A Short History of Cornwall

Cornwall's unique geographical position at the far end of Britain's south-western peninsula has largely shaped its history. Seafaring and fishing have been central to its prosperity and identity from the earliest times. Until the coming of railways and modern roads, its communications and trade were largely by sea, giving it an especially close relationship to Brittany, Wales and other lands along the Atlantic seaboard. Not surprisingly, Cornwall's relationship with its much larger neighbour has sometimes been conflicted.

Its large mineral reserves of tin and copper were exploited from as early as 2300 BC, but with the arrival of steam power metal mining dominated the economy in the 18th and 19th centuries - but the bubble burst. Nowadays Cornwall depends largely on tourism.

The cover photo shows a facsimile of Richard Trevithick's Puffing Devil - the first ever steam locomotive - at Camborne's annual Trevithick Day.