Truro (; kw, Truru) is a
cathedral city and
civil parish in
Cornwall,
England. It is Cornwall's
county town
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its population was 18,766 in the 2011 census.
[ People of Truro can be called Truronians. It grew as a trade centre through its port and as a stannary town for tin mining. It became mainland Britain's southernmost city in 1876, with the founding of the ]Diocese of Truro
The Diocese of Truro (established 1876) is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury which covers Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and a small part of Devon. The bishop's seat is at Truro Cathedral.
Geography and history
The di ...
. Sights include the Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro Cathedral (completed 1910), the Hall for Cornwall and Cornwall's Courts of Justice
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance w ...
.
Toponymy
Truro's name may derive from the Cornish ''tri-veru'' meaning "three rivers", but authorities such as the ''Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names'' have doubts about the "tru" meaning "three". An expert on Cornish place-names, Oliver Padel, in ''A Popular Dictionary of Cornish Place-names'', called the "three rivers" meaning "possible". Alternatively the name may come from '' tre-uro'' or similar, i. e. settlement on the river ''Uro''.
History
A castle was built in the 12th century by Richard de Luci, Chief Justice of England in the reign of Henry II, who for court services was granted land in Cornwall, including the area round the confluence of the two rivers. The town grew below the castle and gained borough status from further economic activity. The castle has long disappeared.
Richard de Lucy fought in Cornwall under Count Alan of Brittany after leaving Falaise late in 1138. The small adulterine castle at Truro, Cornwall, originally the parish of Kenwyn, later known as "Castellum de Guelon", was probably built by him in 1139–1140. He styled himself "Richard de Lucy, de Trivereu". The castle passed to Reginald FitzRoy, an illegitimate son of Henry I, when he was invested by King Stephen as the first Earl of Cornwall. Reginald married Mabel FitzRichard, daughter of William FitzRichard, a major landholder in Cornwall. The -diameter castle was in ruins by 1270 and the motte was levelled in 1840. Today Truro Crown Court stands on the site. In a charter of about 1170, Reginald FitzRoy confirmed to Truro's burgesses the privileges granted by Richard de Lucy. Richard held ten knights' fees in Cornwall before 1135. At his death the county still accounted for a third of his considerable total holding.
By the early 14th century Truro was a major port, due to an inland location away from invaders, to prosperity from the fishing industry, and to a role as a stannary town for assaying and stamping tin and copper from Cornish mines. The Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
brought a trade recession and an exodus that left the town in a very neglected state. Trade and prosperity gradually returned in the Tudor period. Local government came in 1589 with a new charter of Elizabeth I giving it an elected mayor and control over the port of Falmouth.
During the Civil War in the 17th century, Truro raised a sizeable force to fight for the king and a royalist mint was set up. Defeat by Parliamentary troops came after the Battle of Naseby in 1646, when the victorious General Fairfax led his army south-west to relieve Taunton and capture the Royalist-held West Country. The Royalist forces surrendered at Truro while leading Royalist commanders, including Lord Hopton, the Prince of Wales, Sir Edward Hyde
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (18 February 16099 December 1674), was an English statesman, lawyer, diplomat and historian who served as chief advisor to Charles I of England, Charles I during the First English Civil War, and Lord Chancell ...
, and Lord Capell, fled to Jersey from Falmouth.
Later in the century, Falmouth gained its own charter, giving rights to its harbour and starting a long rivalry with Truro. The dispute was settled in 1709 with control of the River Fal divided between them. The arms of Truro city are "Gules the base wavy of six Argent and Azure, thereon an ancient ship of three masts under sail, on each topmast a banner of St George, on the waves in base two fishes of the second."
Truro prospered in the 18th and 19th centuries through improved mining methods and higher prices for tin, and its consequent attraction to wealthy mine-owners. Elegant Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
and Victorian
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literature ...
townhouses of the period can be seen today in Lemon Street, named after the mining magnate and local Member of Parliament Sir William Lemon
Sir William Lemon, 1st Baronet (11 October 1748 – 11 December 1824) was a Member of Parliament for Cornish constituencies from 1770 to 1824, a total of 54 years.
Background
He was the son of William Lemon and Anne, the daughter of John Willya ...
. Truro became the centre for county society, even dubbed "the London of Cornwall".
Through those prosperous times Truro remained a social centre. Among the many notables were Richard Lander
Richard Lemon Lander (8 February 1804 – 6 February 1834) was a British explorer of western Africa. He and his brother John were the first Europeans to follow the course of the River Niger, and discover that it led to the Atlantic.
Biograp ...
, the first European explorer to reach the mouth of the River Niger in Africa and was awarded the first gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
, and Henry Martyn, who read mathematics at Cambridge, was ordained and became a missionary, translating the New Testament into Urdu and Persian. Others include Humphry Davy, educated in Truro and the inventor of the miner's safety lamp
The Davy lamp is a safety lamp for use in flammable atmospheres, invented in 1815 by Sir Humphry Davy.[Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote (January 1720 – 21 October 1777) was a British dramatist, actor and theatre manager. He was known for his comedic acting and writing, and for turning the loss of a leg in a riding accident in 1766 to comedic opportunity.
Early l ...](_blank)
, an actor and playwright from Boscawen Street.
Truro's importance increased later in the 19th century with an iron-smelting works, potteries, and tanneries
Tanning may refer to:
*Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather
*Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin
**Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun
**Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
. From the 1860s, the Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
provided a direct link to London Paddington
Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a London station group, Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services pro ...
. The Bishopric of Truro
The Diocese of Truro (established 1876) is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury which covers Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and a small part of Devon. The bishop's seat is at Truro Cathedral.
Geography and history
The dio ...
Act 1876 gave the town a bishop and later a cathedral. In 1877 it gained city status. The New Bridge Street drill hall was completed in the late 19th century.
Geography
Truro lies in the centre of western Cornwall, about from the south coast, at the confluence of the rivers Kenwyn
Kenwyn ( kw, Keynwynn) is a settlement and civil parish in Cornwall, England. The settlement is a suburb of the city of Truro and lies 0.5 mi (1 km) north of the city centre, within Truro parish, whereas Kenwyn parish covers an area w ...
and Allen Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to:
Buildings
* Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee
* Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas
* Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univer ...
