Cornwall understand · Cornwall tourist information
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Cornwall tourist information
Cornwall tourist information
The modern English name of the Duchy is thought to be derived from its old Celtic name, Kernou, or the Horn, from its projecting promontories; that it was latinized to Cornovia or Cornubia; that when the Saxons gave the name of Wealas (foreigners) to the Britons, they distinguished those who had retired into Kernou or Cornubia, by the name of Cornu-wealas; and their country was thus called Cornuwall or Cornwall . Cornwall is called Kernow in the Cornish language and many signs have Cornish language descriptions on them. However, everybody in Cornwall speaks English as their first language. The Cornish language is recognised internationally and has government funding, a thriving community of speakers and publishers and is making a successful come back, with the number of fluent speakers now increasing, being in the thousands.
Recent polls place Cornish identity amongst young people at around 40% regarding themselves as Cornish rather than English.
A common, somewhat derogatory term for tourists is emmet, a Cornish Dialect word from Old English meaning ant (you do tend to swarm everywhere). The Cornish word for ant is actually murrian. Be aware of locals recommending "Porthemmet Beach" - it simply means 'tourist beach', and it doesn't exist.
The Cornish have several patron saints rather than those recognised in other parts of the United Kingdom (Andrew, George, David etc) but the pre-eminent one is Saint Piran whose flag, black with a white cross, can be seen all across the Duchy and flown from not only private homes but also Government and public buildings as well as in most towns. Saint Piran's Day is widely celebrated on March 5th, not only in Cornwall but amongst the Cornish diaspora across the globe.
The stereotype of the Cornish as 'inbred' and 'backward' is entirely untrue and if repeated to a local is likely to cause offence (and perhaps a smack). Cornwall is generally quite ethnically homogenous in comparison to most areas of the UK, and then Cornish people tend to hold onto traditional morals and lifestyles. They are also slightly more conservative than the UK as a whole and very patriotic. Cornwall has a strong Protestant heritage, where Methodism is the main denomination. Nearly every village has atleast one Methodist church: some small villages have more than one Methodist church and no church from any other denomination. It's common to be driving along a backroad and find a Methodist church in the middle of nowhere, with no houses or settlements in the vacinity or in a tiny hamlet of a couple houses, but it still holds regular Sunday services with good attendance.
Cornwall was a major contributor to the industrial revolution and has produced major writers, artists, scientists and musicians to current times. The Cornish are extremely proud of their history and heritage pre dating the arrival of the English in Britain, and many Cornish people are loyal to their Duchy. You may even see some Cornish people wearing kilts and playing Cornish pipes at cultural and other gatherings and Cornwall is recognised as a separate nation by many international organisations.
Cornwall has a small but developing lesbian and gay community. There is an annual Pride event in Truro.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cornwall
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Cornwall - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Cornwall hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Cornwall Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.