the north coast of Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. The village is situated approximately five miles (8 km) north of Redruth
and ten miles (16 km) southwest of Newquay
.
Historically, St Agnes and the surrounding area relied on fishing
, farming and mining for copper
and tin
. At their height about 100 mines employed 1000 miners. Mining came to an end in the 1920s and many of these mines are still on view for any tourists.
St Agnes is a popular tourist destination. Much of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
( a World Heritage Site
) is in the parish. The coastal area is maintained by the National Trust
and is designated part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). There are beaches at Trevaunance Cove and Chapel Porth and the area has many way-marked coastal and country walks.
The St Agnes area has a heritage of industrial archeology and much of the landscape is of considerable geological
interest. There are also stone-age
remains in the parish. The manor of Tywarnhaile was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria
of the Duchy of Cornwall.
, Mount Hawke
, Blackwater
and Mithian as well as St Agnes village itself. The 2001 census figure for St Agnes village was 2,230 in 1,013 households. Unemployment at 3.8% (2001 census) compares to a national average of 3.4%. The retired population represented 20.8% (national average 13.6%), those in full time employment were 28.6% (40.6%), and those self-employed were 14.9% (8.3%). These and other factors put St Agnes in 15,862nd position in the most deprived scale out of 32,482, thus approximately in the middle (in 2001).
, Methodist
and Catholic. The churches also act as centres of social gathering as do the Miners and Mechanics Institute, the many pubs, bistros and restaurants and several sports clubs (including rugby union
, football
and surfing
).
In medieval and early modern times St Agnes was part of the parish of Perranzabuloe
and the church of St Agnes was a chapel-of-ease only (St Agnes was made into a parish in 1846). The parish church is 15th century in date but has been much restored
. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea was built in 1882 to the designs of Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly, architects.
In 1802, a pilchard fishing industry was established from the harbour, reaching its peak in 1829 and 1830 before declining. However the new harbour was also destroyed in a storm in 1915/16 and only remains of it still exist. St Agnes remained a busy port until the collapse of the harbour wall in 1916, which ultimately made post-war reinvestment in the mines unattractive.
Trevaunance Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
and a Geological Conservation Review
site of national importance for the ″... the two principal ore-bearing mineral veins associated with the Hercynian St. Agnes-Cligga granite
″.
giant.
It is also the home of Atlantic FM
, which broadcasts across the whole of Cornwall from its studios at the "Wheal Kitty Workshops".
It is connected by bus services with the chief nearby towns.
, Bryanick (pointed or prominent hill) from this landmark. The top of the Beacon offers a panoramic view of the cliffs from St Ives in the south to Padstow in the North, as well as inland views over much of Carrick and the eastern part of Penryn
. On a clear day, 23 miles of coast and 32 church towers can be seen from the top.
To the northwest foot of the beacon is Cameron Quarry and St Agnes Beacon Pits, Sites of Special Scientific Interest noted for their geological
interest.
At Chapel Coombe a set of old Cornish stamps has been re-erected by the Trevithick Society.
is one of the best known and most picturesque groups of cliff-top mine buildings in Cornwall, offering superb coastal views. The buildings are owned by the National Trust.
Stippy Stappy is a row of 18th century cottages on a very steep incline.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The village is situated approximately five miles (8 km) north of Redruth
Redruth
Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
and ten miles (16 km) southwest of Newquay
Newquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
.
Historically, St Agnes and the surrounding area relied on fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, farming and mining for copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
. At their height about 100 mines employed 1000 miners. Mining came to an end in the 1920s and many of these mines are still on view for any tourists.
St Agnes is a popular tourist destination. Much of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape is a World Heritage Site which includes select mining landscapes across Cornwall and West Devon in the south west of the United Kingdom...
( a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
) is in the parish. The coastal area is maintained by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and is designated part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). There are beaches at Trevaunance Cove and Chapel Porth and the area has many way-marked coastal and country walks.
The St Agnes area has a heritage of industrial archeology and much of the landscape is of considerable geological
Geology of Cornwall
The Geology of Cornwall is dominated by its granite backbone, part of the Cornubian batholith, formed during the Variscan orogeny. Around this is an extensive metamorphic aureole formed in the mainly Devonian slates that make up most of the rest of the county...
interest. There are also stone-age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
remains in the parish. The manor of Tywarnhaile was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria
Antiqua maneria
The Antiqua maneria were the original 17 manors belonging to the Earldom of Cornwall.After March 1337 these manors passed to the new Duchy of Cornwall which was created by King Edward III to give financial support to his son Edward, the Black Prince .The table below shows the 17 Antiqua maneria...
of the Duchy of Cornwall.
Statistics
St Agnes civil parish had a population of 7,257 in April 2006; this includes nearby PorthtowanPorthtowan
Porthtowan is a small village in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom, and is a popular summer tourist destination which lies within the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, a World Heritage Site. Porthtowan lies on Cornwall's north Atlantic coast about west of St Agnes, north of...
, Mount Hawke
Mount Hawke
Mount Hawke is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately seven miles west-northwest of Truro, three miles northeast of Redruth, and two miles south of St Agnes....
