Brief History Of Cornwall & Devon
The first remains of a basic society in Cornwall dates back to 4500 BC – primative stone tools have been found from this era indicating the existence of a settlement (in a town called Redruth).
Cornwall saw an “invasion” from the Celts during 1000 BC – the Celts were warriors from Europe and were largely the ancestors of current day Cornish folk.
Devon is believed by many historians to be one of the very first places in England to have settlers. Indeed, Dartmoor (a National Park in the centre of Devon) still offers a lot of prehistoric sites of interest. Further it’s from Plymouth that the Pilgrim Fathers first set sail to the Americas – and also where Sir Francis Drake went off to battle the Spanish Armada.
Dartmoor also is home to some of the oldest structures in England – primitive buildings & remains include stone circles, burial mounds and ancient settlements.
While the Roman invasion of Britain left Cornwall largely untouched the same cannot be said of Devon. The Romans took over much of current day Devon – including a port at Topsham and a legion at Exeter.
The Romans were no longer controlling Devon by around 400 and by 800 it had fallen under the rule of Wessex (King Egbert).
During the 14th & 15th century, Devon was under serious threat from the French who raided the Devon coastline.
Food & Drink In Cornwall – Great Pubs, Good Food And Drink!
It’s true that the Cornish enjoy their food – so much so that Cornwall & Devon are known almost as much for their culinary offerings as their stunning scenery and coasts.
The famous Cornish Pasty is just one of the local edible treats available in this charming English county. The Cornish pasty is a tasty puff pastry that’s stuffed with beef steak (or mince), onions, potatoes and seasoned with pepper. It must be tried (assuming you’re not a vegetarian) at least once during your visit to Cornwall.
Famous starters include Kiddly Broth, a soup made with onions, bacon and hard bread as well as nettle soup (yes, it’s made from real nettles).
Fish & Chips is a famous English dish – however, the Cornish use beer to make theirs and it certainly makes for an interesting variation of standard fish and chips.
Star Gazy Pie is a pastry made with pilchards (herring or mackerel can also be used), boiled eggs, bacon, onions and white wine.
Fancy something sweet? Cornish sweets include Cornish Cherry Choclets (a mix of chocolate, syrup, cherries and butter), Cornish Splits (made from sugar, milk, flour and lard) and Figgy ‘obbin (a baked treat consisting of raisins, milk, sugar and flour).
As you’d probably expect by now the Cornish also have their own signature drinks. These include Aunt Ellys Nog (a mix of eggs, cream, vanilla, sugar and milk), Cornish Mine Punch (rum, brandy, lemons and sugar) and Cornish Spiced Mead.
Other foods that Cornwall is known for are the rich Cornish fudge and ice cream and Cornish Hevva Cake.
Weather In Devon & Cornwall – When To Go
While Cornwall and Devon enjoys some of the mildest weather anywhere in the UK, summer-time still remains the peak time to visit.
Cornwall experiences the mildest winters in Great Britain – rarely does it snow in winter and summer days tend to be wonderfully warm and sunny.
In Cornwall, May is a very good time to visit, and all months up to July enjoy around seven hours of sunshine a day.
The Obby Oss Summer Ceremony In Cornwall
If you happen to visit Cornwall during May Day then a visit to Padstow is highly recommended to witness the all but mad event of Obby Oss. This strange ceremony is performed every year in order to “welcome summer” (something that perhaps the rest of Britain should consider).
During this colourful and noisy procession, two large masks representing horses are paraded through the town accompanied by musicians playing the “Obby Oss May Song”.
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