Helston is my home town.
Helston (once called Helleston and Henliston) is a beautiful old market town that lies at the edge of the Lizard Peninsula. It is famous for its Furry Dance (more commonly called the Flora Dance) which takes place on or around the 8th May each year. It is steeped in history and in 2001, Helston celebrated its first charter, which King John granted 800 years ago on the 15th April 1201. This, although expensive, enabled them to be free from paying national taxes and meant that they could control their own trade. Many other charters followed this, helping Helston to become a prosperous town. The last of the 29 royal charters was granted in 1774 by King George III.
Helston was inhabited in the 6th Century by the Saxons. It has been recorded in the Domesday book as 'Henliston'. The name derives from 'henlis', which is the Cornish word for 'old court' and 'ton' meaning 'Saxon manor'. However, there are still a few stones around that date back to Roman times. The patron saint of both Helston and Cornwall is St. Michael.
Helston was one of the five Cornish coinage towns (which were required between the 12th and the 19th centuries) where tin was stored, and eventually assayed and stamped (if pure). One of the main streets in the town is called CoinageHall Street because of this. It was the first town in the county (maybe even in Britain) to be offered borough status.
At the bottom of the town, is a bowling green which is reputed to have been the sight of Helston's medieval castle (unfortunately there are no remains). It was formerly a Royal Castle, possibly the residence of the Earl of Cornwall. However, it was in ruins before the time of Edward IV.
Next to the bowling green is the Gryll's Monument which was erected in memory of Humphrey Millet Grylls (1789-1834) who was mayor for several years and who was popular due to his attemps to keep the Wheal Vor copper mine open.
Helston's Grammar School was famous in the 19th century when Derwent Coleridge (son of the poet) was headmaster and Charles Kingsley (author of 'The Water Babies') was a pupil. St. Michael's Church is a dominating feature of Helston's skyline and is situated near the old grammar school.
Helston also had two prisons - one at the bottom of the town and one nearer the top.
Helston once had a railway and has some public houses with a lot of history
Other nearby places of interest are Loe Pool, Porthleven and Gweek.
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