Helston
Encyclopedia
Helston is a town
and civil parish in Cornwall
, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula
approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Penzance
and nine miles (14.5 km) southwest of Falmouth
. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) further south than Penzance
. In 2001, the town celebrated the 800th anniversary of the granting of its Charter, making it the second oldest town in Cornwall after Marazion
. The town population is 9,780.
The former tin mining and cattle
market town
is best known for the annual Furry Dance
(known locally as the Flora Dance), said to originate from the medieval period.
refers to Henliston (which survives as the name of a road in the town). It was granted its charter by King John in 1201. It was here that tin ingots were weighed to determine the duty due to the Duke of Cornwall
when a number of stannary
towns were authorised by royal decree. A document of 1396 examined by Charles Henderson shows that the old form "Hellys" was still in use The manor of Helston in Kerrier was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria
of the Duchy of Cornwall.
It is a common belief that Helston was once a port and in the 13th century Loe Bar formed a barrier across the mouth of the River Cober
cutting the town off from the sea. Geomorphologists
believe the bar was most likely formed by rising sea levels, after the last ice age, blocking the river and creating a barrier beach
. The beach is formed mostly of flint and the nearest source is found offshore on the drowned terraces of the former river that flowed between England and France, and now under the English Channel
.
The Helston parliamentary constituency
elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons
. The Reform Act 1832
reduced this to one. Helston is now part of the St. Ives constituency
, which covers the south-westernmost part of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
, and whose current member is the Liberal Democrat
Andrew George, former pupil of Helston School.
in Cornwall. Downstream is Cornwall's largest natural lake Loe Pool, formed when a shingle bar blocked the mouth of the river by rising sea levels forming a barrier beach. To the south is the Lizard Peninsula, an area important for its complex geology and wildlife habitats
where it joins the A39
which leads south to Falmouth and northeast to Truro
. The B3297 runs north from Helston to Redruth
.
The nearest airport
is Newquay Cornwall Airport which is approximately 35 miles (57 km) northwest of Helston. This is the main commercial airport for Cornwall with regular scheduled services to many parts of the UK.
The Helston branch line railway served the town until the closure of the line in the early 1960s. The branch left the ex-GWR
Cornish Main Line
at Gwinear Road station near Hayle
and ran 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south to terminate at Helston railway station
. The Helston Railway Preservation Company
is undertaking the restoration of part of the line.
Bus services now link Helston to the rail network; First Devon and Cornwall provides the (34) bus service from Redruth station to Helston.
(Köppen climate classification
Cfb), similar to the rest of the British Isles. It is, on an annualized basis, one of the mildest places in the country, and frosts are rarely severe. The nearest Met Office weather station is Culdrose, about 1 mile South East of the town centre. Temperature extremes in the area since 1980 have ranged from -10.9 C during January 1987, up to 29.6 °C (85.3 °F) in August 1990. The coldest temperature in recent years was -6.2 C during December 2009.
. There are four dances throughout the day, the first starting at 7 a.m. (historically for domestic servants), the ladies in summer frocks and the gentlemen in white shirts and dark grey trousers with neckties bearing the town crest, loaned for the day. The second dance at 9.50 is when children from the town's schools dance dressed all in white, the individual schools denoted by the head dresses that the girls wear. The premier dance follows at Midday when the "gentry of the County" dance, the ladies in long ball-type gowns topped off with picture hats and the gentlemen wearing full morning dress. The final dance of the day begins at 5 p.m., a dance historically for the tradespeople of the town. Participants in this dance are the only dancers to dance around the town twice, having already danced in the 7 a.m. dance. Only Helston-born people can dance in the lead set in each dance and the first male and female will only lead that dance once in their lifetime. Flora Day is administered by Stewards who elect stewards therefore continuing this wonderful occasion without outside interference. Helston Town Band
play the famous tune and accompany all four dances on a long route around the town. The dwellings and shops of the town are festooned with bluebells
, campion
s and whatever green foliage is available. Specific dances (not including the children's dance) go into and out of various private buildings, shops and grounds. The origins of the dance are not known but appear to represent a pre-Christian celebration of the passing of winter. On the same day the "Hal an Tow", another celebration of the coming of spring, is performed upon the streets of the town. This is a morning ritual that is traditionally more boisterous than the dance. It is a moving street theatre that appears to have its origins in the Middle Ages, and the themes tend to be more English than uniquely Cornish. The theatre consists of the Hal-an-tow song accompanied by dancing and acting out the content of the verses. The costumes and the song itself represent many different historical and mythical themes. It has evolved over time, the most recent verse (about St Piran) only appeared within the 21st century.
