71-611: The most famous Furry Dance ( / ˈ f ʌ r i / FUH -ree ) takes place in Helston , Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is one of the oldest British customs still practised today. The earliest mention seems to be in a letter to the Gentleman's Magazine for 1790 where the writer says "At Helstone, a genteel and populus borough town in Cornwall, it is customary to dedicate the 8th May to revelry (festive mirth, not loose jollity). It
142-599: A Saxon manor ; the Domesday Book refers to Henliston (which survives as the name of a road in the town). Only one edition refers to 'Henlistona'. It was granted its charter by King John on 15 April 1201, for the price of forty marks of silver. It was here that tin ingots were weighed to determine the tin coinage 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
213-557: A commendable seventh 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 meant that Helston Town Band earned promotion and competed in the Championship Section in 2009 for the first time in its history. There are several churches including St Michael's Church,
284-560: A community based station. The town is served by the local newspapers, The West Briton and Falmouth Packet . In 1885 the annual custom of the beating the Helston Borough Bounds was undertaken, followed by a scrimmage for 15 dozen buns and the throwing of the hurling ball . In the same year Helston Cycling Club had their headquarters at the Globe Hotel and had a weekly evening cycle to places such as Redruth and
355-492: A good trade: this town also sends members to Parliament.' He also mentions that the River Cober makes a tolerable good harbour and several ships are loaded with tin, although over one hundred years before Defoe, Richard Carew (1602) described Loe Bar as "The shingle was relatively porous and fresh water could leave and seawater enter depending, on the relative heights of the pool and sea" . Defoe's description seems to be
426-405: A goodly haven up to Hailestoun." However, contributing to the belief of a port at Helston was the discovery of what some people believe to be slipways and mooring rings, during excavations around 1968. There was no known shipping from the sea after 1260, but before 1200, in 'the 1182 record of Godric of Helleston paying a fine of ten marks for exporting his corn out of England from Helston without
497-417: 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
568-409: A licence.' This could be considered the most significant piece of documentary evidence signifying Helston's former port days, though it does not prove the case. At the time of Domesday Book, Gweek had no inhabitants whilst Helston was the largest settlement in the west of Cornwall, with 113 households. In 1837 a plan was drawn up to open Loe Pool to shipping using a pier to counteract siltation, but it
639-583: 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. The Helston Railway , which aims to restore
710-554: A scene filmed in the Bluebell Folk Club. Vickers was replaced the same year by Norma's husband, Martin Carthy . This line-up recorded For Pence and Spicy Ale (1975), Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy (1977), and Green Fields (1981). Later line-ups featured Mike Waterson's daughter Rachel Waterson, who briefly replaced Lal during a leave of absence caused by ill health in the mid-1980s, then continued to sing with
781-631: A shop selling all things Cornish. There are three Cornish crosses in Helston: one in Cross Street and two in Mr. Baddeley's garden (Cross Street). One of the latter crosses was removed from Tresprison, Wendron, and other from near Trelill Holy Well, Wendron. The cross from Trelill has ornament on the front and back of the shaft. The Grylls Monument , at the end of Coinagehall Street was built by public subscription in 1834 to thank Humphry Millet Grylls,
SECTION 10
#1732773117459852-589: A vocal version by Terry Wogan accompanied by the Hanwell Band reached number 21 on the UK singles chart. Wogan did not include the last verse (the climax of the story) in this recording. Similar customs can be found in, amongst other places, Biewer, a district of Trier , Germany, where the annual " Schärensprung [ de ] " takes place and in Echternach , Luxembourg. There are also similarities with
923-408: Is Helston's symbolic flower. The gentlemen wear it on the left, with the flowers pointing upwards, and the ladies wear it upside down on the right. Lily of the valley is worn on Flora Day by dancers, bandsmen, Flora Day stewards and by those who are "Helston-born". The children's dance involves over 1,000 children aged from 7 to 18, all dressed in white, the boys with lily of the valley buttonholes and
994-455: Is a 2 miles in lenght, and betwixt it and the mayn se, is but a barre of sand: and ons in 3 or 4 yeres, what by the wait of the fresch water and rage of the se, it brekith out, and then the fresch and salt water metyng makith a wonderful noise. But sone after, the mouth is barrid again with sande. At other tymes the superfluite of the water of Lo Poole drenith out through the sandy barre into the se. If this barre might be alway kept open, it wold be
