NEWQUAY

:''The town should not be confused with New Quay in Wales.''
'Newquay' () is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port on the north Atlantic coast of Pydarshire, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is bounded to the west by the Gannel River and its associated salt marsh, and in the east by the Porth valley. The town has been expanding inland (south) since it was founded. According to the 2001 census it had a permanent population of 19,423.

Contents

History

Tourism

Surfing

Night Life

Transport

Other notable information

References

See also

External links

History

The first signs of settlement in Newquay consist of a late Iron age hill fort/industrial centre which exploited the nearby abundant resources (including deposits of iron) and the superior natural defences provided by Trevelgue Head. It is claimed that occupation of the site was continuous from the third century BC to the fifth or sixth century AD, although a Dark age house was later built on the head.^[1] There are some iron age burial mounds and an embankment on the area now known as ''The Barrow Fields''. In 1987 evidence of a bronze age village was found at ''Trethellan Farm'', a site that over looks the river Gannel.^[2]
The curve of the headland around what is now Newquay harbour provided natural protection from bad weather and a small fishing village grew up in the area. When the village was first occupied is unknown but it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book although a local house (now a bar known as "Trenninick Tavern") is included. By the 15th century the village was called "Towan Blystra" — "Towan" means sand hill/dune in Cornish — but the anchorage was exposed to winds from the North East and in 1439 the local Burghers applied to Bishop Lacey of Exeter for leave and funds to build a "New quay" from which the town derives its current name. The first census data on Newquay records around 1300 inhabitants in 1801.
Up to the early 20th century, the small fishing village was famous for pilchards and there is a "Huer's Hut" above the harbour from which a lookout would cry "Heva!" to call out the fishing fleet when pilchard shoals were spotted. The town's present insignia is two pilchards. Newquay no longer has any involvement in pilchard fishing although a small number of boats still exploit the local edible crab and lobster populations.
A goods line known as the Newquay Railway was opened in 1846 from nearby mines to the harbour. It was worked by horses and linked various mines with the harbour. Parts of this line are still in existence but disused.

Tourism

Newquay is now a major tourist destination, principally on account of the 10 long and accessible sandy beaches. The town has a resident population of around 22,000 but this can increase to 100,000 or more in the summer because Newquay has a large stock of holiday accommodation.

Newquay is also known for the "Run to the Sun" event, which always takes place during the public holiday on the last weekend in May at Trevelgue Holiday Park. Multitudes of people descend on the town in Volkswagen Camper vans, Beetles and other custom cars.
The 630 mile-long South West Coast Path runs through the town.
Obviously the massive influx of people coming to Newquay in the summer does have negative effects on the town - drink and drug related problems are increasingly making the front page of local newspapers. Although Britain’s binge drinking culture affects most of the UK, tourist destinations and seaside resorts are most heavily affected, and Newquay is no exception.

Surfing

The resort styles itself "The Surfing Capital of Britain" and in terms of popularity and profile few would argue with this. Newquay is firmly established as the centre of the UK's surf industry with a high concentration of surf shops, board manufacturers and hire shops in the town.
At the centre of Newquay's surfing reputation is Fistral Beach. Suprisingly enough Fistral lives up to its reputation as one of the best beachbreaks in Cornwall. Suprisingly consistent, on its day Fistral is capable of producing powerful, hollow waves and holding a good sized swell. It even has the bonus of being sheltered enough and sufficiently north-facing in places that it can get away with a south westerly wind.
Fistral beach has been host to major international surfing competitions for around 20 years now, most recently the Rip Curl Boardmasters.^[3].
Newquay is also home to the legendary big wave spot, The Cribbar. Breaking at up to 20ft, the Cribbar has only been surfed a few times as it requires a huge swell to break. It was first surfed in 1967 the wave has gained considerable media interest over the years and most recently was featured on national TV with surfers riding huge waves.^[4].
Towan, Great Western and Tolcarne Beaches nearer the town and nearby Crantock Bay and Watergate Bay also provide high quality breaks. Towan Beach is also the location for the proposed Newquay Surfing Reef, a somewhat controversial project that has polarised local opinion.

Night Life

Newquay is well known for its lively nightlife. Nightclubs such as Berties, Tall Trees and Sailors attract well known DJs such as Trevor Nelson, Dave Pearce, Judge Jules and Pete Tong. The influx of summer party-goers has regularly caused controversy in recent years.

Transport

Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par the passenger service dates from 20 June 1874. The station is situated close to the beaches on the east side of the town centre, and a second platform will be built here by Network Rail in 2007-2008, to assist with the operation of the new Newquay to Paddington direct First Great Western service.^[5].
Newquay Airport provides links to other parts of the British Isles; private jets, charters and helicopters are also served by nearby Perranporth airfield.
National Express run coaches from various points of Great Britain to Newquay and Summercourt Travel runs local bus services around Newquay and Newquay Airport.

Other notable information

★ Singer-songwriter James Morrison grew up in the Newquay area. He attended Treviglas College.

★ Former Sheffield Wednesday and Celtic footballer Chris Morris was born in Newquay.

★ The Headland Hotel, next to Newquay's Fistral Beach has been used in several films, including ''The Witches''.

★ The Beatles filmed part of the ''Magical Mystery Tour'' film in Newquay. Scenes were filmed at the Atlantic Hotel and Towan Beach.^[6]

★ William Golding author of ''Lord of the Flies'', was born in Newquay.

★ Two hundred and forty boys and twenty masters of Gresham's School were evacuated to the town from Holt, Norfolk, during the Second World War, between June 1940 and March 1944.^[7]

★ In the morning of 18 August 2007, a large fire ravaged Newquay's Penhallow Hotel. Over eighty guests and members of staff managed to escape the burning hotel. There were five injuries, and a man died after falling from a second-floor window.^[8]

References

1. Interim account of 1939 excavation by C.K. Croft Andrews (1949)
2. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1143
3. Cornwall Guide - North Coast Beaches
4. Cornwall Beaches - Fistral Beach
5. Network Rail
6. http://www.photofeatures.com/beatles/index.html
7. ''I Will Plant Me a Tree: an Illustrated History of Gresham's School'' by S.G.G. Benson and Martin Crossley Evans (James & James, London, 2002) ISBN 0-907383-92-0
8. "Safety work at fire-ravaged hotel", ''BBC News Online'', 19 August 2007. Accessed 19 August 2007.

See also

★ List of topics related to Cornwall

★ Distinguish from nuke.

External links

★ Newquay Town Council

★ Treninick entry in the Domesday Book

★ http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Newquay/index.html

★ 1st Newquay Scout Group