In 1967, the band came under the direction of Edward Ashton, with whom the band gained much success and a reputation for consistently playing music to a high standard. Edward led the band to numerous successes in both local and regional contests, until his retirement in November 2002 after an incredible 35 years.
Following his retirement, the band appointed John Hitchens as their new Musical Director . The band has continued to flourish under John’s direction: in 2003, they were crowned Cornish First Section Champions, and in 2004 they gained promotion to the National First Section.
In 2006, the band were crowned West of England First Section Champions, and received an invitation to compete in the National First Section Finals in Harrogate, where they achieved a commendable 7th place. The band went on to achieve third place at the West of England First Section Championships in 2007, and were delighted to become West of England First Section Champions once again in 2008.
These excellent results mean that Helston Town Band earned promotion and is competing in the Championship Section in 2009 for this first time in its entire history.
There are several churches including St. Michael's Church, a humble church with stained-glass windows and a tall bell tower which can be heard throughout the town. In the surrounding graveyard there is a monument to Henry Trengrouse
, the inventor of the rocket fired safety line - a device for aiding in the saving of lives in a shipwreck.
Helston is also the birthplace of Bob "Ruby Robert" Fitzsimmons
, the first triple world boxing
champion. The house where he was born and lived in Helston is still standing and is indicated by a plaque above the door.
The Helston folk museum
, founded in 1949, occupies the building originally designed as the town's Market House in 1837, with two separate buildings—one for butter and eggs, the other the meat market. The exhibits are mostly concerned with Helston's agricultural and market town history. The museum also hosts art exhibitions and has a shop selling all things Cornish.
The Grylls Monument, at the end of Coinagehall Street was built by public subscription in 1834 to thank Humphry Millet Grylls, a local banker, who stopped the closure of Wheal Vor
, a local mine that at the time employed over a thousand people.
Helston also hosts The Flambards Experience, formerly the Helston Aero Park, which is a theme park with a selection of rides together with a few remaining aviation exhibits. Nearby Wendron is home to the Poldark Mine
theme park, where visitors can go underground into the old workings.
as a headmaster, his pupils including Charles Kingsley
, John Duke Coleridge
, Richard Edmonds
, Thomas Rowe Edmonds
, John Rogers
, Henry Trengrouse
and James Trevenen
.
The School Houses in grammar school days were Coleridge, Kingsley and Tennyson. Alfred Tennyson's local connection was through his writing.
Helston has three primary schools. These are St. Michael's, Parc Eglos and Nansloe. The catchment area of Helston Community College includes these and many other schools from the surrounding villages.
, Helston Athletic FC
and Helston Cricket Club all having prominent roles within the community. The Swallows Gymnastics
Club is also extremely popular within the area. Helston holds an annual road race An Resek Helys (The Race for Helston) and an annual triathlon.
The town has a King George V Playing Field
, the home ground for the rugby club and finish line of An Resek Helys. Below the town is Coronation Park which has a man made lake as its centrepiece where rowing boats can be hired in summer. A skate park is nearby in the same complex. The Penrose Amenity Area lies across the road from Coronation Park. National Trust-owned, this area, once part of the Penrose Estate, offers dog-friendly walks alongside the River Cober which leads down to Loe Pool and the sea beyond Loe Bar. Just off the main path is a bird-watching hide offering views over Loe Pool.
and The Packet
: both offer a selection of news and local pictures.. The area is also covered by a small advertising only publication called the Helston & District Free Gazette.
in Italy goes back many years, and is based on a historical link, namely the first transatlantic radio signals sent by Guglielmo Marconi
at nearby Poldhu
cove. The town is also twinned with Plougasnou
and Pleumeur-Bodou
, both in Brittany
, France.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and civil parish in Cornwall
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...
, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
and nine miles (14.5 km) southwest of Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) further south than Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
. In 2001, the town celebrated the 800th anniversary of the granting of its Charter, making it the second oldest town in Cornwall after Marazion
Marazion
Marazion is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated on the shore of Mount's Bay, two miles east of Penzance and one mile east of Long Rock.St Michael's Mount is half-a-mile offshore from Marazion...
. The town population is 9,780.
The former tin mining and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
is best known for the annual Furry Dance
Furry Dance
The Furry Dance, also known as The Flora , takes place in Helston, Cornwall, and is one of the oldest British customs still practised today...
(known locally as the Flora Dance), said to originate from the medieval period.
History
The name comes from the Cornish 'hen lis' or 'old court' and 'ton' added later to denote a Saxon manor; the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
refers to Henliston (which survives as the name of a road in the town). It was granted its charter by King John in 1201. It was here that tin ingots were weighed to determine the duty due to the Duke of Cornwall
Duke of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
when a number of stannary
Stannary
The word stannary is historically applied to:*A tin mine, especially in Cornwall or Devon, South West England*A region containing tin works *A chartered entity comprising such a region, its works, and its workers...
towns were authorised by royal decree. A document of 1396 examined by Charles Henderson shows that the old form "Hellys" was still in use The manor of Helston in Kerrier 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.
It is a common belief that Helston was once a port and in the 13th century Loe Bar formed a barrier across the mouth of the River Cober
River Cober
The River Cober is a short river in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It rises near Porkellis Moor in the former Kerrier District and runs to the west of the town of Helston before entering the largest natural lake in Cornwall – Loe Pool. The water is impounded by the natural barrier, Loe Bar, and...
cutting the town off from the sea. Geomorphologists
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
believe the bar was most likely formed by rising sea levels, after the last ice age, blocking the river and creating a barrier beach
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
. The beach is formed mostly of flint and the nearest source is found offshore on the drowned terraces of the former river that flowed between England and France, and now under the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
Government
At local government level, the town is administered by Helston Town Council and Cornwall Council.The Helston parliamentary constituency
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons
Unreformed House of Commons
The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act 1832.Until the Act of Union of 1707 joining the Kingdoms of Scotland and England , Scotland had its own Parliament, and the term refers to the House of Commons of England...
. The Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
reduced this to one. Helston is now part of the St. Ives constituency
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
, which covers the south-westernmost part of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
, and whose current member is the Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Andrew George, former pupil of Helston School.
Geography
Helston is situated along the banks of the River CoberRiver Cober
The River Cober is a short river in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It rises near Porkellis Moor in the former Kerrier District and runs to the west of the town of Helston before entering the largest natural lake in Cornwall – Loe Pool. The water is impounded by the natural barrier, Loe Bar, and...
in Cornwall. Downstream is Cornwall's largest natural lake Loe Pool, formed when a shingle bar blocked the mouth of the river by rising sea levels forming a barrier beach. To the south is the Lizard Peninsula, an area important for its complex geology and wildlife habitats
Transport
Helston is on the A394 road. To the west, the A394 leads to Penzance; to the northeast it leads to PenrynPenryn, 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...
where it joins the A39
A39 road
The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Stratton, Camelford, Wadebridge and St...
which leads south to Falmouth and northeast to Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
. The B3297 runs north from Helston to 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...
.
The nearest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is Newquay Cornwall Airport which is approximately 35 miles (57 km) northwest of Helston. This is the main commercial airport for Cornwall with regular scheduled services to many parts of the UK.
The Helston branch line railway served the town until the closure of the line in the early 1960s. The branch left the ex-GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
Cornish Main Line
Cornish Main Line
The Cornish Main Line is a railway line in the United Kingdom, which forms the backbone for rail services in Cornwall, as well as providing a direct line to London.- History :...
at Gwinear Road station near Hayle
Hayle
Hayle is a small town, civil parish and cargo port in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated at the mouth of the Hayle River and is approximately seven miles northeast of Penzance...
and ran 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south to terminate at Helston railway station
Helston railway station
Helston railway station was the terminus of the Helston Railway in Cornwall, in England . It was later operated by the Great Western Railway but has since been closed....