, which combine as the Truro River
The Truro River ( kw, Hyldreth) is a river in the city of Truro in Cornwall, England, UK. It is the product of the convergence of the two rivers named Kenwyn and Allen which run under the city: the Truro River (named after the city) flows int ...
– one of a series of waterways and drowned valleys leading into the River Fal and then the large natural harbour of Carrick Roads. The valleys form a steep bowl surrounding the city on the north, east and west, open to the Truro River in the south. This shape, along with high precipitation that swells the rivers and a spring tide in the River Fal, were major factors in the 1988 floods that seriously damaged the city centre. Since then, flood defences have been constructed, including an emergency dam at New Mill on the River Kenwyn and a tidal barrier on the Truro River.
The city is amidst several protected natural areas such as the historic parklands at Pencalenick
St Clement ( kw, Klemens) is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated southeast of Truro in the valley of the Tresillian River. Other notable villages within the parish are the much larger Tresillian 1.4 ...
and areas of ornamental landscape such as Trelissick Garden
Trelissick ( kw, Trelesyk) is a house and garden in the ownership of the National Trust at Feock, near Truro, Cornwall, England. It is located on the B3289 road, just west of King Harry Ferry, and overlooks the estuary known as Carrick Roads. ...
and Tregothnan down the Truro River. An area south-east of the city, including Calenick Creek, has been included in the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Other protected zones include an Area of Great Landscape Value
A local landscape designation is a non-statutory conservation designation used by local government in some parts of the United Kingdom to categorise sensitive landscapes which are, either legally or as a matter of policy, protected from developme ...
comprising farmland and wooded valleys to the north east, and Daubuz Moors, a local nature reserve by the River Allen, close to the city centre.
Truro has mainly grown and developed round the historic city centre in a nuclear fashion along the slopes of the bowl valley, except for fast linear development along the A390 to the west, towards Threemilestone
Threemilestone ( kw, Mentrimildir) is a small village in the civil parish of Kenwyn, located precisely three miles west of Truro, the only city in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Threemilestone has grown in recent years, as housing estates to t ...
. As Truro grew, it encompassed other settlements as suburbs or districts, including Kenwyn
Kenwyn ( kw, Keynwynn) is a settlement and civil parish in Cornwall, England. The settlement is a suburb of the city of Truro and lies 0.5 mi (1 km) north of the city centre, within Truro parish, whereas Kenwyn parish covers an area w ...
and Moresk to the north, Trelander to the east, Newham to the south, and Highertown, Treliske and Gloweth to the west.
Climate
The Truro area, like the rest of Cornwall, has an oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
. This means fewer extremes in temperature than elsewhere in England, marked by high rainfall, cool summers and mild winters with infrequent frosts.
Demography and economy
The Truro urban area, including parts of surrounding parishes, had a 2001 census population of 20,920. By 2011 the population, including Threemilestone, was 23,040. Its status as the county's prime destination for retail and leisure and administration is unusual in that it is only its fourth most populous settlement.[ Indeed population growth at 10.5 per cent between 1971 and 1998 was slow compared with other Cornish towns and Cornwall.
Major employers include the ]Royal Cornwall Hospital
The Royal Cornwall Hospital, formerly and still commonly known as the Treliske Hospital, is a medium-sized teaching hospital in Treliske, on the outskirts of Truro, Cornwall, England. The hospital provides training services for the University of ...
, Cornwall Council and Truro College
Truro and Penwith College is a Tertiary College and Further Education College in Cornwall, United Kingdom. History
Truro College was founded in 1993 as a new college in Gloweth near Threemilestone, Truro, Cornwall, to replace the Truro Sixt ...
. There are about 22,000 jobs available in Truro, but only 9,500 economically active people living there, which make commuting a major factor in its traffic congestion. Average earnings are higher than elsewhere in Cornwall.
Housing prices in Truro in the 2000s were 8 or more per cent higher than in the rest of Cornwall. Truro was named in 2006 as the top small city in the United Kingdom for rising house prices, at 262 per cent since 1996.
Culture
![Truro City Hall Municipal Buildings (geograph 4669583)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Truro_City_Hall_Municipal_Buildings_%28geograph_4669583%29.jpg)
Attractions
Truro's dominant feature is the Gothic-revival Truro Cathedral, designed by architect John Loughborough Pearson, rising above the city at its highest spire. It was built in 1880–1910 on the site of St Mary's Church, consecrated over 600 years earlier. Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...
is well represented, with terraces and townhouses along Walsingham Place and Lemon Street often said to be "the finest examples of Georgian architecture west of the city of Bath
Bath may refer to:
* Bathing, immersion in a fluid
** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body
** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe
* Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities
Plac ...
".
The main attraction to the region is a wide variety of shopping facilities. Truro has various chain stores, speciality shops and markets
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
* Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
* Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
*Märket, a ...
that reflect its history as a market town. The indoor Pannier Market is open all year with many stalls and small businesses. The city is also popular for catering and night life, with bars, clubs and restaurants. It houses the Hall for Cornwall, a performing arts and entertainment venue.
The Royal Cornwall Museum is the oldest and premier museum of Cornish history and culture. Its collections cover fields such as archaeology, art and geology. Among the exhibits is the so-called Arthur's inscribed stone. Its parks and open spaces include Victoria Gardens, Boscawen Park and Daubuz Moors.
Events
Lemon Quay is the year-round centre of most festivities in Truro.
In April, Truro prepares to partake in the Britain in Bloom competition, with floral displays and hanging baskets dotted around the city throughout the summer. A "continental market" comes to Truro in the holiday-making season, featuring food and craft stalls from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and elsewhere.
Cornwall Pride, a Pride event
A pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture, queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...
to mark diversity and the LGBT community
The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay men, gay, bisexuality, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a comm ...
, takes place on the last Saturday of August. The Truro City Carnival, held every September over a weekend, includes various arts and music performances, children's activities, a fireworks display, food and drinks fairs, a circus, and a parade. A half-marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcut ...
organised by Truro Running Club also occurs in September, running from the city centre into the country towards Kea, returning to finish at Lemon Quay.
Truro's Christmas includes a Winter Festival with a "City of Lights" paper lantern parade. Local schools, colleges, and community and youth groups join in.
