The market town of Helston, Cornwall

From the collection of

The Box
Established in 1992, the South West Film & Television Archive collection spans from 1893 to the present day containing more than 250,000 items. Formed from a variety of depositors, including broadcast news and programmes material from the Westward and TSW archive. In 2018 the archive collection transferred to The Box in Plymouth.

The market town of Helston, Cornwall (Westward Diary)


Heading to Helston? A look at the market town

Derived from Cornish for ‘hen lis' meaning ‘old court' and ‘ton' to mean a Saxon manor the Domesday Book refers to Henliston. Its royal charter dates back to 1201 and King John. This film for Westward TV's architecture programme shows the town. Helston is situated on the very tip of South West Cornwall, and is host to the locally known Flora Day or Furry Dance and the Hal-An-Tow celebrations.

The Poldark Mine is in the Wendron Mining district of Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site and a popular tourist attraction close to Helston.


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