. The Helston Railway Preservation Company
Helston Railway Preservation Company
The Helston Railway Preservation Company is a heritage railway that aims to rebuild the Helston branch line that linked Gwinear Road on the Cornish Main Line to Helston, Cornwall, England.- Overview :...
is undertaking the restoration of part of the line.
Bus services now link Helston to the rail network; First Devon and Cornwall provides the (34) bus service from Redruth station to Helston.
Climate
Helston has an oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfb), similar to the rest of the British Isles. It is, on an annualized basis, one of the mildest places in the country, and frosts are rarely severe. The nearest Met Office weather station is Culdrose, about 1 mile South East of the town centre. Temperature extremes in the area since 1980 have ranged from -10.9 C during January 1987, up to 29.6 °C (85.3 °F) in August 1990. The coldest temperature in recent years was -6.2 C during December 2009.
Flora Day: The Furry Dance and Hal-an-Tow ceremonies
Flora Day occurs annually, on 8 May (except when the date falls on a Sunday or Monday - Monday being Market Day - when it is the preceding Saturday) Helston hosts the Furry DanceFurry Dance
The Furry Dance, also known as The Flora , takes place in Helston, Cornwall, and is one of the oldest British customs still practised today...
. There are four dances throughout the day, the first starting at 7 a.m. (historically for domestic servants), the ladies in summer frocks and the gentlemen in white shirts and dark grey trousers with neckties bearing the town crest, loaned for the day. The second dance at 9.50 is when children from the town's schools dance dressed all in white, the individual schools denoted by the head dresses that the girls wear. The premier dance follows at Midday when the "gentry of the County" dance, the ladies in long ball-type gowns topped off with picture hats and the gentlemen wearing full morning dress. The final dance of the day begins at 5 p.m., a dance historically for the tradespeople of the town. Participants in this dance are the only dancers to dance around the town twice, having already danced in the 7 a.m. dance. Only Helston-born people can dance in the lead set in each dance and the first male and female will only lead that dance once in their lifetime. Flora Day is administered by Stewards who elect stewards therefore continuing this wonderful occasion without outside interference. Helston Town Band
Helston Town Band
Helston Town Band is a brass band in the Cornish town of Helston.-History:Helston Town Band has a rich history, which can be traced back to the turn of the century; there are members of the current band whose family connections extend back four generations...
play the famous tune and accompany all four dances on a long route around the town. The dwellings and shops of the town are festooned with bluebells
Common Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
, campion
Campion
Campion may refer to:-Biology:* Flowering plants of the Caryophyllaceae genera Lychnis and Silene, including:** Silene acaulis, or moss campion, a flower found in Eurasia and North America...
s and whatever green foliage is available. Specific dances (not including the children's dance) go into and out of various private buildings, shops and grounds. The origins of the dance are not known but appear to represent a pre-Christian celebration of the passing of winter. On the same day the "Hal an Tow", another celebration of the coming of spring, is performed upon the streets of the town. This is a morning ritual that is traditionally more boisterous than the dance. It is a moving street theatre that appears to have its origins in the Middle Ages, and the themes tend to be more English than uniquely Cornish. The theatre consists of the Hal-an-tow song accompanied by dancing and acting out the content of the verses. The costumes and the song itself represent many different historical and mythical themes. It has evolved over time, the most recent verse (about St Piran) only appeared within the 21st century.
Helston Town Band
Helston Town Band has a rich history, which can be traced back to the turn of the 20th century. Indeed, there are members of the current band whose family connections extend back four generations. Inevitably, during the War the band reformed with new members and in 1946 numbers were consolidated when most of its pre-war members returned from active service. The band enjoyed steady progress at this time, which culminated in 1951 when it reached the National 3rd Section Finals at Belle Vue, Manchester.In 1967, the band came under the direction of Edward Ashton, with whom the band gained much success and a reputation for consistently playing music to a high standard. Edward led the band to numerous successes in both local and regional contests, until his retirement in November 2002 after an incredible 35 years.
