1 Politics and language

Although the Cornish people have always had their own distinctive culture, identity and language, Cornwall is now administered as an English county. A number of complex jurisdictional ambiguities remain unresolved, however, and will probably remain so in perpetuity. As an example of the inherent complexity of this ambiguity, Sir George Harrison (Attorney General to the Duchy of Cornwall) during the Crown-v-Duchy Foreshore dispute of 1858 described Cornwall as "A palatine state, extraterritorial to the English Crown".

Cornish secessionists have organised into two political parties: Mebyon Kernow and the Cornish Nationalist Party. There is also a substantial movement for Home Rule, which has collected 50,000 signatures on its petition.

The Cornish language is closely related to Welsh and Breton, and less so to Irish and Scots Gaelic. It continued as a living Celtic language until 1777 and the death of Dolly Pentreath, the last person thought to have used only the Cornish language (although this is disputed on a number of counts). The publication of Henry Jenner's "Handbook of the Cornish Language" in 1904 caused a resurgence of interest in the Cornish language and efforts are being made to revive it. Although there has never been a census, there are some 2,000 Cornish speakers, 100-150 of whom are fluent. It has recently been officially recognised by the UK government as a minority language.

Some Cornish surnames are prefixed by Tre, Pol, or Pen, as indicated in the rhyme "by Tre, Pol and Pen ye shall know Cornishmen." These come from Cornish language words meaning, respectively, town (or farm), pool, and head.

Traditionally, the Cornish have been nonconformists, in both religion and politics. Celtic Christianity was a feature of Cornwall and many Cornish saints are commemorated in legends, churches and placenames.

2 History

Main article: History of Cornwall.

The modern English name is derived from the tribal name Cornovii and the Anglo-Saxon word wealas meaning "foreigners". Cornovii may mean "horn [i.e. peninsula] people". Wealas is also the origin of the name Wales. [1]. In Cornish it was known as Kernow or Curnow a name which has regained some currency today.

Cornwall was the principal source of tin for the civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean, and at one time the Cornish were the world's foremost experts at mining. As Cornwall's reserves of tin began to be exhausted many Cornishmen emigrated to places such as the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where their skills were in demand. The tin mines in Cornwall are now economically worked-out at current prices, but the expertise and culture of the Cornish tin miners lives on in a number of places around the world. Several Cornish mining words are in use in English language mining terminology, such as costean, gunnies, and vug.

Since the decline of tin mining, farming and fishing, the area's economy has become increasingly dependent on tourism - some of the world's most spectacular coastal scenery can be found here. However, behind the facade lies an economically depressed and neglected region. This has been recognised by the EU and Cornwall has been granted Objective One status. A political party, Mebyon Kernow, the MK, or 'Sons of Cornwall', has been formed in order to attempt to reassert Cornish independence, and although increasingly the flag of St. Piran is seen across Cornwall at protests and demonstrations, the party has not achieved significant success at the ballot box, although they do have some councillors.

In 1841 there were nine hundreds of Cornwall, East , Kerrier, Lesneweth , Penwith, Powder , Pydar , Stratton, Trigg and West . The shire suffix has been attached to various of these, notably Powdershire and Triggshire, and East and West appear to be divisions of Wivelshire . The names of Kerrier and Penwith have been re-used for modern local government districts.

3 Flag

Saint Piran's Flag

There is some dispute about whether the patron saint of Cornwall is Saint Michael, St Petroc or Saint Piran. Saint Piran is the more popular of the three; his emblem (a vertical white cross on a black background) is recognised as the flag of Cornwall, and his day ( March 5) is celebrated by Cornish people around the world. Saint Piran's Flag has been adopted by Cornish secessionists, but it is used much more as a non-political symbol of Cornwall - by those wishing to display a loyalty and pride in their county, for example. It even features on the packaging for Ginster's Cornish pasties to advertise their status as a Cornwall-based company.

4 Literary references

Cornwall was the setting for the popular series of Poldark books by Winston Graham, and for the television series based on those books.

Daphne du Maurier lived in Cornwall and set many of her novels there, including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, Frenchman's Creek , My Cousin Rachel , and The House on the Strand . Charles de Lint, writer of many modern and urban fairy tales, set his novel The Little Country in the village of Mousehole in Cornwall.

Cornwall is featured heavily in the beginning of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley as the home of Irgaine, wife of Goloris, Duke of Cornwall. The castle at Tintagel has been said to be the birthplace of King Arthur.

Other notable Cornish writers include Arthur Quiller-Couch alias "Q" and the deaf short story writer, Jack Clemo.

Cornwall also produced a substantial amount of passion plays during the Middle Ages. Many are still extant, and provide valuable information about the Cornish language.

5 Other culture

Cornwall has a rich and vibrant folk music tradition which has survived into the present. Cornwall is well known for some of its unusual folk survivals such as Cornish Hurling (a kind of medieval football, played with a silver ball), the Padstow Hobby Horse , Mummers Plays etc.

Cornish players are regular participants in inter-Celtic festivals, and Cornwall itself has several lively inter-Celtic festivals such as Perranporth's folk festival.

Cornwall also has its own unique form of wrestling.

6 Settlements

This is a list of the main towns and cities in the county; for a complete list of settlements see list of places in Cornwall.

• Bodmin, Boscastle, Bude
• Camborne, Charlestown, Coverack
• Falmouth, Fowey
• Hayle, Helston
• Launceston, Liskeard, Lizard, Looe
• Marazion, Mevagissey, Mousehole
• Newlyn, Newquay, Newtown
• Padstow, Penzance
• Redruth
• Saltash, St Austell, St Ives, St Just, St Mawes
• Truro

7 Places of interest

Bodmin Moor Carn Euny Carrick Roads Chûn Castle Chûn Quoit Cornwall Wildlife Trust Eden Project River Fowey Godrevy Island Goonhilly Downs Gweek seal sanctuary Kynance Cove Land's End Lanhydrock House Lanyon Quoit

The Lizard Loe Pool The Lost Gardens of Heligan Mên-an-Tol Minack Theatre Mullion Cove Pendennis Castle Penlee House Poldhu Roseland Peninsula South West Coast Path St Mawes Castle St Michael's Mount Tintagel Castle Trellisick Gardens Truro Cathedral

The Isles of Scilly have in some periods been served by the same county administration as Cornwall, but are today a separate Unitary Authority. Some secessionists have found the phrase "English Heritage" to be controversial, and in 2003, there has been a general move to replace these signs, and the Tudor Rose with the Cornish flag, after a group started removing them.

8 See also

• List of Cornish people

9 External links

• Cornwall & thereabouts
• Cornwall Web Directory - a comprehensive directory of Cornwall related websites and services.
• Places to visit in Cornwall - links to tourist attractions, gardens and beauty spots in Cornwall
• Campaign for a Cornish Assembly

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