Newquay
Encyclopedia
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
and fishing port in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
and 12 miles (19 km) north of Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
.
The town is bounded to the west by the River Gannel
River Gannel
The River Gannel rises in the village of Indian Queens in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. It flows north and becomes a tidal estuary that divides the town of Newquay from the village of Crantock and joins the Celtic Sea...
and its associated salt marsh, and to the east by the Porth Valley. Newquay has been expanding inland (south) since it was founded.
In 2001, the census recorded a permanent population of 19,562.
Prehistoric period
There are some pre-historic burial mounds and an embankment on the area now known as The Barrowfields, 400 m (1,312.3 ft) from Trevelgue. There were once up to fifteen barrows, but now only a few remain. Excavations here have revealed charred cooking pots and a coarse pottery burial urn containing remains of a Bronze Age chieftain, who was buried here up to 3,500 years ago.In 1987, evidence of a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
village was found at Trethellan Farm, a site that overlooks the River Gannel.
The first signs of settlement in the Newquay area consist of a late Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort/industrial centre which exploited the nearby abundant resources (including deposits of iron) and the superior natural defences provided by Trevelgue Head. It is claimed that occupation of the site was continuous from the 3rd century BC to the 5th or 6th century AD (a Dark Ages house was later built on the head).
Medieval period
The curve of the headland around what is now Newquay Harbour provided natural protection from bad weather and a small fishingFishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
village grew up in the area. When the village was first occupied is unknown but it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
although a local house (now a bar known as "Treninnick Tavern") is included. By the 15th century, the village was called "Towan Blystra"—-"Towan" means sand hill/dune in Cornish, "Blystra" meaning blown-—but the anchorage was exposed to winds from the north east and in 1439 the local burgesses
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
applied to Edmund Lacey
Edmund Lacey
Edmund Lacey was a medieval Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of Exeter in England.Lacey was educated at University College, Oxford, where he was a mature commoner, then Fellow, and subsequently Master of the College from 1398 until c.1401. The College prospered and developed under him, as well as...
, Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
for leave and funds to build a "New quay" from which the town derives its current name.
Modern period
The first national British census of 1801 recorded around 1,300 inhabitants in the settlement (enumerated as a village under St Columb MinorSt Columb Minor
St Columb Minor is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, UK. St. Columb alone by default refers to the nearby St. Columb Major.At one time St Columb Minor used to be the main settlement in the area, but it has now been encroached upon by its larger neighbour Newquay. The National School in the...
parish). The construction of the current harbour started in 1832. Newquay parish was created in 1882.
A mansion called the Tower was built for the Molesworth family in 1835: it included a castellated tower and a private chapel as they were devout Roman Catholics. The Tower later became the golf club house. After the arrival of passenger trains in 1876, the former fishing village started to grow. Several major hotels were built around the turn of the 19th century, including the Victoria in East Street, the Atlantic and the Headland
Headland Hotel
The Headland Hotel is located in Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is near Towan Head and overlooks Fistral Beach.-History:In 1911, Edward, Prince of Wales, and his brother Prince Albert recuperated at the hotel after catching measles and mumps while studying at Royal Naval College,...
. The three churches were also built soon after 1901.
Growth of the town eastwards soon reached the area around the railway station
Newquay railway station
Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
: Station Road became Cliff Road around 1930, and the houses beyond, along Narrowcliff, were also converted into hotels. Narrowcliff was first known as Narrowcliff Promenade, and then Narrowcliff Road. On some pre-war maps it is spelt Narrowcliffe.
At the time of the First World War the last house at the edge of the town was a little further along present-day Narrowcliff, and in more recent times this building became the Garth Hotel. Post-war development saw new houses and streets built in the Chester Road area, accompanied by ribbon development along the country lane which led to St Columb Minor, some 2 miles (3 km) away. This thoroughfare was modernised and named Henver Road, also some time in the 1930s. Development continued in this direction until the Second World War, by which time much of Henver Road had houses on both sides, with considerably infilling also taking place between there and the sea.
It was not until the early 1950s that the last houses were built along Henver Road itself: after that, there was a virtually continuous building line on both sides of the main road from the other side of St Columb Minor right into the town centre. The Doublestiles estate to the north of Henver Road was also built in the early 1950s, as the name of Coronation Way indicates, and further development continued beyond, becoming the Lewarne Estate and extending the built up area to the edges of Porth.