Following his retirement, the band appointed John Hitchens as their new Musical Director . The band has continued to flourish under John’s direction: in 2003, they were crowned Cornish First Section Champions, and in 2004 they gained promotion to the National First Section.
In 2006, the band were crowned West of England First Section Champions, and received an invitation to compete in the National First Section Finals in Harrogate, where they achieved a commendable 7th place. The band went on to achieve third place at the West of England First Section Championships in 2007, and were delighted to become West of England First Section Champions once again in 2008.
These excellent results mean that Helston Town Band earned promotion and is competing in the Championship Section in 2009 for this first time in its entire history.
Churches and places of interest
Henry Trengrouse
Henry Trengrouse inventor of the ‘Rocket’ life-saving apparatus, was born at Helston, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on 18 March 1772....
, the inventor of the rocket fired safety line - a device for aiding in the saving of lives in a shipwreck.
Helston is also the birthplace of Bob "Ruby Robert" Fitzsimmons
Bob Fitzsimmons
Robert James "Bob" Fitzsimmons , was a British boxer who made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, the man who beat John L. Sullivan, and is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the Lightest heavyweight...
, the first triple world boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champion. The house where he was born and lived in Helston is still standing and is indicated by a plaque above the door.
The Helston folk museum
Helston Folk Museum
Helston Museum is a folk museum situated in the former market town of Helston, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The museum was founded in 1949...
, founded in 1949, occupies the building originally designed as the town's Market House in 1837, with two separate buildings—one for butter and eggs, the other the meat market. The exhibits are mostly concerned with Helston's agricultural and market town history. The museum also hosts art exhibitions and has a shop selling all things Cornish.
The Grylls Monument, at the end of Coinagehall Street was built by public subscription in 1834 to thank Humphry Millet Grylls, a local banker, who stopped the closure of Wheal Vor
Wheal Vor
Wheal Vor was a metalliferous mine about two miles north west of Helston and one mile north of the village of Breage in the west of Cornwall, England, U.K. It is considered to be part of the Mount's Bay mining district. Until the mid–19th century the mine was notable for its willingness to try out...
, a local mine that at the time employed over a thousand people.
Helston also hosts The Flambards Experience, formerly the Helston Aero Park, which is a theme park with a selection of rides together with a few remaining aviation exhibits. Nearby Wendron is home to the Poldark Mine
Poldark Mine
Poldark Mine was a tin mine in Cornwall worked sometime between 1720 and 1780. The mine was originally called Wheal Roots and little is known of its early workings. In 1856 it became part of the Wendron Consols Mine and is shown on the surface plan of that mine as 'old men's workings' meaning that...
theme park, where visitors can go underground into the old workings.
Schools
Helston Community College, previously Gwealhellis Secondary Modern School, has the most pupils in Cornwall. Its South Site building has a long and distinguished history as a grammar school and boasts Derwent ColeridgeDerwent Coleridge
Derwent Coleridge , third child of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, was a distinguished English scholar and author.-Early life:Derwent Coleridge was born at Keswick, Cumberland, 14 Sept. 1800 . He was sent with his brother Hartley to be educated at a small school near Ambleside...
as a headmaster, his pupils including Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, John Duke Coleridge
John Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge
John Duke Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge PC was a British lawyer, judge and Liberal politician. He held the posts, in turn, of Solicitor General for England and Wales, Attorney General for England and Wales, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Lord Chief Justice of England.-Background and...
, Richard Edmonds
Richard Edmonds (scientist)
Richard Edmonds was a notable British scientific writer of the Victorian period.-Biography:Edmonds, the eldest son of Richard Edmonds , was born on 18 September 1801. He was educated in the grammar schools at Penzance and Helston. Articled as an attorney with his father in 1818, he qualified in...
, Thomas Rowe Edmonds
Thomas Rowe Edmonds
Thomas Rowe Edmonds was a Cornishman and a Victorian epidemiologist who had great influence upon William Farr. * Life Tables...