Sports
Truro temporarily held the Cornish Pirates rugby union club in the 2005–2006 season, but it moved again for 2006–2007 to share the ground of Camborne RFC
Camborne RFC was established in 1878, and are one of the most famous rugby union clubs in Cornwall. They currently play in South West Premier following promotion from Tribute South West 1 West in 2015–16; a level five league in the English ru ...
. In April 2018, the construction of a Stadium for Cornwall
The Stadium for Cornwall was a proposed multi-purpose stadium in Threemilestone, Cornwall, a county within the British Isles. There are no major sports stadia in Cornwall: the largest capacity ground is the Recreation Ground in Camborne. Footba ...
was discussed with Cornwall Council, which had pledged £3 million for the £14.3 million project. It is planned for a site in Threemilestone
Threemilestone ( kw, Mentrimildir) is a small village in the civil parish of Kenwyn, located precisely three miles west of Truro, the only city in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Threemilestone has grown in recent years, as housing estates to t ...
. The town's remaining rugby union side, Truro RFC
Truro RFC is a Cornish rugby union club that is based in the city of Truro and was formed in 1885. The club's colours are blue and yellow and they operate 2 senior men's teams, a women's team, a colts side and various mini/junior teams (ages 7â ...
, founded in 1885. It belongs to Tribute Western Counties West
Counties 1 Western West (formerly known as Western Counties West for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league. Originally a single division called Western Counties, in 1996 the division split into two regional leagues called Wester ...
and plays home games at St Clements Hill. It has hosted the CRFU Cornwall Cup
The CRFU Cornwall Cup (currently sponsored by Tribute Ales) is an annual rugby union knock-out cup club competition organised by the Cornwall Rugby Football Union first played for in 1896 but only regularly since 1969. It is open for teams based ...
several times.
Truro City F.C.
Truro City Football Club ( kw, Klub Peldroes Truru) is an English football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Southern League, at the seventh tier of the English football league system. They are the highest ranked club ...
, a football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team in the National League South
The National League South, formerly Conference South, is one of the second divisions of the National League in England, immediately below the top division National League. Along with National League North, it is in the second level of the N ...
, is the only Cornish club ever to reach this tier of the English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the Isl ...
. It achieved national recognition by winning the FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...
in 2007 against A.F.C. Totton
Amalgamated Football Club Totton is a football club based in Totton, Hampshire, England. The club is affiliated to the Hampshire Football Association and is an FA Standard Chartered club. They are currently members of the .
History
The club ...
in only the second final at the new Wembley Stadium, becoming the first Cornish side ever to win that award. Its home ground is Treyew Road
Treyew Road in Truro was a football stadium, which was the home ground of Truro City until 2021.
Prior to its closure, it had a capacity of 3,200, 1,675 seated.
History
Treyew Road had been Truro City's home since the mid-1900s. A covered t ...
. Cornwall County Cricket Club plays some home fixtures at Boscawen Park
Boscawen Park is a cricket ground located in recreation grounds along Malpas Road in Truro, Cornwall. The ground is situated directly next to the River Truro, which runs alongside its western side. The end names are the City End to the north and ...
, also the home ground of Truro Cricket Club.
Truro Fencing Club is a national flagship, having won numerous national championships and supplied three fencers for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
Other sports amenities include a leisure centre
A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...
, golf course and tennis courts.
Media
Truro is the centre of Cornwall's local media. The county weeklies, the ''Cornish Guardian
The ''Cornish Guardian'' (founded 1901) is a weekly newspaper in Cornwall, England, UK, which is part of the Cornwall & Devon Media group. Its head office is in Truro and it is published in seven separate editions:
*Bodmin edition
*Lostwithiel and ...
'' and '' The West Briton'', are based there, the latter providing a Truro and Mid-Cornwall edition. The city also holds the studios of BBC Radio Cornwall, and those of the West district of ITV Westcountry
ITV Westcountry, formerly known as Westcountry Television and Carlton Westcountry, was the ITV franchise holder for the south west of England, covering Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, southern and western Somerset and western Dorset. The com ...
, whose main studio is now in Bristol after a merger with ITV West. This closed the studio in Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
– the Westcountry Live programme was replaced by The West Country Tonight.
Customs
A mummers play text ascribed until recently to Mylor, Cornwall (quoted in studies of folk plays such as ''The Mummers Play'' by R. J. E. Tiddy – published posthumously in 1923 – and ''The English Folk-Play'' (1933) by E. K. Chambers), has now been shown by genealogical and other research to have originated in Truro about 1780.
The traditional Nine Lessons and Carols at Christmas originated in Truro in 1880, when its bishop, Edward White Benson
Edward White Benson (14 July 1829 – 11 October 1896) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death. Before this, he was the first Bishop of Truro, serving from 1877 to 1883, and began construction of Truro Cathedral.
He was previousl ...
, began to provide chances for evening singing of carols before Christmas Day, often on Christmas Eve.
Administration
Truro City Council forms its basic level of government, as one of 213 parish bodies in the county. Centred upstairs at the Municipal Buildings in Boscawen Street, it covers Truro's public library, parks and gardens, tourist information centre, allotments and cemeteries. It also views planning issues and was involved in creating the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan in association with Cornwall Council. The City Council has four wards
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
– Boscawen, Moresk, Tregolls and Trehaverne – with 24 councillors elected for four-year terms. It is affiliated to Truro Chamber of Commerce and other civic bodies.
The City Council comes under the unitary Cornwall Council, which is directly under central government. Cornwall Council, a unitary authority, is based at Lys Kernow, formerly County Hall, west of the city centre. It covers planning, infrastructure, development and environmental issues. Truro seats four members on it, one from each of its wards: Truro Tregolls, Truro Boscawen, Truro Redannick and Truro Trehaverne. Threemilestone and Gloweth, conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ca ...
s of the city, also elect a member.
Truro's borough court, first granted in 1153, became a free borough in 1589, and a city in 1877, receiving letters patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
after the Anglican diocese was placed there in 1876. However, it forms the eighth smallest UK city in population, city council area and urban area.
