Cornwall is a truly unique county recognised for its stunning coastline, pasties and pies, but it’s also home to some intriguing facts! After reading our article, we imagine you too will be interested in Kernow, and may also aspire for a luxury Falmouth holiday!
If you do decide to visit Cornwall once the Covid-19 restrictions have begun to ease, then we highly recommend considering our luxury, self-catering cottages here at The Valley!
The Origin of the Name Cornwall
The name for Cornwall originates from the two words: ‘Cornovii’ and ‘Waelas’. Cornovii is thought to mean ‘horn people’; in this case, the horn refers to their location in the south-western peninsula.
‘Waelas’ is Anglo-Saxon and means ‘foreigners’, which is also the derivation of Wales.
The Longest English Coastline
Cornwall has the longest coastline of any English county, which measures at about 433 miles long, offering up a wonderful array of activities such as surfing, coasteering, rock climbing and rambling to only name a few!
Cornwall’s Cow Population
Cornwall has over 75,000 cows, which makes it the place to be for summer treats, such as delicious local ice cream as well as strawberries with a side of clotted cream!
‘Drunk as a Perraner’ Originates from St Piran’s Day
Cornish celebrations of St Piran’s Day in the 19th century led to the phrase ‘drunk as a Perraner’.
St Piran’s Day is the national day of Cornwall, held on the 5th of March. The day is named after a patron saint of Cornwall, Saint Piran, the patron saint of tin miners!
Cornwall has its own Microclimate
Compared to the rest of Britain, Cornwall’s weather is relatively warmer and sunnier; this is because of their subtropical microclimate.
Cornwall is the holiday destination to be between April and October. The gulf stream moderates the Cornish climate, causing it to be the sunniest and mildest in the UK. The warm ocean currents even lower the chances of winter snowfalls and frosts.
The Eden Project is in the Guinness World Records
In October 1998, the Eden Project’s largest biome is fifty metres high, which helped to set a world record. The scaffolding structure to support the build of the biome went into the Guinness World Records as the largest free-standing scaffold structure in the world.
The 46,000 poles used reached 230 miles; that’s enough to stretch from Cornwall to our nation’s capital.
Cornwall has 36 Breweries
There are currently 36 breweries in Cornwall! Some of the top-rated breweries include Padstow Brewing Company, Skinner’s Brewery, St Austell Brewery and Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm.
Each offer tours, an assortment of brewery experience days and a shop to stop off in so you can purchase your new-found favourite brew! A great day out for when you want to sit back in the sunshine and enjoy a local pint!
Cornwall has a Vibrant Folk Music Tradition
Cornwall is a Celtic county, rich in folk music traditions that have survived into the present. Luckily, the traditional folk music has been strengthened by a series of 20th-century revivals and now has a very popular following.
Folk festivals are ever-popular events that spring up throughout Cornwall, filling the air with a radiant festival atmosphere that involves the joys of live folk music being played, live sessions in the streets and pubs, as well as dance and music workshops!
China Clay Originates from Cornwall
Traders from the Far East brought home beautiful cups and plates made of porcelain. The pieces were thin and light, they allowed light to shine through and would ring when you struck then, yet they were strong enough to eat and drink from.
William Cookworthy took advantage of this demand and searched the country for kaolin, a primary material used to make porcelain. In 1746, William Cookworthy finally found a deposit in Cornwall which was of a similar standard used in China, earning its nickname china clay.
China clay is now Cornwall’s largest export other than the delicious and famed Cornish pasty.
The Largest Collection of Plants in the British Isles
Thanks to the Eden Project, Cornwall is home to the largest collection of plant species in the British Isles. The plants are an assortment of species from across the globe. The Eden Project, with its three climate zones, are home to nearly two million plants and over 5,000 varieties of plants.
What are your favourite facts about Cornwall? We’d love to hear from you on our social media channels! For more information, you can visit our blog, which is full of intriguing information about the county of Cornwall!