subject: Land's End - Myth and Legend [print this page] Land's End - Myth and Legend Land's End - Myth and Legend
Land's End, is the most westerly point on the British mainland. It is steeped in history and legend, with tales of shipwrecks, smuggling and odd happenings from the days when tin miners toiled in narrow tunnels under the sea.
The peninsula is only about 5 miles in width, its cliffs dashed on one side by the gale-swept Atlantic coast and on the other stroked by the channel's mild breezes. The coastline is varied, featuring sheltered coves as well as black jagged cliffs that stand stubbornly against the waves and blustering winds.
There are good coastal roads, joined by narrow lanes that lead inland to scattered hamlets and villages. There's a dramatic open-air theatre at Porthcurno, overlooking the sea and on St Michael's Mount stands a famous castle.
The area is also rich in prehistoric remains. The ruins at Chysauster are over 2000 years old, offering evidence of one of the earliest mining settlements in Britain.
Hayle
A busy port set on the River Havle estuary. Its bay sweeps round to Godrevy Lighthouse, which was featured in the novel To the Lighthouse' by Virginia Woolf. Across the canal is Phillack and its historical 15th-century church.
Mousehole
A traditional old Cornish fishing village with granite houses which surround a small harbour. Fishing nets are draped on walls and the harbour area dominated by fisherman.
Newlyn
Still an important fishing port, with old cottages perched on a steep hill. A group of Bronze Age stones lie about 3 miles south-west. According to legend, they represent maidens that were turned to stone as a punishment for dancing on a Sunday.
Prussia Cove
The cove is reached by a small track and was used extensively by smugglers. Its leader, John Carter was known as The King of Prussia'.
Sennen
The westernmost village in England, featuring a handsome 13th century church. Legend has it that King Arthur, leading the forces of seven Cornish chieftains, defeated the Danes here and celebrated with a banquet on a large rock. This became known as the Table Men and can be reached by a footpath from the church.
St Ives
An attractive collection of coloured stone cottages line twisting, narrow streets. This one-time fishing port which grew up around a small chapel constructed by St Ia in the 6th century, is now dominated by tourism.
St Just
A town that stands about a mile east of Cape Cornwall. It has a large medieval church with a 5th century stone inscribed with the letters XP, the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ. Near Bank Square is an amphitheatre known as Plen-an-Gwary and about 2 miles North of the town are the remains of 19th century mines.
Zennor
A village with a Norman Church that features a pew-end carving of the mermaid of Zennor thought to have come ashore to hear the squire's son sing before luring him back into the sea with her. There's a Stone Age tomb about a half-mile south called the Zennor Quoit. It consists of seven stones, each ten feet in height, capped with a slab that spans 6 yards
