In the 18th century, the ancient market town of St Austell (9mi/15km west of Fowey; pop. 36,000), dominated by the imposing and very ornate tower of Holy Trinity Church (15th century), leapt suddenly into prominence in the national economy when the chemist William Cookworthy discovered china clay deposits there. The China Clay Country Park,
located north of St Austell, tells the story of the families who lived and worked in the area.
Mining continues today, providing the big Derby, Minton and Worcester potteries with a crucial raw material for their fine porcelain, although many other industrial processes use china clay as well. Every ton of kaolin extracted produces 9 tons of waste, and the white spoil heaps, ironically christened the "Cornish Alps", are a distinctive feature of the local landscape (there is a particularly good view from the hilltop parish church at St Dennis, about 6mi/10km northwest of St Austell).
The cliff scenery of the coast around St Austell Bay is exceptional.
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