, Blackwater
Blackwater, Cornwall
Blackwater is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated in the parish of St Agnes between Truro and Redruth. The village lies on the old course of the A30 north of the current course which bypasses it...
and Mithian as well as St Agnes village itself. The 2001 census figure for St Agnes village was 2,230 in 1,013 households. Unemployment at 3.8% (2001 census) compares to a national average of 3.4%. The retired population represented 20.8% (national average 13.6%), those in full time employment were 28.6% (40.6%), and those self-employed were 14.9% (8.3%). These and other factors put St Agnes in 15,862nd position in the most deprived scale out of 32,482, thus approximately in the middle (in 2001).
Community organisations and social life
The people of St Agnes are predominantly Christian or of no religion and there are three churches: AnglicanChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and Catholic. The churches also act as centres of social gathering as do the Miners and Mechanics Institute, the many pubs, bistros and restaurants and several sports clubs (including rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
).
In medieval and early modern times St Agnes was part of the parish of Perranzabuloe
Perranzabuloe
Perranzabuloe is a coastal civil parish and a hamlet in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The hamlet is situated just over a mile south of the principal settlement of the parish, Perranporth; the hamlet is also seven miles south-southwest of Newquay...
and the church of St Agnes was a chapel-of-ease only (St Agnes was made into a parish in 1846). The parish church is 15th century in date but has been much restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea was built in 1882 to the designs of Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly, architects.
Harbour
The Tonkin family, lords of the manor of Trevaunance, attempted unsuccessfully to create a harbour in 1632, 1684, 1699, 1709; leaving the family in debt. A harbour was built in 1710 and washed away in 1730. A new harbour constructed in 1798 allowed for the export of copper ore and the import of coal from South Wales for the smelters at the mines.In 1802, a pilchard fishing industry was established from the harbour, reaching its peak in 1829 and 1830 before declining. However the new harbour was also destroyed in a storm in 1915/16 and only remains of it still exist. St Agnes remained a busy port until the collapse of the harbour wall in 1916, which ultimately made post-war reinvestment in the mines unattractive.
Trevaunance Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
and a Geological Conservation Review
Geological Conservation Review
The Geological Conservation Review is produced by the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee and is designed to identify those sites of national and international importance needed to show all the key scientific elements of the geological and geomorphological features of Britain...
site of national importance for the ″... the two principal ore-bearing mineral veins associated with the Hercynian St. Agnes-Cligga granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
″.
Economy
St Agnes is unusual, for a village of its size, in being relatively self-sufficient with local shops and business enterprises being promoted actively by the chamber of commerce and The Bolster, a local free newspaper named after the legendary BolsterBolster Day
Bolster day is annual festival held at Chapel Porth cove near St Agnes, Cornwall, UK. The festival is held on May 1 every year and reenacts the events of the Cornish legend of Bolster the giant and St Agnes with use of giant imagery and local performers...
giant.
It is also the home of Atlantic FM
Atlantic FM
Atlantic FM, is a radio station based in and serving Cornwall, United Kingdom. The station, owned by Atlantic Broadcasting Ltd, began broadcasting on July 6, 2006 at 0730 BST, and is broadcast from St Agnes...
, which broadcasts across the whole of Cornwall from its studios at the "Wheal Kitty Workshops".
It is connected by bus services with the chief nearby towns.
St Agnes Beacon
St Agnes Beacon, a local landmark now owned by the National Trust, rises 192 metres (629.9 ft) in isolation from the surrounding landscape with the sea to the west. St Agnes derives its old Cornish nameCornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
, Bryanick (pointed or prominent hill) from this landmark. The top of the Beacon offers a panoramic view of the cliffs from St Ives in the south to Padstow in the North, as well as inland views over much of Carrick and the eastern part of Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
. On a clear day, 23 miles of coast and 32 church towers can be seen from the top.
To the northwest foot of the beacon is Cameron Quarry and St Agnes Beacon Pits, Sites of Special Scientific Interest noted for their geological
Geology of Cornwall
The Geology of Cornwall is dominated by its granite backbone, part of the Cornubian batholith, formed during the Variscan orogeny. Around this is an extensive metamorphic aureole formed in the mainly Devonian slates that make up most of the rest of the county...
interest.
Bolster & Chapel Porth
Bolster & Chapel Porth is a large earthen bulwark believed to date from the Dark Ages. It originally ran from Chapel Porth to Trevaunance Cove. According to legend, Bolster was a giant who fell in love with a young maiden called Agnes. As proof of his love, Agnes demanded that the giant fill a small hole at the edge of the cliff with his blood. Being such a small hole the giant willingly did so. However, he was unaware that the hole was bottomless and opened into a sea cave. Bolster continued to fill the cave until he was so weak that he fell into the sea to his death; the blood-stained cave can be found at Chapel Porth.At Chapel Coombe a set of old Cornish stamps has been re-erected by the Trevithick Society.
St Agnes Parish Museum
The St Agnes Parish Museum offers an opportunity to study in more detail the landscape and the history of St Agnes. The Museum is run by volunteers and is a registered charity established to promote the heritage of St Agnes. The mining and seafaring history of St Agnes is explained in displays and on film. The natural history display includes a 700-pound leatherback turtle.Wheal Coates and Stippy Stappy
Wheal CoatesWheal Coates
Wheal Coates is a former tin mine situated on the north coast of Cornwall, England, on the cliff tops between Porthtowan and St Agnes. It is preserved and maintained by the National Trust.‘Wheal’ is Cornish for ‘mine’...
is one of the best known and most picturesque groups of cliff-top mine buildings in Cornwall, offering superb coastal views. The buildings are owned by the National Trust.
Stippy Stappy is a row of 18th century cottages on a very steep incline.