, John Rogers
John Rogers (divine)
John Rogers , divine was born at Plymouth on 17 July 1778. He was the eldest son of John Rogers, the M.P. for Penryn and Helston and Margaret, daughter of Francis Basset....
, Henry Trengrouse
Henry Trengrouse
Henry Trengrouse inventor of the ‘Rocket’ life-saving apparatus, was born at Helston, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on 18 March 1772....
and James Trevenen
James Trevenen
James Trevenen was an officer in the Royal Navy and the Imperial Russian Navy.Born in Cornwall "of a very respectable family", he was educated at the Royal Naval Academy at Portsmouth and went to sea in 1776 as a midshipman on the Resolution under Captain James Cook, where he assisted Cook as a...
.
The School Houses in grammar school days were Coleridge, Kingsley and Tennyson. Alfred Tennyson's local connection was through his writing.
Helston has three primary schools. These are St. Michael's, Parc Eglos and Nansloe. The catchment area of Helston Community College includes these and many other schools from the surrounding villages.
Sport
The town also boasts an active sporting scene, with Helston RFCHelston RFC
Helston RFC is a rugby union club in Cornwall which has been in existence since 1965. They currently play in Tribute Cornwall 1, following promotion from Cornwall 2 in 2005-06....
, Helston Athletic FC
Helston Athletic F.C.
Helston Athletic Football Club are a Cornish football club based in Helston in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1896, the club competed in the South Western League in their early years until their relegation to the Cornwall Combination in 1972, where they remained until winning promotion to the South...
and Helston Cricket Club all having prominent roles within the community. The Swallows Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
Club is also extremely popular within the area. Helston holds an annual road race An Resek Helys (The Race for Helston) and an annual triathlon.
The town has a King George V Playing Field
King George's Fields
A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V ....
, the home ground for the rugby club and finish line of An Resek Helys. Below the town is Coronation Park which has a man made lake as its centrepiece where rowing boats can be hired in summer. A skate park is nearby in the same complex. The Penrose Amenity Area lies across the road from Coronation Park. National Trust-owned, this area, once part of the Penrose Estate, offers dog-friendly walks alongside the River Cober which leads down to Loe Pool and the sea beyond Loe Bar. Just off the main path is a bird-watching hide offering views over Loe Pool.
Local newspapers
Helston is served by two local paid-for newspapers, The West BritonThe West Briton
The West Briton is a local weekly newspaper published every Thursday. It serves different areas of Cornwall, United Kingdom with four separate editions—Truro and Mid-Cornwall, Falmouth and Penryn, Redruth Camborne and Hayle, and Helston and The Lizard. It was established in 1810 and is part...
and The Packet
Packet Newspapers
The Packet Newspapers are a series of weekly local newspapers in west Cornwall owned by the Newsquest Group. The titles include:*The Camborne and Redruth Packet *The Falmouth Packet...
: both offer a selection of news and local pictures.. The area is also covered by a small advertising only publication called the Helston & District Free Gazette.
Twinning
Helston's town twinning link with Sasso MarconiSasso Marconi
Sasso Marconi is a town and comune of the province of Bologna in northern Italy, 17 kilometres SSW of Bologna.It is named after Guglielmo Marconi, the radio pioneer, who was born in the nearby city of Bologna. In 1902, Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal at Poldhu Cove,...
in Italy goes back many years, and is based on a historical link, namely the first transatlantic radio signals sent by Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
at nearby Poldhu
Poldhu
Poldhu is a small area in south Cornwall, England, UK, situated on the Lizard Peninsula; it comprises Poldhu Point and Poldhu Cove. It lies on the coast west of Goonhilly Downs, with Mullion to the south and Porthleven to the north...
cove. The town is also twinned with Plougasnou
Plougasnou
Plougasnou is a commune in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France, located about 75 kilometres east of Brest. Plougasnou is northeast of the town of Plouezoc'h, north of Lanmeur and west of Saint-Jean-du-Doigt. With a population of 3,217 inhabitants , it is the most populous...
and Pleumeur-Bodou
Pleumeur-Bodou
Pleumeur-Bodou is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Pleumeur-Bodou are called pleumeurois.-External links:*...
, both in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, France.