Other areas also developed in the period between the wars were Pentire (known for a time as West Newquay) and the Trenance Valley. Other streets dating from the 1920s included St Thomas Road, which provided the approach to the town's new cottage hospital at its far end, to be followed by others in the same area near the station, such as Pargolla Road.
Up to the early 20th century, the small fishing port was famous for pilchards and there is a "Huer's Hut" above the harbour from which a lookout would cry "Hevva!" to call out the fishing fleet when pilchard shoals were spotted. The town's present insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
is two pilchards. The real pilchards now only survive in limited stocks, but a small number of boats still catch the local edible crab
Edible crab
Cancer pagurus, commonly known as the edible crab or brown crab, is a species of crab found in the North Sea, North Atlantic Ocean and perhaps in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a robust crab of a reddish-brown colour, having an oval carapace with a characteristic "pie crust" edge and black tips to...
s and lobsters
European lobster
Homarus gammarus, known as the European lobster or common lobster, is a species of clawed lobster from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and parts of the Black Sea. It is closely related to the American lobster, H. americanus. It may grow to a length of and a mass of , and bears a...
.
More recent development has been on a larger scale: until the late 1960s a passenger arriving by train would not have seen a building by the line (with the exception of Trencreek village) until the Trenance Viaduct was reached. Today, the urban area starts a good 1.5 miles (2 km) inland from the viaduct. Other growth areas have been on the fringes of St Columb Minor and also towards the Gannel. More development beyond Treninnick, south of the Trenance Valley. has taken the urban area out as far as Lane, where more building is proposed. The Trennnick/Treloggan development, mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, included not merely housing but also an industrial estate and several large commercial outlets, including a major supermarket and a cash and carry warehouse.
New plans include further substantial development inland, which if allowed would extend the urban area towards Chapel. Places like Trencreek, Porth and St Columb Minor have long since become suburbs of Newquay: it is possible that by the 2030s, should present development trends continue, the edges of the town could be approaching and perhaps encompass Quintrell Downs
Quintrell Downs
Quintrell Downs is a village in Cornwall, UK, close to Newquay, at the junction of the A392 and A3058 roads. It is named after the surrounding area of moorland.The village is served by Quintrell Downs railway station....
, 3 miles (5 km) from the town centre. The development plan for Newquay Cornwall International Airport includes substantial additions around the airport, including a proposed business park as well as industry related to aviation.
Town trail
Newquay Discovery Trail is made up of 14 Cornish slate discs, each 39 inch (0.9906 m) in diameter, sunk into the ground at strategic points around the town. Each of the discs features a series of 'conundrum' words carved by sculptor Peter Martin. People following the trail can pick up a free guide and learn about the town's past. The trail starts in the centre of town at the Killacourt.Churches
Newquay St. Michael's, a large Anglican church in the Cornish style designed by Sir Ninian ComperNinian Comper
Sir John Ninian Comper was a Scottish-born architect. He was one of the last of the great Gothic Revival architects, noted for his churches and their furnishings...
, was built in 1911. There is a fine rood screen; the churchmanship is High. The church was destroyed by an arson attack on 29 June 1993, but has since been reopened (rededicated in 1996). Most of Newquay was in earlier times part of the parish of St Columb Minor
St Columb Minor
St Columb Minor is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, UK. St. Columb alone by default refers to the nearby St. Columb Major.At one time St Columb Minor used to be the main settlement in the area, but it has now been encroached upon by its larger neighbour Newquay. The National School in the...
. A chapel of ease already existed before 1911 but the growth in population meant that it was no longer adequate. Arthur Mee in his Cornwall (King's England) describes the perpetual light maintained in the church as a memorial to the men of Newquay who died in the First World War. The stained glass windows and rood screen are also described: the main themes are St Michael, the three other archangels, and Jesus Christ and Mary the Blessed Virgin.
The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity is earlier, having been built in 1903: until 1985 it was dependent on monks from Bodmin but then became part of the Diocese of Plymouth
Diocese of Plymouth
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The episcopal see is Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, located in Plymouth, Devon. The diocese covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, stretching from Penzance and the Isles of Scilly in...