Twinning
Truro is twinned with
* Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
* Morlaix, Brittany, France
Namesakes
Several towns outside Britain have taken Truro as their name:
* Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
* Truro, Massachusetts, United States
* Truro, Iowa, United States
* Truro, South Australia, Australia
Transport
Roads and bus services
Truro is from the A30 trunk road, to which it is linked by the A39 from Falmouth and Penryn. Also passing through is the A390 between Redruth to the west and Liskeard to the east, where it joins the A38 for Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
, Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...
and the M5 motorway. Truro as the southernmost city in the United Kingdom is just under west-south-west of Charing Cross
Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Clockwise from north these are: the east side of Trafalgar Square leading to St Martin's Place and then Charing Cross Road; the Strand leading to the City; ...
, London.
The city and surroundings have extensive bus services, mainly from First Kernow and Transport for Cornwall. Most routes terminate at Truro bus station near Lemon Quay. A permanent Park and Ride scheme, known as Park for Truro, opened in August 2008. Buses based at Langarth Park in Threemilestone
Threemilestone ( kw, Mentrimildir) is a small village in the civil parish of Kenwyn, located precisely three miles west of Truro, the only city in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Threemilestone has grown in recent years, as housing estates to t ...
carry commuters into the city via Truro College, the Royal Cornwall Hospital
The Royal Cornwall Hospital, formerly and still commonly known as the Treliske Hospital, is a medium-sized teaching hospital in Treliske, on the outskirts of Truro, Cornwall, England. The hospital provides training services for the University of ...
Treliske, County Hall, Truro railway station, the Royal Cornwall Museum and Victoria Square, through to a second car park on the east side of Truro. Truro also has long-distance coach services run by National Express.
Railways
Truro railway station, about from the city centre, is on the Cornish Main Line with direct links to London Paddington
Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a London station group, Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services pro ...
and to the Midlands, North and Scotland. North-east of the station is a stone viaduct
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...
with views over the city, cathedral and Truro River in the distance. The longest viaduct on the line, it replaced Isambard Kingdom Brunel's wooden Carvedras Viaduct in 1904. Connecting to the main line at Truro is the Maritime Line
The Maritime Line is a railway line that runs in the valley of the River Fal from Truro, the county town, to Falmouth on the south coast of Cornwall, England.
History
The railway line, now known as The Maritime Line, was built by the Cornwal ...
to Falmouth in the south.
Truro's first railway station, at Highertown, was opened in 1852 by the West Cornwall Railway for trains to Redruth
Redruth ( , kw, Resrudh) is a town and civil parishes in Cornwall, civil parish in Cornwall, England. The population of Redruth was 14,018 at the 2011 census. In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, which also inc ...
and Penzance
Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
, and was known as Truro Road Station. It was extended to the Truro River at Newham in 1855, but closed, so that Newham served as the terminus. When the Cornwall Railway connected the line to Plymouth, its trains ran to the present station above the city centre. The West Cornwall Railway (WCR) diverted most passenger trains to the new station, leaving Newham mainly as a goods station until it closed in 1971. The WCR became part of the Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
. The route from Highertown to Newham is now a cycle path
A bike path is a bikeway separated from motorized traffic and dedicated to cycling or shared with pedestrians or other non-motorized users. In the US a bike path sometimes encompasses ''shared use paths'', "multi-use path", or "Class III bikewa ...
on a countryside loop through the south side of the city. The steam locomotive ''City of Truro
GWR 3700 Class 3440 ''City of Truro'' is a 4-4-0 steam locomotive built in 1903 for the Great Western Railway (GWR) at Swindon Works to a design by George Jackson Churchward. It was partially rebuilt in 1911 and 1915, and renumbered 3717 in ...
'' was built in 1903 and still runs on UK mainline and preserved railways.
Air and river transport
Newquay
Newquay ( ; kw, Tewynblustri) is a town on the north coast in Cornwall, in the south west of England. It is a civil parish, seaside resort, regional centre for aerospace industries, spaceport and a fishing port on the North Atlantic coast of ...
, Cornwall's main airport, is north of Truro. It was thought in 2017 to be the "fastest growing airport" in the UK. It has regular flights to London Heathrow and other airports, and to the Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly (; kw, Syllan, ', or ) is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England. One of the islands, St Agnes, is the most southerly point in Britain, being over further south than the most southerly point of the ...
, Dublin and Düsseldorf, Germany.
There is a boat link to Falmouth along the Truro and Fal four times a day, tide permitting. The fleet run by Enterprise Boats as part of the Fal River Links
Fal River Links is a consolidation of ferry and boat services serving the River Fal, the River Truro, and Carrick Roads in Cornwall, United Kingdom, providing links to many coastal towns and villages.
See also
* King Harry Ferry
The King Har ...
calls on the way at Malpas, Trelissick
Trelissick ( kw, Trelesyk) is a house and garden in the ownership of the National Trust at Feock, near Truro, Cornwall, England. It is located on the B3289 road, just west of King Harry Ferry, and overlooks the estuary known as Carrick Roads. I ...
, Tolverne
Philleigh ( kw, Eglosros) is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom; one of the four in the Roseland Peninsula.
Philleigh lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third of Cor ...
and St Mawes
St Mawes ( kw, Lannvowsedh) is a village on the end of the Roseland Peninsula, in the eastern side of Falmouth harbour, on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village, formerly two separate hamlets, lies on the east bank of the ...
.
Churches
The old parish church of Truro was St Mary's, which was incorporated into the cathedral in the later 19th century. The building dates from 1518, with a later tower and spire dating from 1769.
Parts of the town were in the parishes of Kenwyn
Kenwyn ( kw, Keynwynn) is a settlement and civil parish in Cornwall, England. The settlement is a suburb of the city of Truro and lies 0.5 mi (1 km) north of the city centre, within Truro parish, whereas Kenwyn parish covers an area w ...
and St Clement ( Moresk) until the mid 19th century, when other parishes were created. The lofty St George's church in Truro, designed by Rev. William Haslam, vicar of Baldhu, was built of Cornish granite in 1855. The parish of St George's Truro was formed from part of Kenwyn in 1846. In 1865 two more parishes were created: St John's from part of Kenwyn and St Paul's from part of St Clement. St George's contains a large wall painting behind the high altar, the work of Stephany Cooper in the 1920s. Her father, Canon Cooper, had been a missionary in Zanzibar and elsewhere. The theme of the mural is "Three Heavens": the first heaven has views of Zanzibar and its cathedral (a happy period in the life of the artist), the second views of the city of Truro including the cathedral, the railway viaduct and St George's Church (another happy period), and the third, above the others, separated from them by the River of Life (Christ is seen bridging the river and 17 saints including St Piran and St Kenwyn are depicted).