1065-576: 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 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Falmouth . Helston is the most southerly town on the island of Great Britain and is around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) farther south than Penzance . The population in 2011 was 11,700. The former stannary and cattle market town
1136-540: Is based at the Helston Guildhall which was completed in 1839. Helston is situated along the banks of the River Cober 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. Helston
1207-625: Is best known for the annual Furry Dance (known locally as the Flora Dance), said to originate from the medieval period . However, the Hal-an-Tow is reputed to be of Celtic origin . The associated song and music, The Floral Dance , is known to have been written in 1911. In 2001, the town celebrated the 800th anniversary of the granting of its Charter. The name comes from the Cornish 'hen lis' or 'old court' and 'ton' added later to denote
1278-528: Is called Flora Day , and the term furry probably derives from the Cornish language : fer, "fair, feast". It is a celebration of the passing of winter and the arrival of spring. The schedule of the day is thus: morning dance at 7 a.m., the first performance of the Hal-an-Tow pageant at 8:30 a.m. with the last completed by 9:30 a.m., children's dance traditionally at 10 a.m. though in recent years
1349-556: Is called Furry Day". The dance is very well attended every year and people travel from all over the world to see it: Helston Town Band play all the music for the dances. The Furry Dance takes place every year on 8 May (except when the date falls on a Sunday or Monday — Monday being Market Day — when it is the preceding Saturday). In Helston, 8 May, the Apparition of Saint Michael , the Archangel Michael of Christianity,
1420-713: Is initially based in The Old Cattle Market, next to Coronation Park and Boating Lake, and features some of the best artists in their field. 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
1491-568: Is not correct, though "toesow" means tufts, tassles, or bunches. Some have suggested that Hal-an-Tow means "raise the roof". In Helston tow is pronounced to rhyme with cow and not toe. The Cornish word "tew" means fat, and a recent explanation of the name is that Hal-an-Tow means the eve of the fattening time. The version of the Hal-an-Tow sung by The Watersons and other folk groups has never been sung in Helston. The Helston song does not include
SECTION 20
#17327731174591562-562: Is on the A394 road . To the west, the A394 leads to Penzance; to the north-east it leads to Penryn where it joins the A39 , which leads south to Falmouth and north-east to Truro . The B3297 runs north from Helston to Redruth . The nearest railway station is Redruth on the Cornish main line , although the Helston branch line railway served the town until closure in the early 1960s. The branch left
1633-475: Is operated by Go Cornwall Bus . The nearest airport is Newquay Cornwall Airport which is approximately 35 miles (56 km) north-east of Helston. This is the main commercial airport for Cornwall with regular scheduled services to many parts of the UK. Helston has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), similar to the rest of the British Isles. It is one of the mildest places in
1704-470: 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
1775-577: The 'Obby 'Oss festival in Padstow , Cornwall, and with similar events in Minehead , Somerset, and Combe Martin in Devon. A Flora Dance takes place through the narrow streets of Fowey , Cornwall during its annual Regatta Week in the third week of August and through Perranporth by local school children until as recently as the early 1990’s. Helston Helston ( Standard Written Form : Hellys )
1846-658: The BBC Electric Proms concert, 'Once in a Blue Moon: A Tribute to Lal Waterson', at Cecil Sharp House in London on 25 October 2007 and 'A Tribute to Bert,' a concert celebrating the life and work of Albert Lancaster Lloyd , at Cecil Sharp House on 15 November 2008. During the summer of 2009, "The Waterson Family" performed at a number of festivals and large concerts throughout England and Ireland. Mike Waterson died on 22 June 2011, aged 70, at Scarborough, North Yorkshire Norma Waterson died on 30 January 2022, at
1917-634: The Copper Family of Sussex , a dynasty of traditional singers who sing in harmony, which was extremely unusual in traditional English music. The band's original members were Norma , Mike , and Elaine known as Lal Waterson , with their cousin John Harrison from Kingston High School . They had a skiffle band in the early 1960s but moved on to playing more traditional material. They were briefly known as "the Folksons". Their first album
1988-647: The Isles of Scilly . The current member is the Lib Dem , Andrew George . Prior to Brexit in 2020, Helston was within the South West England European Parliamentary Constituency . At local government level, the town is administered by Cornwall Council and Helston Town Council. Helston is split into three Cornwall Council wards: Helston South , Helston North , and Porthleven and Helston West . Helston Town Council
2059-453: The ex-GWR 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 Kernow provides the (U4) bus service from Penzance station to Falmouth via Helston. The (34) bus service links Redruth station with Lizard via Helston and
