A Stroll Through the History of Penzance in Cornwall, Penzance, England

Penzance is situated on the rugged coast at the tip of the English county of Cornwall. It is the largest town on Mount’s Bay which is famous for the tidal island, St Michael’s Mount. This island is the site of a stately home and garden that incorporates the ruins of a medieval castle and a monastery. An option for an interesting excursion from Penzance but the town itself has plenty to offer its visitors due to a fascinating history involving smugglers, Judge Jeffries and tin mining. Despite its affinity with the sea Penzance does not have a natural harbour but the town has supported a fishing fleet since the fourteenth century. And there is evidence that a pier was in existence by the beginning of the sixteenth century. During the eighteenth century Penzance became busy with the tin trade and its designation as a coinage town (taxing the tin) was a turning point that led to the establishing of the harbours that operate today. The arrival of the railway in 1852 was also a significant event. Today some of the town’s oldest and most interesting buildings are in the harbour area. A short walk from the railway station, along Wharf Road, is the Old Lifeboat House.

In 1803 Penzance became the first port to have its own lifeboat. But the lifeboat did not have a permanent home until 1885 when a private donation to the RNLI facilitated the building of the Old Lifeboat House as its permanent home. But difficulty in launching the lifeboat meant basing one at Penzance was not successful. In 1917 the lifeboat was re-located to Penlee Point which is just outside Mousehole and its old home was sold to the local council. Penlee was its home until a tragic accident in the 1970s when both the boat and crew were lost at sea. The service was then based at Newlyn Harbour and has remained there to this day. In 2018 this single-story granite building was given a Grade II Listing. It is one of the best examples of this type of building in Cornwall. Today it is in use as a restaurant. Next door is the Abbey Basin. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).