Attractive village sheltered in a green valley on the north -eastern fringe of Bodmin Moor. Packhorse bridge over stream which flows through the village which is itself dominated by the pinnacled tower of the 15thC St Nonna's church, known as 'The Cathedral of the Moor'.
Blisland
Picture-book village, favourite of John Betjeman, on western slopes of Bodmin Moor. Village green surrounded by Georgian and Victoria houses, cottages and the 15thC church of St Protus and St Hyacinth, describe by Betjeman as 'dazzling and amazing'.
Cornwall's County Town, its name means `Abode of the Monks'. The town has a turbulent history - one of the leaders of the 1497 Cornish Rebellion, the lawyer Thomas Flamank, came from here. At the time of the Domesday Book, it was the only town in Cornwall to have a market.
Attractions: Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Dragon Leisure Centre & Pool, Bodmin Town Museum, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum. Nearby, Lanhydrock House, Pencarrow House, Cardinham Woods, Colliford Lake.
Events: Riding and Heritage Day, Cornwall Theatre Festival.
TIC - Shire House, Mount Folly, Bodmin. Tel/Fax: (01208) 76616
Email : bodmintic@visit.org.uk
Wild, windswept and awe-inspiring granite moorland overlooked by summits of Brown Willy (1377ft), Cornwall's highest point, and Roughtor (best approached from Camelford). Abundance of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains, including stone circles and menhirs. See Bolventor and Minions.
Village in the centre of Bodmin Moor, with Jamaica Inn, dating from 1547, made famous by Daphne du Maurier. The village and inn were the focus of several smuggling routes. Dramatic views across the moor. Nearby, legendary Dozmary Pool, where Sir Bedivere hurled King Arthur's sword Excalibur, after the Battle of Camlann, and from the waters rose the arm of the Lady of the Lake.
Renowned and attractive National Trust fishing village with narrow, cliff-hung harbour entrance, small quay and walks through beautiful Valency Valley and St Nectan's Glen. Thomas Hardy met his first wife here and based his novel A Pair of Blue Eyes on his experiences in the district. Nearby Beeny Cliff has been featured in the writings of both Hardy and John Betjeman.
Attractions: Heritage Coast Visitor Centre, craft workshops.
Events: Beer Festival.
Pretty, sheltered cove and village between Boscastle and Tintagel and Sir Francis Drake was elected MP here.
Beaches: Bossiney beach.
Prime north coast resort with fine sandy beaches, rock pools, tidal swimming pool. Fine centre for surfing. Good shopping centre, choice of restaurants, evening concerts. Once a busy port with canal. Beaches: Summerleaze, Crooklets and nearby Northcott Mouth, Sandy Mouth, Duckpool.
Attractions: Bude canal, Lifeboat house, Bude & Stratton Museum, Bude Golf Club (18-hole) Bude Haven Leisure centre, The Splash Leisure Pool, recreation ground.
Events: Carnival, Jazz Festival, Cajun Festival, Lifeboat Week, Shoreline Triathlon, Bude Surf & Rock.
TIC - Bude Tourist Information Centre, The Crescent, Bude. Tel: 01288 354240 Fax: 01288 355769 E-Mail: budetic@visit.org.uk
Small but thriving town, old pocket borough. Good touring base. Walks to the summit of Roughtor, on Bodmin Moor. Nearby Slaughter Bridge said to be the site of King Arthur's last battle, in 539AD, and is possibly site of 825AD Celtic defeat. Crowdy Reservoir nearby for picnic sites and fly & bait fishing.
Attractions: Sports Centre & Pool, North Cornwall Museum, British Cycling Museum.
Events: Agricultural Show, Fun Week, Carnival.
TIC - North Cornwall Museum, The Clease, Camelford. Tel/Fax: 01840 212954
Cardinham
Edge-of-the-moor village. 14thC Church of St Meubred, repaired after wartime bomb damage has some splendid oak bench ends and brasses. Nearby castle earthwork.
Attractions: forest trails and woodland.
Clovelly
Visitors from all over the world visit this famous north Devon coastal village. Cobbled streets closed to traffic, flower-strewn cottages tumble down to the tiny 14thC harbour.
Attractions: Charles Kingsley Exhibition, Fisherman's Museum, Visitors' Centre, Clovelly Pottery.
Coombe
Delightful hamlet of thatched cottages and mill, once a thriving village based on the wood and corn mill. Nearby Coombe Valley, forest walk.
Beaches: Duckpool.
Coastal village with spectacular beach and magnificent 40Oft cliff walks Cornwall's highest coastal point.
Delabole
Centre of the local slate industry. Delabole Slate Quarry - the largest man-made hole in Britain. Close by is the first commercial wind farm in UK.