2130-498: The "most famous family in English folk music". Their style is a unique blend of originality and tradition. The Watersons never learned to read music. They began by singing hunting songs, hymns and carols with their grandmother, ones that she probably sang with her parents. One family member would sing the melody, and the rest would join in, choosing a harmony note if the melody was out of their range. Their style can be compared to
2201-570: The Hal-an-Tow as it is currently sung in Helston are: Chorus: Hal-an-tow, jolly rumble, O. For we are up as soon as any day, O And for to fetch the Summer home, The Summer and the May, O For Summer is a-come, O, And Winter is a-gone, O. Robin Hood and Little John, They both are gone to fair, O And we will to the merry green wood To see what they do there, O And for to chase, O To chase
Furry Dance - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-621: The Helston Branch, is also nearby. Helston Community College has the most pupils in Cornwall. Its South Site building was formerly (1939–1972) Helston Grammar School. Formerly located at Penrose Road (which became the secondary modern school), the grammar school had a long history dating back to the 16th century. Derwent Coleridge was a headmaster there, and his pupils included Charles Kingsley , John Duke Coleridge , Richard Edmonds , Thomas Rowe Edmonds , John Rogers , Henry Trengrouse and James Trevenen . Another former headmaster
2343-646: The Helston Downs, Gweal Folds farm, the Lower Green which became Coronation Park where tournaments continued to be held, Field near While Hill, Meneage Street, Bullock Lane, Coronation Park, Monument Road, Field at the rear of the Angel Hotel which became the Sunken Gardens where tournaments continued to be held, Grange Road and Penrose Amenity Area. Helston is twinned with
2414-462: The Lizard. The town has an active sporting scene, with Helston RFC , Helston Athletic FC and Helston Cricket Club all having prominent roles within the community. The current rugby club was formed in 1965 but rugby was played on Helston Downs as early as 1883 when Helston beat Lanner by 6 tries and 3 touch-downs in self-defence to nil. The Swallows Gymnastics Club is also extremely popular within
2485-544: The National Third 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,
2556-478: The age of 82. The accompanying book to the Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten lists two of their albums as classic albums. The first is Frost and Fire with Hal-an-Tow as the eleventh track on the second CD and the second is For Pence and Spicy Ale . The title track of the boxed set is taken from the various artists album New Voices and is the seventeenth track on
2627-431: 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
2698-647: 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
2769-567: The band playing for the dance on 8 May 1943 and this recording is included in The Voice of the People vol. 16: You lazy lot of bone-shakers , issued by Topic Records in 1998. In 1911 Katie Moss , a London composer visiting Helston, observed the Furry Dance and joined in the dancing herself in the evening. On the train home she wrote words and music of a song about her experience, calling
2840-492: The buck and doe. Chorus Where are those Spaniards That make so great a boast, O? For they shall eat the grey goose feather And we will eat the roast, O In every land, O The land where-e'er we go. Chorus St Piran showed his care for us And all our sons and daughters, O He brought the book of Christendom Across the western waters, O And taught the love of Heaven above For Cornishmen below. Chorus As for that good knight, St George St George he
2911-630: The coming of summer. It contains disparaging references to the Spaniards, probably referring to the Spanish raid on Newlyn in 1595. The Helston Furry Dance is number 135 in Roy Palmer's Everyman's Book of English Country Songs. The meaning of Hal-an-Tow is unclear. The word kalann means the first of the month in Cornish, but the first letter mutates to an "h" in some circumstances. It has been suggested that "tow" means garland in Cornish. This
Furry Dance - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-517: 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 2017, a new festival was established by the lutenist Ben Salfield and his promoters, Kernow Concerts, bringing international concert artists from the world of guitar music from as far away as Los Angeles to perform concerts and give free lessons in Helston each August. The festival
3053-749: The country and frosts are rarely severe. The nearest Met Office weather station is RNAS Culdrose , approximately 1 mile south-east of the town centre. Temperature extremes in the area since 1980 have ranged from −10.9 °C (12.4 °F) during January 1987, and up to 29.6 °C (85.3 °F) in August 1990. The coldest temperature in recent years was −6.2 °C (20.8 °F) in December 2009. Snow occurs in median every second year, almost in 2 – 3 days in line or one alone, most often in January or February. Flora Day occurs annually, on 8 May (except when