Charles William Hempel
Charles William Hempel (1777–1855) was an English organist.
Life
Hempel was born at Chelsea, Middlesex, on 28 August 1777, and showing very early indications of musical talent was placed under the tuition of his relative, Augustus F. C. Kollm ...
was organist of St Mary's Church for 40 years from 1804 and also taught music. In 1805 he composed and printed ''Psalms from the New Version for the use of the Congregation of St. Mary's'', and in 1812 ''Sacred Melodies'' for the same congregation. These melodies gained popularity.
The oldest church in Truro is at Kenwyn
Kenwyn ( kw, Keynwynn) is a settlement and civil parish in Cornwall, England. The settlement is a suburb of the city of Truro and lies 0.5 mi (1 km) north of the city centre, within Truro parish, whereas Kenwyn parish covers an area w ...
, on the northern side. It dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, but was almost wholly rebuilt in 1820, having deteriorated to the point where it was deemed unsafe.
St John's Church (dedicated to St John the Evangelist) was built in 1828 (architect P. Sambell) in the Classical style on a rectangular plan and with a gallery. Alterations were carried out in the 1890s.
St Paul's Church was built in 1848. The chancel was replaced in 1882–1884, the new chancel being the work of J. D. Sedding
John Dando Sedding (13 April 1838 – 7 April 1891) was an English church architect, working on new buildings and repair work, with an interest in a "crafted Gothic" style. He was an influential figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, many of wh ...
. The tower is "broad and strong" (Pevsner) and the exterior of the aisles are ornamented in Sedding's version of the Perpendicular style.[N. Pevsner, 1970. ''Cornwall''; 2nd ed. Penguin Books; pp. 234–235.] In the parish of St Paul is the former Convent of the Epiphany
The Convent of the Epiphany, Truro, Cornwall, UK, was the home of the Community of the Epiphany (1883-2001). The founder of this community was George Wilkinson, Bishop of Truro. The sisters were involved in pastoral and educational work, the care ...
(Anglican) at Alverton House, Tregolls Road, an early 19th-century house extended for the convent of the Community of the Epiphany and the chapel was built in 1910 by Edmund H. Sedding. The sisterhood was founded by the Bishop of Truro, George Howard Wilkinson
George Howard Wilkinson (1 May 1833 – 11 December 1907) was Bishop of Truro 1883-1891 and then of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane 1893–1907. He was Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1904, until his death.
Life
Wilkinson was b ...
in 1883 and closed in 2001 when two surviving nuns moved into care homes. The sisters had been involved in pastoral and educational work and care of the cathedral and St Paul's Church. St Paul's Church, built with a tower on a river bed with poor foundations, has fallen into disrepair and is no longer used. Services are now held at the churches of St Clement, St George, and St John. St Paul and St Clement form a united benefice, as do St George and St John.
Other denominations
One Methodist place of worship remains in use, in Union Place – Truro Methodist Church – which has a broad granite front (1830, but since enlarged). There is a Quaker Meeting House in granite (c. 1830) and numerous other churches, some meeting in their own modern buildings, e. g. St Piran's Roman Catholic church and All Saints, Highertown, and some in schools or halls. St Piran's, dedicated to Our Lady of the Portal and St Piran, was built on the site of a medieval chapel by Margaret Steuart Pollard
Margaret Steuart Pollard, née Gladstone (1 March 1904 – 13 November 1996), was a scholar of Sanskrit, a poet and bard of the Cornish language. She was the founding member of Ferguson's Gang, a secret society of supporters of the National Tru ...
in 1973, for which she received the Benemerenti Medal from the Pope. The Baptist church building occupies the site of the former Lake's pottery, one of the oldest in Cornwall.
Education
A free grammar school associated with St Mary's Church was endowed in the 16th century. Its distinguished pupils have included the scientist Sir Humphry Davy, General Sir Hussey Vivian and the clergyman, Henry Martyn.
The former Truro Girls Grammar School was converted into a Sainsbury's supermarket.
Educational institutions in Truro today include:
*Archbishop Benson – A Church of England voluntary aided primary school
* Polwhele House Preparatory School — since the closure of Truro Cathedral School
Truro Cathedral School was a Church of England school for boys in Truro, Cornwall. An ancient school refounded in 1549 as the Truro Grammar School, after the establishment of Truro Cathedral in the last quarter of the 19th century it was responsi ...
educating also the 18 boy choristers of Truro Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Truro, Cornwall. It was built between 1880 and 1910 to a Gothic Revival design by John Loughborough Pearson on the site of the parish church of St Mary. It i ...
* Truro School — a public school
Public school may refer to:
* State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
* Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
founded in 1880
*Truro High School for Girls
Truro High School for Girls is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Truro, Cornwall. The school consists of a girls-only prep school, senior school and sixth form. It is a member of the Girls' Schools Association.
History
The sc ...
— a public school for ages 13–18
*Penair School
Penair School is a secondary academy school in Truro, Cornwall, England, for children aged 11 to 16. It is named after Penair House, a mansion built in the late 18th century by Rear-Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds. It is currently graded as †...
— a state co-educational science college for ages 11–16
*Richard Lander School
Richard Lander School is a coeducational secondary school located in Truro, Cornwall, England. It is named after Richard Lemon Lander.
It is a community school administered by Cornwall Council.
Notable former pupils
*Darren Dawidiuk, rugby p ...
— a state co-educational technology college for ages 11–16
*Truro and Penwith College
Truro and Penwith College is a Tertiary College and Further Education College in Cornwall, United Kingdom. History
Truro College was founded in 1993 as a new college in Gloweth near Threemilestone, Truro, Cornwall, to replace the Truro Sixt ...
— A further and higher education college attached to the Combined Universities in Cornwall
* University of Exeter Medical School
Development
Truro has many proposed urban development schemes, most of which are intended to counter the main problems, notably traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition in transport that is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. Traffic congestion on urban road networks has increased substantially since the 1950s. When traffic de ...
and lack of housing.