. There have also been Wesleyan and Bible Christian chapels in the town, the Wesleyan being a fine (picturesque) building of 1904.
Climate
As with the rest of the British IslesBritish Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and South West England, Newquay experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest Met Office weather station is St. Mawgan/Newquay Airport, about 3.5 miles to the north east of the town centre. Temperature extremes in the area since 1960 vary from 31.3 °C (88.3 °F) in June 1976 and August 1995 down to -9.0 C during January 1987.
Tourism
Newquay has been a major tourist destinationSeaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
for more than a century, principally on account of its coastline and nine long and accessible sandy beaches, including Fistral. Around 22,000 people live in Newquay, but the population can increase to 100,000 or more in the summer because Newquay has a large stock of holiday accommodation.
Established in sections throughout the 20th century, Trenance Leisure Gardens are sited in a wooded, formerly marshy valley on the quieter edge of Newquay, stretching down to the Gannel Estuary. From the Edwardian era it provided recreation for tourists with walks, tennis courts and a bowling green, all still popular today. In the gardens, which are spanned by the arches of the stone railway viaduct, visitors have long been able to enjoy a stroll through the beautiful Trenance Gardens with their mature trees and heritage cottages, leading to the boating lake. This was dug during the depression of the 1930s as a work creation scheme. In the late 1960s, further enterprises were established by the council, including mini-golf, a swimming pool, the "Little Western" miniature railway and Newquay Zoo
Newquay Zoo
Newquay Zoo is a zoological garden located in Newquay, England. The zoo was opened in Cornwall on Whit Monday May 26, 1969 by the local council , it was privately owned by Mike Thomas and Roger Martin from 1993 until 2003...
, which opened in 1969.
Newquay is also known for the "Run to the Sun" event, which always takes place during the public holiday on the last weekend in May at Trevelgue Holiday Park. People visit the town in Volkswagen camper vans
Volkswagen Type 2
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...
, Beetles and other custom cars.
The 1013 kilometres (629.5 mi) South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
runs through the town.
Surfing
The resort widely regarded as the surf capital of the UK. Newquay is a centre for the surf industry in Britain, with many surf stores, board manufacturers and hire shops in the town.
At the centre of Newquay's surfing status is Fistral Beach
Fistral Beach
Fistral Beach is in Fistral Bay on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated half-a-mile west of Newquay at ....
which has a reputation as one of the best beach breaks in Cornwall. Fistral is capable of producing powerful, hollow waves and holding a good sized swell.
Fistral Beach has been host to international surfing competitions for around 20 years now, most recently the Rip Curl Boardmasters Tounament which now has a new sponsor and is called the Relentless Boardmasters Festival
Boardmasters Festival
The Boardmasters Festival is an annual event held in Newquay. The event is a combination of live music and a surf & skate contest.The majority of the music performances take place to the north of Newquay near Watergate Bay...
. After three years at the Boardmasters Tournament Relentless took the title sponsorship in 2009 and again in 2010. The tournament takes place at Fistral beach, with the music festival taking place at Watergate Bay.
Newquay is also home to the reef known as the Cribbar
Cribbar
The Cribbar , also known as the Widow Maker, is a reef off the Towan Headland in Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom.The Cribbar is best known for creating annual big waves, popular with experienced big wave surfers from across the world. Wave faces can be in excess of 30-40ft. The Zorba is a reef 2...
. Breaking at up to 20 feet (6 m), the Cribbar was until recently rarely surfed as it requires no wind and huge swell to break. It was first surfed in 1967 by Jack Lydgate, Bob Head and Rod Sumpter. The recent explosion in interest in surfing large waves has seen it surfed more frequently by South African born Chris Bertish who during a succession of huge clean swells in 2004 surfed the biggest wave ever seen there.
Towan, Great Western and Tolcarne beaches nearer the town and nearby Crantock
Crantock
Crantock is a coastal civil parish and a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is approximately two miles southwest of Newquay....
and Watergate Bay
Watergate Bay
Watergate Bay is a bay located two miles north of Newquay on the B3276 Newquay to Padstow road near the village of Tregurrian in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It faces the Atlantic Ocean....
also provide high quality breaks. Towan Beach is the location for the proposed Newquay Surfing Reef, a controversial project which has caused a fierce local debate
The surf gear brand Fat Willy's
Fat Willy's Surf Shack
Fat Willy's is a long running Surf gear business established in Newquay, Cornwall with various shops across the United Kingdom. It become something of a cult icon during the late 1980s to early 1990s....
was founded in Newquay .