3124-480: The date falls on a Sunday or Monday — Monday being Market Day — when it is the preceding Saturday) Helston hosts the Furry Dance . 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
3195-474: The early 1990s, Carthy, Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy had formed the group Waterson–Carthy . The Watersons gradually ceased to sing live on a regular basis, but the family occasionally reconvened for special events and festival appearances, where they are usually billed as "The Waterson Family". These have included ' A Mighty River of Song ' at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 May 2007,
3266-410: 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 , campions 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
3337-467: The first and possibly the origin of other sources claiming Helston to be a port in the historic period. Loe Pool is referred to in a document of 1302, implying the existence of Loe Bar at this date, if not much earlier, and thus precluding the passage of shipping up the Cober. At the same time it was recorded that the burgesses of Helston exercised jurisdiction over the ships anchored at Gweek, but no mention
3408-649: The following towns: Helston is served by two local paid-for newspapers, The West Briton and The Packet : both offer a selection of news and local pictures. The area is also covered by a free delivered newspaper, the Helston Advertiser established in April 2000. The Watersons The Watersons were an English folk group from Hull , Yorkshire. They performed mainly traditional songs with little or no accompaniment. Their distinctive sound came from their closely woven harmonies. They have been called
3479-603: The girls wearing flowers in their hair, the flower determined by the school they attend. They come from St Michael's School, Nansloe School, Parc Eglos School, and Helston Community College : each year a different school leads the dance. All the boys wear white clothing, with the only colour being their school ties, and the girls (also in white)wear matching coloured head-dress flowers (blue cornflowers for St Michael's, forget-me-nots for Helston Community College, daisies for Nansloe and poppies and buttercups for Parc Eglos) in their hair. The girls wear white dresses following
3550-594: The group on Lal's return. This five-piece line up performed regularly during the late 1980s and recorded a session for the BBC Andy Kershaw show in August 1986. In 1987, the group collaborated with Swan Arcade to form Blue Murder , who have performed and recorded sporadically with various line-ups to the present day. Subsequent Watersons line-ups fluctuated, featuring Eliza Carthy , Anne Waterson, Jill Pidd and Maria Gilhooley at various times, but recording only occasionally. Lal Waterson died in 1998 and, by
3621-412: The legend " Sigillum comunitatis helleston burg ". It is a matter of debate as to whether Helston was once a port, albeit no actual records exist. A common belief is that 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
SECTION 50
#17327731174593692-409: The numbers and logistics have seen this advanced to 9.50 a.m. and in 2016 to 9.40 a.m., midday dance at noon, and evening dance at 5 p.m.. Of these, the midday dance is perhaps the best known: it was traditionally the dance of the gentry in the town, and today the men wear top hats and tails while the women dance in their finest frocks . Traditionally, the dancers wear lily of the valley , which
3763-546: The old form "Hellys" was still in use The manor of Helston in Kerrier was one of the seventeen Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall. The seal of the borough of Helston was St Michael his wings expanded and standing on a gateway. The two towers domed upon the up-turned dragon, impaling it with his spear and bearing upon his left arm an escutcheon of the arms of England, viz Gu three lions passant guardant in pale Or, with
3834-574: 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
3905-479: The river and creating a barrier beach . The beach is formed mostly of flint and the nearest source is found offshore under the drowned terraces of the former river that flowed between England and France, and now under the English Channel . Daniel Defoe describes Helston (1725) in his tour around Great Britain thus, ″ This town is large and populous, and has four spacious streets, a handsome church, and
3976-499: The road from Coronation Park. National Trust -owned, this area, once part of the Penrose Estate, offers 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. Helston has been a centre for Cornish wrestling for centuries. Over this time there were a large number of sites where tournaments were held. These include:
4047-483: The school rules and boys white shirt and trousers or shorts. They all dance around Helston town, with the band playing the accompanying music. The Hal-an-Tow, which takes place on the same day, is a kind of mystery play with various historical and mythical themes. The Hal-an-Tow Pageant starts at St John's Bridge and is performed at seven locations around the town. Characters include Friar Tuck , Robin Hood , Saint George , and Saint Michael. The Hal-an-Tow song welcomes