Major proposals include construction of a distributor road
A collector road or distributor road is a low-to-moderate-capacity road which serves to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collector roads are designed to provide access to residential properties. Rarely, juri ...
to carry traffic away from the busy Threemilestone-Treliske-Highertown corridor, reconnecting at either Green Lane or Morlaix Avenue. This will also serve the new housing planned for that area.
Changes proposed for the city centre include pedestrianisation
Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in whi ...
of main shopping streets and beautification of uncharacteristic storefronts built in the 1960s.[ New retail developments on the current Carrick District Council site and Garras Wharf waterfront site will provide more space for shops, open spaces and public amenities.][ Along with redevelopment of the waterfront, a tidal barrier is planned to dam water into the Truro River, which is currently blighted by mud banks that appear at ]low tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another.
Tide tables can ...
.[
Controversial plans include the construction of a new stadium for ]Truro City F.C.
Truro City Football Club ( kw, Klub Peldroes Truru) is an English football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Southern League, at the seventh tier of the English football league system. They are the highest ranked club ...
and the Cornish Pirates, and relocation of the city's golf course to make way for more housing. A smaller project is the addition of two large sculptures in the Piazza.
Notable residents
Public thinking, public service
*Sir Henry Killigrew
Sir Henry Killigrew (c. 1528Bell pp. 189–190 – 1603) was a Cornish diplomat and an ambassador for the Kingdom of England in the sixteenth century. He was several times employed by Elizabeth I in Scottish affairs and served as one of the Eng ...
(c. 1528–1603), Cornish diplomat and an ambassador
*Owen Fitzpen
Owen Fitzpen (also known as Owen Phippen) was an English merchant taken captive by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery. He later mounted a heroic escape and is memorialised on a plaque placed in St. Mary's Church at Truro, Cornwall, England.
...
(1552–1636), philanthropist and merchant seaman, led a successful slave revolt in 1627 to free captives of Barbary pirates
The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
, memorialised on a plaque in St Mary's Church.
* John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor (1606–1685) a politician who fought for the Parliamentary cause
*William Gwavas
William Gwavas (1676–1741) was an English barrister and writer in the Cornish language.
Life
The eldest son of William Gwavas, by Eliza, daughter of Sir Thomas Arundell of Tolverne, near Truro, he was born at Huntingfield Hall, Suffolk, 6 ...
(1676–1741), barrister and writer in the Cornish language
* Edward Boscawen (1711–1761), Royal Navy admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, eponym of a cobbled street at the centre of Truro and a park
* Samuel Walker (1714–1761), evangelical clergyman, curate of Truro from 1746
* Richard Polwhele (1760–1838) a clergyman, poet and historian of Cornwall and Devon
* Charles Sandoe Gilbert (1760–1831), druggist and historian of Cornwall
*Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian
Lieutenant General Richard Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Vivian (28 July 177520 August 1842), known as Sir Hussey Vivian from 1815 to 1828 and Sir Hussey Vivian, Bt, from 1828 to 1841, was a British cavalry leader from the Vivian family.
Early caree ...
(1775–1842) a senior British cavalry officer
* Henry Martyn (1781–1812), Cambridge mathematician and missionary in India and Persia, who translated the Bible into local languages
* Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro (1782–1855) Lord High Chancellor, 1850 to 1852.
* Admiral Sir Barrington Reynolds (1786–1861) senior Royal Navy officer
* FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) a senior Army officer and MP for Truro in 1818 & 1826.
*Richard Spurr
Richard Spurr (1800–1855) was a Cornish cabinet maker and lay preacher who was imprisoned for his part in leading the political movement Chartism.
Early life
Richard Spurr was born son of Christopher Spurr and Christian Richards in 1800 ...
(1800–1855), cabinet maker and lay preacher imprisoned for Chartism. A large allotment in the town was dedicated to him in 2011.
* Major-General Sir Henry James (1803–1877), a Royal Engineers officer and DG of the Ordnance Survey 1854–1875
* Richard Lemon Lander (1804–1834), explorer in West Africa. A local secondary school is named in his honour and a monument to his memory stands at the top of Lemon Street.
* John Lander (1806–1839), printer and explorer with his brother Richard Lemon Lander
*Charles Chorley
Charles Chorley (c. 1810–1874) was an English journalist, man of letters and translator from several languages.
Life
Chorley was born in Taunton, Somerset about 1810, the son of Lt Paymaster John Chorley of the 1st Somerset Militia (died Febru ...
(c. 1810–1874), journalist and man of letters
*William Bennett Bond
William Bennett Bond (10 September 1815 – 9 October 1906) was a Canadian priest, archbishop, and the 2nd primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Early life
Bond was born on September 10, 1815, at Truro, England, to John Bond and Nanny ...
(1815–1906), Canadian priest and second primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada (ACC or ACoC) is the Ecclesiastical province#Anglican Communion, province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French-language name is ''l'Église anglicane du Canada''. In 2017, the Anglican Church co ...
* Alexander Mackennal (1835–1904), nonconformist minister
*Silvanus Trevail
Silvanus Trevail (11 November 1851 – 7 November 1903) was a British architect, and the most prominent Cornish architect of the 19th century.
Early life
Trevail was born at Carne Farm, Trethurgy in the parish of Luxulyan, Cornwall on 11 Nove ...
(1851–1903) local architect and mayor of Truro
* Joseph Hunkin (1887–1950), Bishop of Truro from 1935 to 1950
*James Henry Fynn
James Henry Finn (sometimes Fynn) VC (24 November 1893 – 30 March 1917) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth fo ...
(Finn, 1893–1917), recipient of the Victoria Cross
* Barbara Joyce West (1911–2007), second-to-last survivor of the
*Alison Adburgham
Alison Adburgham (28 January 1912 – 23 May 1997) was an English journalist, author and social historian, best known for her work as fashion editor of ''The Guardian'' newspaper, a position she held for 20 years. Along with Prudence Glynn of ' ...
(1912–1997), social historian and fashion journalist, died in the town.
* Hugh Clegg (1920–1995), academic, founded the National Board for Prices and Incomes
The National Board for Prices and Incomes was created by the government of Harold Wilson in 1965 in an attempt to solve the problem of inflation in the British economy by managing wages and prices.
The board's chairman was Aubrey Jones, formerl ...