Attractions: Delabole Slate Visitors' Centre.
Egloskerry
Tidy village with interesting cottages.15thC church of St Keri and St Petroc with original Norman wall and transept.
Kilkhampton
Large village with mafgnificent church of St James. Kilkhampton Castle, 12thC earthwork, motte and two baileys.
Laneast
Attractive moorland hamlet above scenic Inney Valley. Birthplace of John Couch Adams, mathematician and astronomer, who discovered Neptune.
Attractions: Holy Well. Parish Church.
Launcells
Pretty hamlet.
Attractions: St Swithins Well. 15thC church of St Swithins with original features preserved.
12th century walled town, capital of Cornwall until 1838 with castle and 12thC Norman keep, mentioned in Domesday Book 14thC church of St Mary Magdalene with its intricately carved stones. Elegant Georgian houses still line the narrow thoroughfares and market square. Described by Betjeman as `the most interesting inland town in Cornwall'.
Attractions: Lawrence House Museum, Steam Railway, Hidden Valley, Trethorne Leisure park, Nearby Tamat Otter Park,Leisure Centre,
Events: Agricultural Show, Steam & Vintage Rally.
TIC - Market House, The Arcade, Launceston.
Tel: 01566 772321 Fax: 01566 772322
Lewannick
Hilltop village with commanding views across Bodmin Moor to Fox Tor. 13thC church of St Martin, rebuilt after a fire in 1890.
Marhamchurch
Quiet hilltop village of thatched cob cottages and the modest 14thC church of St Marwenna with its magnificent old oak door and 'sanctuary knocker' which meant that fugitives could enjoy the protection of the church for 40 days.
Events: Marhamchurch Revels.
Minions
The highest village in Cornwall. Walks to the balancing rocks of the famous Cheesewring, and to the Hurlers, a Bronze Age stone circle.
Attractions: Minions Tin Mine and Visitors' Centre.
Morwenstow
Church of St John Baptist contains the graves of over 40 shipwrecked sailors, buried by the eccentric Parson Hawker, who spent 40 years here serving 'a mixed multitude of smugglers, wreckers and dissenters.' Hawker is best remembered for his poem The Song of the Western Men, with its famous line 'And shall Trelawney die?' which has become the Cornish National anthem. Clifftop views and walks.
Events: Harvest Arts Festival.
One of the least spoilt of Cornish fishing ports. Narrow streets, pastel-washed medieval houses, bustling waterfront and renowned restaurants. The Saints' Way; dramatic Trevose Head and lighthouse. Beaches: nearby Harbour Cove, Trevone Bay, Harlyn Bay and Mother Ivey's Bay.
Attractions: Prideaux Place - beautiful Elizabethan Mansion House set in 60 acres, Padstow Museum, Camel Trail.
Events: 'Obby'Oss day, Carnival, Fish & Ships Festival.
Tourist Information Centre, North Quay, Padstow
Tel: (01841) 533449 Fax: (01840) 532356
email: padstowtic@visit.org.uk
Much loved by Betjeman. Sheltered village, wide beach, excellent surfing.
Attractions: PoIzeath Voluntary Marine Wildlife Area.
Tourist Information Centre, Coronation Gardens, Polzeath.
Tel: (01208) 862488
Narrow shingle beach at the end of deep winding valley Slate from Delabole was once loaded onto sailing ships here. Old pilchard cellars.
Unspoilt fishing village whose white-painted and slate-hung houses run down the steep sides of a coombe to a sheltered harbour. Location for famous Poldark TV series. Network of alleyways, some extremely narrow, one called 'Squeeze-ee-belly' Alley. Old pilchard cellars and a shingle beach with several working crabbers.
Attractions: pottery, good restaurants, Long Cross Victorian Gardens.
National Trust. Small fishing community known by some as 'the village that died' after the entire male population disappeared mysteriously in the 19thC.
Poughill
Pronounced 'poffle', village of flowers and thatch. Church of Danish St Olaf.
Beaches: nearby Sandy Mouth, Duckpool,
Events: Poughill Revel and Cuckoo Fayre.
Poundstock
Six miles south of Bude, small village with 14thC church of St Winwaloe in a secluded dell by a stream. 15thC Gildhouse, the only one in Cornwall with magnificent Royal Coat of Arms.
Village in a small estuary inlet, frequented by the sailing fraternity. Passenger ferry from here runs across the river to Padstow. Family beach at Daymer Bay. Nearby 13thC St Enodoc Church where Sir John Betjeman, and his mother are buried.
Beaches: Daymer Bay, Polzeath.
