In the Middle Ages Truro (6mi/10km northwest of St Mawes; pop. 17,800) was one of the four Cornish 'Stannary' towns where smelted tin was weighed, stamped and taxed. When the separate diocese of Cornwall was created in 1876, it became both the episcopal see and administrative center for the county.
The town is dominated by the tall spire of J. L. Pearson's neo Gothic cathedral (1880-1910), around which stand a cluster of Georgian houses.
The abundant variety of shops is another notable attraction for visitors to Truro. There are specialty shops as well as a year-round indoor market.
Flourishing in the exceptionally mild climate of southern Cornwall, Trelissick Garden (4mi/7km south of Trurp), laid out between 1937 and 1955, is one of the loveliest subtropical gardens in England. The manor house dates from 1825.
The garden has a large variety of shrubs, rhododendron, hydrangeas and camellias as well as woodlands overlooking the Fal estuary.
Address: Trelissick Garden, Feock, North Truro TR3 6QL, England
Hours:
January 2 to January 31: 11am-4pm
February 1 to November 2: 10:30am-5:30pm
November 3 to December 23: 11am-4pm
December 27 to December 31: 11am-4pm; Closed: Thu, Fri
Tips: Last admission 30mins before closing.
Parking: Pay
Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
The Royal Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery has an excellent collection of minerals (including gold finds dating from the Iron Age) as well as pottery, porcelain and furniture, also paintings by John Opie (1761-1807), one of Cornwall's most distinguished portrait painters. Particularly noteworthy is Godfrey Kneller's portrait of the Cornish "giant" Anthony Paine, 7ft 4.25ins/2.24m in height and the tallest soldier in King Charles II's army. Another section is devoted to Cornish wrestling.
Address: Royal Cornwall Museum & Art Galleries, River Street, Truro TR1 2SJ, England
Hours:
January 1 to December 31: 10am-4:45pm; Closed: Sun
Always closed on: Spring Bank Holiday - Britain (last Monday, May ), Summer Bank Holiday - Britain outside Scotland (last Monday, August )
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
This annual two-week festival runs from late June to early July, offering daily events in the Truro Cathedral. Orchestral, chamber and organ concerts combine with dance and theatrical performances, as well as film screenings and exhibitions, to form a diverse festival. The repertoire is equally varied and includes both classical and contemporary works. Other venues often used for the festival include the Princess Pavilion, Falmouth City Hall and the Cornwall Royal Institute.
Address: Three Spires Festival Office, Three Spires Trust Bryher Norway Lane, Truro TR3 7NU, England
Read More
Read Less
Truro, Cornwall