(1965–1971)
* David Penhaligon (1944–1986), politician, Liberal MP for Truro 1974–1986
*Paul Myners, Baron Myners
Paul Myners, Baron Myners, (1 April 1948 – 16 January 2022) was a British businessman and politician. In October 2008 he was elevated to the House of Lords as a life peer and was appointed City Minister in the Labour Government of Gordon Br ...
, (1948-2022), businessman and politician
*Mark Laity
Mark F. Laity (born 1955 in Truro, Cornwall, UK) is a NATO spokesman and former BBC correspondent. He gained a BA(hons) and MA from the University of York. Laity later also became a Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Defence St ...
(born c. 1962), NATO spokesman and former BBC correspondent
*NneNne Iwuji-Eme
NneNne Iwuji-Eme is a British diplomat. In March 2018, she was appointed to be the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Mozambique and took up her post in July 2018 in succession to Joanna Kuenssberg. She is the first black woman to re ...
(born c. 1978), British diplomat, UK High Commissioner to Mozambique
* Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, (1979–2009), a British Army bomb-disposal expert
Arts
* Giles Farnaby (c. 1563–1640), composer and virginalist
The virginals (or virginal) is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods.
Description
A virginal is a smaller and simpler rectangular or polygonal form of ha ...
*Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote (January 1720 – 21 October 1777) was a British dramatist, actor and theatre manager. He was known for his comedic acting and writing, and for turning the loss of a leg in a riding accident in 1766 to comedic opportunity.
Early l ...
(1720–1777), actor and playwright
*Henry Bone
Henry Bone (6 February 1755 – 17 December 1834) was an English enamel painter who was officially employed in that capacity by three successive monarchs, George III, George IV and William IV. In his early career he worked as a porcelain a ...
(1755–1834), porcelain, jewellery and enamel painter
*Joseph Antonio Emidy
Joseph Antonio Emidy (1775 – 23 April 1835) was a Guinean-born British musician who was enslaved by Portuguese traders in his early life. He was later freed and resided in Portugal before being impressed into the Royal Navy. He was eventuall ...
(1775–1835), former slave from Guinea turned violinist
*Charles William Hempel
Charles William Hempel (1777–1855) was an English organist.
Life
Hempel was born at Chelsea, Middlesex, on 28 August 1777, and showing very early indications of musical talent was placed under the tuition of his relative, Augustus F. C. Kollm ...
(1777–1855), organist of St Mary's Church, Truro, and poet
*Nicholas Michell
Nicholas Michell (4 June 1807 – 6 April 1880), was a Cornish writer, best known for his poetry.
Personal life
Michell, born at Calenick, near Truro, Cornwall, a son of John Michell (1774–1868), who was known as the "father of the tin trade ...
(1807–1880) a Cornish writer, best known for his poetry
*Charles Frederick Hempel
Charles Frederick Hempel (1811–1867) was an organist and composer.
Hempel, eldest son of Charles William Hempel, was born at Truro, Cornwall, in September 1811. Having under his father's care received a sound musical education, he became a teac ...
(1811–1867), organist and composer
*Walter Hawken Tregellas
Walter Hawken Tregellas (10 July 1831 – 28 May 1894) was a British writer of historical, biographical and other works. He was also a professional draughtsman.
Life and writings
Tregellas was the eldest son of John Tabois Tregellas (1792– ...
(1831–1894) professional draughtsman and historical and biographical writer
* Francis Charles Hingeston-Randolph (1833–1910), cleric, antiquary and author
* Henry Dawson Lowry (1869–1906), journalist, short story writer, novelist and poet
* Hugh Walpole (1884–1941) novelist, who attended a preparatory school in Truro
* Maria Kuncewiczowa (1895–1989), Polish writer living in Truro after WWII. Her novel ''Tristan 1946'' was set here.
*Margaret Steuart Pollard
Margaret Steuart Pollard, née Gladstone (1 March 1904 – 13 November 1996), was a scholar of Sanskrit, a poet and bard of the Cornish language. She was the founding member of Ferguson's Gang, a secret society of supporters of the National Tru ...
(1904–1996), poet and translator lived in Truro from 1930s
*William Golding
Sir William Gerald Golding (19 September 1911 – 19 June 1993) was a British novelist, playwright, and poet. Best known for his debut novel ''Lord of the Flies'' (1954), he published another twelve volumes of fiction in his lifetime. In 1980 ...
(1911–1993), novelist, playwright and poet, gained the Nobel Prize in Literature
)
, image = Nobel Prize.png
, caption =
, awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature
, presenter = Swedish Academy
, holder = Annie Ernaux (2022)
, location = Stockholm, Sweden
, year = 1901
, ...
in 1983. Born in St Columb Minor, he returned to live near Truro in 1985.
*Alison Adburgham
Alison Adburgham (28 January 1912 – 23 May 1997) was an English journalist, author and social historian, best known for her work as fashion editor of ''The Guardian'' newspaper, a position she held for 20 years. Along with Prudence Glynn of ' ...
(1912–1997), author, social historian and fashion editor of The Guardian
*Irene Newton
Irene Margaret Newton (1915–1992) was a British artist, notable as a textile designer, painter and teacher.
Biography
Newton grew up in Truro in Cornwall where she attended the High School for Girls before studying at the Truro School of Art f ...
(1915–1992), artist
*Catherine Grubb
Catherine Grubb (born 1945) is a British artist.
Biography
Grubb was born in Bellshill in Lanarkshire; her parents were Scottish and Lithuanian. She lived in London as a child. Grubb studied at Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Edi ...
, artist (born 1945), lives in Truro.
*Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to:
*Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen
*Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran
*Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series
*Roger Taylor (college pr ...
(born 1949), drummer from the rock band Queen
* Robert Goddard (born 1954), novelist, lives in Truro.
* James Marsh (born 1963), film director and Academy Award winner
*Ben Salfield
Benjamin Dieter Salfield (born 11 December 1971) is an English lutenist, guitarist, composer, teacher, promoter and politician.
Early life
Ben Salfield was born in Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, UK. His father, a German Jewish refugee, w ...
(born 1971), guitarist, lutenist, composer and teacher, has lived in Truro since age of nine.
