Page 168 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

166  ENGLAND ’ S SOUTH C O AST REGION B Y REGION

(1778–1829). Davy invented
the miner’s safety lamp, which
detected lethal gases in mines.
Chapel Street is lined with
curious buildings, none more
striking than the flamboyant
Egyptian House (1835), with its
richly painted façade and lotus
bud decoration. Just as curious
is Admiral Benbow Inn (1696)
on the same street, which has
a pirate perched on the roof
looking out to sea. The Penlee
Fishing and sailing boats at the port of Penzance House Gallery and Museum
has works by the Newlyn
i Penzance Gardens. The town offers fine School of artists.
views of St Michael’s Mount and
Cornwall. Map A6. * 38,000. £ @
g n Station Approach; 01736 Marazion Beach, a great sweep E Penlee House Gallery
335530. ∑ lovepenzance.co.uk of golden sands across the bay. and Museum
The main road through the Morrab Rd. Tel 01736 363625. Open
Penzance is a bustling town and town is Market Jew Street, at the Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Sat; Nov–
port with a climate so mild that top of which stands the domed Mar: 10am–4:30pm Mon–Sat. Closed
palm trees and subtropical plants Market House (1837), fronted by 1 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. & 7 - =
grow happily in the lush Morrab a statue of Sir Humphrey Davy ∑ penleehouse.org.uk
o St Michael’s Mount

A craggy island that emerges dramatically from the
waters of Mounts Bay, the mount was an important
centre for the Cornish tin trade during the Iron Age and
was later known to the Romans as the island of Ictis. It
is dedi cated to the archangel St Michael who, it is said,
appeared here in 495. When the Normans conquered
England in 1066, they were struck by the island’s
resemblance to Mont-St-Michel and invited Benedictine Rocky Slopes
These slopes were planted with subtropical
monks to build an abbey here. The abbey was absorbed trees and shrubs by the St Aubyn family.
into a fortress during the Dissolution, when Henry VIII
set up coastal defences. In 1659, St Michael’s Mount was
bought by Colonel John St Aubyn, whose descendants
turned the fortress into a magnificent house.
Access to the island is by boat
from Marazion or on foot by a
cobbled causeway at low tide.
Harbourside village

Plan of
the Castle Priory Choir Blue Drawing
Church Room
Exit
North Hall
Entrance Terrace
Map Room
Sir John’s Room
Long
Anteroom South Passage
Terrace
Library Staircase to
Armoury and Exit Chevy Chase Room Smoking Room

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp178–9 and pp190–91

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