Land's End
Land's End
| |
---|---|
Cliffs at Land's End, showing Dr Syntax Head and Longships Lighthouse | |
Location within Cornwall | |
OS grid reference | SW 34177 25339 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | PENZANCE |
Postcode district | TR19 |
Dialling code | 01736 |
Police | Devon and Cornwall |
Fire | Cornwall |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Land's End[1] (Cornish Standard Written Form: Penn an Wlas or Pedn an Wlas)[2] is a headland and tourist and holiday complex in western Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on the Penwith peninsula about eight miles (13 km) west-south-west of Penzance at the western end of the A30 road. To the east of it is the English Channel, and to the west the Celtic Sea.
Land's End is the
Geography
The actual Land's End, or Peal Point, is a modest headland compared with nearby headlands such as Pedn-men-dhu overlooking
The westernmost promontory at Land's End is known as Dr Syntax's Head. The character Dr Syntax was invented by the writer William Combe in his 1809 comic verse The Tour of Dr Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, which satirised the work of seekers of the "picturesque" such as William Gilpin.[6] A nearby promontory is called Dr Johnson's Head after Samuel Johnson, who referred to a hypothetical Cornish declaration of independence in his 1775 essay Taxation no Tyranny.[7][8]
The area around Land's End has been designated part of an
Land's End is a popular venue for rock climbers.[10]
The Longships, a group of rocky islets are just over 1 mile (1.6 km) offshore, and together with the Seven Stones Reef and the Isles of Scilly which lie about 28 miles (45 km) southwest – are part of the mythical lost land of Lyonesse, referred to in Arthurian literature.
Geology
The cliffs are made of
History
In 1769, the antiquarian William Borlase wrote:
Of this time we are to understand what Edward I. says (Sheringham. p. 129.) that Britain, Wales, and Cornwall, were the portion of
; and Cornwall from the river Ex to the Land's-End.
Tourists have been visiting Land's End for over three hundred years. In 1649, an early visitor was the poet
Land's End was owned by a Cornish family until 1982, when it was sold to David Goldstone. In 1987,
On 6 May 1985, four schoolchildren died in what is known as the Land's End disaster.[17]
In May 2012, Land's End received worldwide publicity as the starting point of the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay.[18]
End to end
Land's End is either the start or finishing point of end to end journeys with John o' Groats in Scotland. One of the earliest was by Carlisle who left Land's End on 23 September 1879, went to John O'Groats House and arrived back at Land's End on 15 December; taking 72 days (exclusive of Sundays); covering 3,899 miles (6,275 km). To prove his journey, he kept a log book which was stamped at any post office he passed.[19] An early end to end on bicycle was completed by Messrs Blackwell and Harman of Canonbury Bicycle Club. Starting at Land's End they covered 900 miles (1,400 km) in thirteen days in July/August 1880.[20] Nearly two years later the Hon I Keith-Falconer travelled 994 miles (1,600 km) from Land's End, in twelve days, 231⁄4 hours, on a bicycle.[21]
Greeb
On the south side of Carn Kez the land slopes away to a shallow valley containing a small stream and the former Greeb Farm. In 1879 a derrick was used for hauling seaweed from the beach 40 feet below for use as a soil improver.[22]
Portrayal in literature, music and film
- On the 1980 album Dave Stewartlasting 10.20 is featured.
Gallery
-
Cliffs at Land's End
-
The tourist centre at Land's End
-
The tourist centre at Land's End
-
The old refreshment house
-
The Longships Lighthouse off Land's End
-
Looking south from Land's End
-
Looking west from Land's End
-
Looking north from Land's End
-
Signpost at Land's End
See also
- Corrachadh Mòr, the most westerly point in Great Britain
- Cape Finisterre
- John o' Groats
- Land's End Airport
- Land's End to John o' Groats
- Lizard Point, southernmost point of mainland England
- Marshall Meadows Bay, northernmost point of England
- Ness Point, easternmost point of England
- Sennen, the nearest village
External links
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). 1911. .
- Land's_End at Curlie
References
- ^ "Cornwall Council adds apostrophe to Land's End". BBC News. 12 September 2018. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ An English-Cornish Glossary in the Standard Written Form Archived 5 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine (gives both Penn an Wlas and Pedn an Wlas)
- ISBN 978-0-319-23148-7
- ^ a b Neave-Hill, Charles (1975). Land's End My Heritage.
- ^ Wood, Royston. "Route Guide". Lands End to John O'Groats On-line Cycling Guide. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ^ "The tour of Doctor Syntax in search of the picturesque, a poem", Royal Academy Archived 7 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 November 2019
- ^ "Taxation no Tyranny". The Works of Samuel Johnson. Pafraets & Company, Troy, New York (1913) Archived 2 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 November 2019
- ^ "Walk – Land's End and Nanjizal", South West Coast Path National Trail Archived 8 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 November 2019
- ^ "Land's End". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Land's End". UKC. Archived from the original on 10 November 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0-900717-57-2.
- ^ "Hospitality of the Godolphins Two Centuries Ago". The Cornishman. No. 169. 6 October 1881. p. 7.
- ^ "Notes in West Cornwall". The Cornishman. No. 10. 19 September 1878. p. 6.
- ^ "1987: Millionaire's big plans for English landmark". BBC. 2008. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
Land's End in Cornwall has been sold for nearly £7m to the property tycoon, Peter de Savary.
- ^ "1987: Millionaire's big plans for English landmark". BBC. 2008. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
Peter de Savary sold both Land's End and John o' Groats in 1991 for an undisclosed sum to businessman Graham Ferguson Lacey.
- ^ Clegg, David (2005) Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly; second ed. Leicester: Matador; pp. 123–24
- ISBN 0754642356.
- ^ "Olympic torch: Flame arrives at Land's End". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ "Carlisle Finishes His Pedestrian Tour". The Cornishman. No. 75. 18 December 1879. p. 5.
- ^ "Penzance". The Cornishman. No. 108. 5 August 1880. p. 4.
- ^ "A Run (Sometimes A Struggle) On A Bicycle From Land's End To John O' Groats House". The Cornishman. Vol. 207, no. 197. 29 June 1882. p. 6.
- ^ "Terrible Fall Over Cliffs Near The Land's End And Instant Death". The Cornishman. No. 52. 10 July 1879. p. 5.