*Paul Kerensa
Paul Kerensa (born 1979 in Truro, Cornwall) is an English comedy writer and stand-up comedian. He studied at Royal Grammar School, Guildford and the Guildford School of Acting. In 2002 Kerensa won ITV's 'Take The Mike' Award, and was a finalist i ...
(born 1979), comedy writer and stand-up comedian
*Brett Harvey Brett Harvey may refer to:
* Brett Harvey (Canadian director), Canadian director, writer and cinematographer
* Brett Harvey (English director), English film writer and director
* Brett Harvey (rugby union)
Brett Andrew Harvey (born 6 October ...
(born c. 1980), film writer and director based in Cornwall
* Calvin Dean (born 1985), award-winning actor
Science and business
* John Vivian (1750–1826) industrialist in Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
, descendant of the Vivian family
Vivian may refer to:
*Vivian (name), a given name and also a surname
Toponyms
* Vivian, Louisiana, U.S.
* Vivian, South Dakota, U.S.
* Vivian, West Virginia, U.S.
* Vivian Island, Nunavut, Canada
* Ballantrae, Ontario, a hamlet in Stouffville, ...
*Elizabeth Andrew Warren
Elizabeth Andrew Warren (28 April 1786 – 5 May 1864) was a Cornish botanist and marine Phycology, algologist who spent most of her career collecting along the southern coast of Cornwall. Her goal was to create a herbarium of indigenous plants o ...
(1786–1864) a Cornish botanist and marine algologist
*Charles Foster Barham
Charles Foster Barham, M.D. (9 March 1804 – 20 October 1884) was an English physician and the fourth son of Thomas Foster Barham.
Early life and education
Barham was born in Truro. His family's wealth came from slavery and sugar estates in ...
(1804–1884), physician and writer on public health
*Edwin Dunkin
Edwin Dunkin FRS, FRAS (19 August 1821 – 26 November 1898) was a British astronomer and the president of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Institution of Cornwall.
Birth and family
He was born 19 August 1821, the son of William D ...
(1821–1898) an astronomer and the president of the Royal Astronomical Society
*Henry Charlton Bastian
Henry Charlton Bastian (26 April 1837 in Truro, Cornwall, England – 17 November 1915 in Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire) was an English physiologist and neurologist.
Biography
Bastian was born at Truro, Cornwall and graduated from University ...
(1837–1915), physiologist
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical a ...
and neurologist
* Edward Arnold (1857–1942), a publisher, founded Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd in 1890.
*Elsie Wilkins Sexton
Elsie Wilkins Sexton (née Wing, 27 April 1868 – 18 February 1959) was an English zoologist and biological illustrator.
Biography
Early life and education
Sexton was born Alice Wilkins Wing at Truro, Cornwall on 27 April 1868. She stud ...
(1868–1959) a zoologist and biological illustrator
*H. Lou Gibson
Henry Louis Gibson (1906–1992) was a British-born American pioneering medical photographer. He was born in Truro, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom and died in Rochester, New York State, United States of America.
Career
Gibson was for many y ...
(1906–1992), expert in medical uses of infrared to detect breast cancer
Sport
*Nick Nieland
Nicholas Nieland (born 31 January 1972 in Truro, Cornwall) is a British javelin thrower.
He was the British number three for many years. When his long-time domestic rival Steven Backley retired, Nieland rose to prominence to achieve a gold med ...
(born 1972), javelin gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006 (Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm 2006'' or ''Naarm 2006''), was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth held ...
*Matthew Etherington
Matthew Etherington (born 14 August 1981) is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of club Crawley Town. As a player, Etherington played as a winger, most notably in the Premier League for ...
(born 1981), former professional footballer with 426 club caps, he played for West Ham and Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...
.
* David Paynter (born 1981), former first-class cricketer
*Tom Voyce
Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce (born 5 January 1981) is a former English rugby union player who played at wing or fullback. He previously played for England.
Voyce married Anna Wood in September 2015.
Biography
Born 5 January 1981 in Truro, ...
(born 1981) former rugby union footballer with London Wasps and England
*Annabel Vernon
Annabel Morwenna Vernon (born 1 September 1982) is a retired British rower.
She was born in Truro, Cornwall. She was educated at St Minver Primary School then Wadebridge School, Downing College, Cambridge, and King's College London (MA Inter ...
(born 1982), retired rower, team silver medallist at the 2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
* Chris Harris (born 1982), international speedway rider
*Gemma Prescott
Gemma Louise Prescott (born 25 September 1983 in Truro) is a British Paralympian track and field athlete competing in F32 throwing events. Prescott represented England in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, taking the bronze medal in the SP shot put. S ...
(born 1983), Paralympic track and field athlete
*Darren Dawidiuk
Darren Dawidiuk (born 21 September 1987 in Truro) is a rugby union footballer, currently playing for Premiership Rugby outfit Bristol Bears. He plays as a hooker.
Dawidiuk joined the Cornish Pirates as an Academy player in 2006 having played h ...
(born 1987), rugby union footballer
*Craig Alcock
Craig Alcock (born 8 December 1987) is an former English professional footballer who recently played as a defender for club Harlow Town. Having begun his career at Yeovil Town he spent time on loan at Weston-super-Mare, Taunton Town and Tivert ...
(born 1987), professional footballer with 300 club caps
*Matthew Whorwood
Matthew Whorwood (9 December 1989) is a British Paralympic swimmer. Whorwood, who swims mainly in S6 events has competed in two Paralympic Games winning three bronze medals in freestyle and breastroke events.
Career history
Whorwood was born ...
(born 1989), Paralympic swimmer, bronze medallist in two Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...
* Matthew Shepherd (born 1990), rugby union player
* Alex Quinn (born 2000), racing driver
See also
*Diocese of Truro
The Diocese of Truro (established 1876) is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury which covers Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and a small part of Devon. The bishop's seat is at Truro Cathedral.
Geography and history
The di ...
* List of topics related to Cornwall
References
External links
*
*
Truro City Council website
Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Truro
Enjoy Truro – official guide to the city, including latest news and events
(provided b
Totally Truro
the local not-for-profit Business Improvement District)
{{Authority control
Cornish capitals
Cities in South West England
Towns in Cornwall
Civil parishes in Cornwall
County towns in England
Populated places established in the 12th century
Ports and harbours of Cornwall
Cornish Killas