St Breock
Village with idyllic 13thC church. A slab in the churchyard remembers wicked Jan Tregeagle, chief steward of Lanhydrock, whose legendary punishments included emptying Dozmary Pool with a leaking limpet shell. Nearby St Breock Downs with its megalithic stones, including a cromlech and superb views from the Beacon.
St Breward
Granite quarrying village high on the moors, with Norman church built from local stone. Walks to stone circles.
St Clether
Small hamlet situated in scenic Inney Valley.
Attractions: Beautifully situated Holy Well, dating back to Celtic times.
St Eval
The 15thC church of St Uvelus stands all alone on a high plateau, its tower was used as a beacon for pilots landing at the nearby airfield, and also as a landmark for mariners. Walks to Bedruthan Steps - giant stacks of rock in front of the cliffs.
Famous for its collegiate church where John Betjemen worshipped. Its tower visible for miles.
Events: Spring and Summer Music Festivals in the church.
Quiet hamlet high on the cliff tops. Pronounced with a hard 'g', enjoys breathtaking views of coast up to Hartland Point. Tiny church of St Gennys with its rare altar tabernacle. Fascinating churchyard with graves of shipwrecked mariners.
Beaches: nearby Crackington Haven.
St Kew
Village with old bridge, inn and vicarage. St Kew church has the finest medieval stained glass windows in Cornwall.
St Mabyn
Hilltop village reached by narrow lanes. Old cottages and inn cluster around 15thC church of St Mabena, whose doorway is made from Cataclews slate from nearby St Merryn
A short way inland from dramatic Trevose Head, village with slate-built cottages and inn around the low towered medieval church of St Marina.
Beaches: nearby Harlyn Bay, Trevone Bay, Mother Ivey's Bay, Constantine Bay, Treyarnon Bay.
Quiet village with church of St Minefreda. Close by on lowlands is Jesus' Well, the waters of which were said to have great healing powers.
Beaches: nearby Daymer Bay, Polzeath
Events: Fun Run, Carnival.
St Teath
Pronounce to rhyme with 'breath'. Flowery lanes leading to pretty village with a clock tower in the centre. Cottages and walls built from local Delabole slate. Churchyard, with magnificent carved Celtic cross.
St Tudy
Peaceful village pretty cottages, a few craft shops and beautiful 15thC churn with its monuments in Delabole slate.
Narrow Streets, part-Norman church. The Tree Inn, birthplace of Anthony Payne, the Cornish Giant. Famous for Royalist victory at Stamford Hill in 1643.
Events: annual re-enactment of Battle of Stamford Hill in May, by the Scaled Knot.
Temple
Moorland hamlet with charming church of St Catherine which stands on the site of a chapel built by the Knights Templar.
With ruined but spectacular Tintagel Castle, built in 12th and 13thC by the Earls of Cornwall. Legendary birthplace of King Arthur. Walks to St Nectan's Glen and Rocky Valley. Beaches: nearby Bossiney, Trebarwith Strand.
Attractions: Tintagel Castle, King Arthur's Great Halls, The Old Post Office.
Events: re-enactment of Battle of Camlann.
Pleasant village with famous surfing beach close by, village inn and spectacular views.
Trewint
Wesley's Cottage. John Wesley often preached and rested In this cottage, which now houses many relies of early Methodism.
Ideal base for touring and busy shopping centre. Historic centre for river, road and rail. 17-arch bridge over River Camel, purportedly built on foundation of wool-sacks and known as `The Bridge on Wool'. Close by the A39 south of the town are the Nine Maidens - a line of tall upright stones, supposedly petrified maidens guilty of dancing on the sabbath.
Attractions: Camel Trail & Bike Hire. Sports Centre & Pool, Pencarrow House.
Events: Royal Cornwall Show, Cornwall Folk Festival, Carnival.
TIC - The Town Hall, Wadebridge.
Tel: (01208) 813725 Fax: (01208) 814666
Warleggan
Lonely village high on the rim of Bodmin Moor. 15thC parish church famous for the eccentric Rev Frederick Densham, who became parish priest in 1931. Disliked by his parishioners, Densham shut himself off from the world and kept the church locked most of the time. He preached to a congregation of cardboard images, propped up in the pews.
Washaway
Little hamlet on A389, with small church and Washaway Court. Tree-lined drive to Pencarrow House, a magnificent Georgian House and gardens, with superb collections of pictures, furniture and china.
Week St Mary
Quiet village, once of some importance, the site of a Norman fortress, with 15thC church and free grammar school founded in 1508 by Thomasine Bonaventure, a lowly village girl who later became Dame Percyval, Lady Mayoress of London.
Attractions: Penhallam, noted medieval manorhouse.
Events: Week St Mary Revel.
North Cornwall 2002 - Atlantic Heritage Coast