4118-475: The song " The Floral Dance ". She quotes the Furry Dance tune in the piano accompaniment to the chorus – though altering the melody in two bars. This song was soon published by Chappell & Co. , and first performed by baritone Thorpe Bates the same year. The first recording was made by Peter Dawson on the Zonophone label in 1912. It has since been recorded by many other artists. A bass baritone version of
4189-611: The song was recorded by Inia Te Wiata and was released posthumously in a collection called "Just call me Happy". In 1976 the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band recorded an arrangement of the Moss song made by their musical director Derek Broadbent. By Christmas 1977 half a million copies of the record had been sold, and it was only kept from the top position in the Christmas charts by Paul McCartney's " Mull of Kintyre ". In January 1978
4260-490: The surrounding villages. There is also a primary school at Trannack . All three primary schools dance on Flora Day, as does Helston Community College. Local TV coverage is provided by BBC South West and ITV West Country . Television signals are received from the Redruth and local relay transmitters. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Cornwall , Heart West , Greatest Hits Radio South West , Pirate FM and Coast FM ,
4331-437: 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
SECTION 60
#17327731174594402-539: The verse about cuckolds and horns. These words appear to have been added from Shakespeare's play As You Like It by Mike Waterson, and this version must be later than 1954. The original song was recorded in Sabine Baring-Gould 's Songs of the West (which contains errors) and the versions in Canow Kernow edited by Inglis Gundry , such as the one recorded by William Sandys in 1846. The words of
4473-568: Was Frost and Fire 1965, followed by The Watersons and A Yorkshire Garland in 1966. The Watersons split up in 1968, when Norma went to work as a disc jockey on a radio station on Montserrat . The group reformed in 1972, with John Harrison briefly replaced by Bernie Vickers. In that year they performed and arranged the music for the Alan Plater TV Play for Today , "The Land of Green Ginger", set and filmed in Hull, and appeared in
4544-644: Was a knight, O Of all the knights in Christendom St George he is the right, O In every land, O The land where-e'er we go. Chorus But to a greater than St George Our Helston has a right, O St Michael with his wings outspread, The archangel so bright, O Who fought the fiend, O Of all mankind the foe. Chorus God bless Aunt Mary Moses And all her power and might, O And send us peace in merry England Both day and night, O. And send us peace in merry England Both now and ever more, O. Chorus The verse about Saint Michael
4615-428: Was added in the 1930s by Robert Morton Nance . The Saint Piran verse was added in 2005. The Aunt Mary Moses verse is only performed at the first location, at St John's Bridge, and the last location, by Helston Guildhall . The music is provided by Helston Town Band , augmented by members of other local bands. They play from memory, as it is suggested that the music for the dance has never been written down. However it
4686-458: Was at various times, such as by Davies Gilbert in 1823. In 1890 Cornish antiquarian Margaret Ann Courtney wrote that the tune was sometimes known as "John the Bone". the following rhyme often being attached to the tune by local children, John the Bone was walking home, When he met with Sally Dover, He kissed her once, He kissed her twice, And kissed her three times over. The BBC recorded
4757-424: Was born and lived in Helston is still standing and is indicated by a plaque above the door. The Helston 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
4828-607: Was later demolished by public subscription raised by Helston's sitting M.P. , Charles Abbot , following his return in the 1796 general election . The Helston parliamentary constituency was created in 1298 and elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons ; the Reform Act 1832 reduced the number elected to one. Helston is now part of the St Ives constituency , which covers the western part of Cornwall and
4899-418: Was made of ships at Helston, and no customs records or other documentation of port traffic relating to Helston survives; thus confirming the fact that Gweek has for centuries been the recognized port of Helston. There is no known archaeological evidence for the existence of a port at Helston* and there is no primary evidence to support Defoe's account. Leland's description of the Loe Pool is thus: "Lo Poole
4970-444: Was never carried out. The site of Helston Castle is now a bowling green near the Grylls Monument, which has been there since 1760. The castle was built in 1280 as a simple stone structure for Edmund, Earl of Cornwall . By 1478 it had fallen into disuse and ruin. A free chapel of ease perhaps also built for Edmund, Earl of Cornwall before 1283 was dissolved by the chantries act 1547 and turned into Helston's coinage hall . This
5041-415: Was the botanist and author Charles Alexander Johns (1843–47), who was also a former pupil. 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 Parc Eglos, St. Michael's and Nansloe. The catchment area of Helston Community College includes these and many other schools from
#458541