Truro
From Cornwall24
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Population: | 17,431 |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | Maps for SW825445 |
| Administration | |
| District: | Carrick |
| County: | Cornwall |
| Region: | South West England |
| Nation: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Police force: | Devon and Cornwall Constabulary |
| Ceremonial county: | Cornwall |
| Historic county: | Cornwall |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | TRURO |
| Postal district: | TR1 |
| Dialling code: | 01872 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Truro and St Austell |
| European Parliament: | South West England |
| |
Truro (pronounced Template:IPA; Cornish: Truru) is Cornwall's only city and its administrative centre. It is most southerly city in the British Isles, situated just under 232 miles (374 kilometres) west south-west of London. It has a population of 17,431 [1].
The city is well-known for its cathedral, begun in 1879 and finished in 1910. It is also the location of the Royal Cornwall Museum, Cornwall's Courts of Justice and Cornwall County Council's New County Hall, a Grade II listed building. It is also the site of a BT broadband callcentre.
Contents |
History
The remains at Carvossa indicate that there has been settlement in the Truro since at least Iron Age times. There was also a Norman castle on one of the hills beside Truro, now the site of the recent award-winning Courts of Justice building (by Eldred Evans and David Shalev, who also designed the Tate St Ives building).
Truro rose to prominence as a market town and port during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. However with the decline of the fishing and tin mining industries, Truro's role has shifted to being the cultural and commercial capital of Cornwall. Truro's present buildings are mostly Georgian era or later, a result of its role as a stannary town during the height of the mining industry in West Cornwall.
Railways
The West Cornwall Railway opened a terminus at Higher Town on 25 August 1852, from where trains ran to Redruth and Penzance. The line was extended down to the river at Newham on 16 April 1855.
The Cornwall Railway brought their line from Plymouth to a new station above the town at Carvedras on 4 May 1859, crossing high above the streets on two viaducts: Truro (above the town centre) and Carvedras. The West Cornwall Railway now diverted most of its passenger trains to the new station, leaving Newham as a mainly goods station until it closed on 6 November 1971. The route from Higher Town to Newham is now a cycle path which takes a leisurely loop through the countryside on the south side of the city.
The Cornwall Railway extended its line to Falmouth on 24 August 1863.
Geography
Truro is located in the centre of Cornwall on the confluence of the rivers Kenwyn and Allen. The name Truro is thought to mean 'three rivers' in reference to the Kenwyn, the Allen and the now tiny Glasteinan. Truro has experienced problems with flooding in the past, in particular 1988 saw two '100 year' floods. These problems arose due to high rain fall swelling the rivers and a spring tide in the River Fal. More recently flood defenses have been constructed, including an emergency dam and a tidal barrier, to prevent future problems.
Truro is twinned with:
- Template:Country flagicon Boppard, Germany
- Template:Country flagicon Morlaix, Brittany, France.
Educational institutions in Truro include Truro School, a public school founded in 1880.
Famous people born or resident in Truro
16th century
- Giles Farnaby, a madrigalist of the Elizabethan age.
18th century
- Edward Boscawen, an admiral of the Royal Navy. The cobbled street at the centre of Truro and a local pub are named in his honour.
19th century
- Richard Lemon Lander, an explorer of West Africa. A local secondary school is named in his honour and a monument to his memory stands at the top of Lemon Street.
20th century
- Matthew Etherington, a professional football player playing for West Ham United, an East London club.
- Henry Louis Gibson, an expert in medical uses of infrared and pioneer of its use in detecting breast cancer.
- Nick Nieland, Commonwealth Games javelin gold medalist.
- Jemma Simpson 800m Athlete
- Barbara Joyce West Oldest remaining (out of 2) Titanic Surviver.
