Padstow

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Padstow Lannwedhenek

Coordinates: 50.5384° N 4.9378° W
Population	3,162 (Parish, 2001)
OS grid reference	SW918751
Parish	Padstow
District	North Cornwall
Shire county	Cornwall
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PADSTOW
Postcode district	PL28
Dial code	01841
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Cornwall
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	North Cornwall
European Parliament	South West England
List of places: UK • England • Cornwall

For the Sydney suburb, see Padstow, New South Wales.

Padstow (Cornish: Lannwedhenek) is a small town and civil parish on the north coast of Cornwall, England. It lies within the administrative district of North Cornwall. The UK Census 2001 reported a parish population of 3,162.^[1]

1 Geography
2 Transport
3 Economy
4 Culture
- 4.1 'Obby 'Oss festival
- 4.2 Mummers' or Darky Day
5 Notable residents
6 History
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Geography

Padstow is located approximately 14 miles north and east up the coast from Newquay, at the mouth of the River Camel.

[edit] Transport

Between 1899 and 1967 the Bodmin-Wadebridge railway extended to Padstow. The old railway line is now the Camel Trail,^[2] a footpath and cycle path which is popular owing to its picturesque route beside the River Camel. On the other side of the river, a ferry runs between Padstow and Rock. The South West Coast Path enables walkers to explore this spectacular section of coast, with Stepper Point and Trevose Head within an easy days walk. Another long-distance footpath known as the Saints' Way starts in Padstow and ends at Fowey on the other side of Cornwall.

During the mid-nineteenth century, ships carrying timber from Canada (particularly Quebec) would arrive at Padstow and offer cheap travel to passengers wishing to emigrate. Shipbuilders in the area would also benefit from the quality of their cargoes. Among the ships that sailed were the barques Clio, Belle^[3] and Voluna; and the brig Dalusia.^[4]

Padstow harbour and quayside

[edit] Economy

Traditionally a fishing port, Padstow is now a popular tourist destination; although some of its former fishing fleet remains, it is mainly a yachting haven on a dramatic coastline with few easily navigable harbours. An old sailor's maxim runs, "From Padstow Point to Lundy Light is a watery grave, by day or night"^[5] with Padstow and Lundy occasionally being changed to Pentire and Hartland respectively. This reputation is in part due to the rocky coastline but also to the alleged tradition of "wreckers" – wreckers being locals who would use lanterns to lure ships into coming too close to the shore and wrecking themselves on the rocks, before stealing their cargo. There is no evidence, however, to support such allegations. Padstow itself is a safe harbour, but the approach is notorious for shipwrecks due to the dangerous sandbar called "Doom Bar" in the river Camel estuary.

[edit] Culture

[edit] 'Obby 'Oss festival

Main article: 'Obby 'Oss festival

The 'Old Oss' capturing a passing maiden during the Mayday festival.

Padstow is best known for its "'Obby 'Oss" festival. Although its origins are unclear, it most likely stems from an ancient fertility rite, perhaps the Celtic festival of Beltane. The festival starts at midnight on May Eve when townspeople sing the "Morning Song". In the morning, the town is dressed with greenery and flowers are placed around a maypole. The climax arrives when male dancers cavort through the town dressed as one of two 'Obby 'Osses, the "Old" and the "Blue Ribbon" 'Obby 'Osses; as the name suggests, they are stylised kinds of horses. Prodded on by acolytes known as "Teasers", each wears a gruesome mask and black frame-hung cape under which they try to catch young maidens as they pass through the town. Finally, at midnight on May Day, the crowd sings of the 'Obby 'Oss death, until its resurrection the following May Eve.

The 'Old Oss' party attending the Oss with dozens of accordions and drums.

[edit] Mummers' or Darky Day

On Boxing Day and New Year's Day, it was a tradition for some residents to don blackface and parade through the town singing 'minstrel' songs. The origin of this custom, once called "Darky Day" is unknown, although it has been speculated that it is associated with freedoms given to the occupants of passing slave ships on those days. Folklorists associate the practice with the widespread British custom of blacking up for mumming and morris dancing, and suggest there is no record of slave ships coming to Padstow. Once an unknown local charity event, the day has recently become controversial, perhaps since a description was published.^[6] Also some now suggest it is racist for white people to "black up" for any reason.^[7] Although "outsiders" have linked the day with racism, Padstonians insist that this is not the case and are incredulous at both description and allegations. Long before the controversy Charlie Bate, noted Padstow folk advocate, recounted that in the 1970s the content and conduct of the day were carefully reviewed to avoid potential offence.^[8] The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have taken video evidence twice and concluded there were no grounds for prosecution.^[9] Nonetheless protests resurface annually. The day has now been renamed mummer's day in an attempt to avoid offence and identify it more clearly with established British tradition.^[10] The debate has now been subject to academic scrutiny.^[11]

[edit] Notable residents

Rick Stein. Restaurateur and celebrity chef
Enys Tregarthen. Author and folklorist

[edit] History

Padstow was originally named Petroc-stow, after the Welsh missionary St. Petroc, who landed at nearby Trebetherick around AD 500.

Padstow isn't usually thought of as a "Viking town", but it was near Padstow that in 722 AD the Britons of Cornwall united with the Vikings of Denmark to destroy an invading Anglo-Saxon army led by Ine of Wessex at "Hehil". The Saxons army was slaughtered, and this decisive battle gave Cornwall 100 years of freedom from attacks by Wessex.