Night life
Newquay has lively nightlife. There is a wide selection from chillout bars and traditional pubs, to beachside cafes nightclubs and organised bar crawlsPub crawl
A pub crawl is the act of one or more people drinking in multiple pubs or bars in a single night, normally walking or busing to each one between drinking.-Origin of the term:...
. Many venues offer live music featuring local and international acts. Newquay's nightclubs often play host to BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and other well known DJs. In recent years Newquay has become popular Stag
Bachelor party
A bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...
and Hen parties
Hen party
A bachelorette party, hen party, hen night or hen do, is a party held for a woman who is about to be married. The terms hen party or hen night are common in the United Kingdom and Ireland, while the terms hens party or hens night are common in Australia and New Zealand, and the term bachelorette...
and teenagers come to Newquay to celebrate following exam results.
Hospital and emergency services
Devon and Cornwall ConstabularyDevon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
maintains a substantial police station in Tolcarne Road, and the Major Crime Investigation Team for Cornwall works from there. The modern day-staffed fire station in Tregunnel Hill is run by Cornwall County Fire Brigade
Cornwall County Fire Brigade
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering Cornwall in the United Kingdom.The brigade employs 428 retained firefighters, 201 full-time firefighters, plus over 120 support and administrative staff...
, and is the home of one of the two aerial ladder platforms based in Cornwall. Ambulance cover is provided by the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust from an Ambulance Station in St Thomas Road. Newquay Hospital is also at the end of St Thomas Road, and is a local hospital catering for both in- and outpatients. The nearest general hospital is in Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
. Proposals in recent years for the Newquay Growth Area, east of the present town, have included a new and larger hospital.
Newquay also has a 14 personnel coastguard rescue team based at Treloggan Industrial Park.
Rail
Newquay railway stationNewquay railway station
Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line
Atlantic Coast Line, Cornwall
The Atlantic Coast Line is a community railway line in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The line runs from the English Channel at Par, to the Atlantic Ocean at Newquay.-Route:The Atlantic Coast Line starts from Par station, in the village and port of Par...
from Par
Par, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
. The railway was originally built as a mineral line in the 1840s to provide a link with the harbour. A passenger service followed on 20 June 1876, and from then on the town developed quickly as a resort. The station is close to the beaches on the east side of the town centre.
Newquay handles intercity trains throughout the summer, which include a daily service to and from London in July and August and also further through trains to London, the Midlands and North on Saturdays and Sundays between May and September. It is the only branch line terminus in Britain still handling scheduled intercity trains.
Two of the three former platforms were taken out of use in 1987, but Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
had planned to restore one of the disused platforms to improve capacity. However, the latest draft Route Utilisation Study for the Great Western routes, published in September 2009, makes no mention of this. Instead it favours a restored crossing place (a short section of double track where trains can pass) at St Columb Road. This will depend on the progress with developing a proposed eco-town in the China clay area, much of which lies near the line.
An active local user group is campaigning for the line to be upgraded, not merely with at least one additional platform to be provided at Newquay, but also for passenger trains to run from St Dennis Junction (near St Columb Road) to Burngullow, on the Cornish Main Line west of St Austell
St Austell
St Austell is a civil parish and a major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the south coast approximately ten miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon at Saltash...
. This would require the restoration of several miles of track, and also the improvement of a China clay line which still operates between Parkandillack and Burngullow. This route was proposed in 1987 as a possible replacement for the line to Par, much of which could then have been closed. However, although the British Railways Board obtained the necessary legal powers, the plan was not carried out.
History
The goods line which developed into the Newquay and Cornwall Junction Railway was opened in 1846 from inland clay mines to the harbour, worked by horses. Parts of the old line from the present station to the harbour are still in existence: the most obvious section is a broad footpath from opposite the station in Cliff Road to East Street, known locally as the "tram track", and complete with a very railway-style overbridge. From East Street, the line continued towards the harbour along the present-day Manor Road.The last trains ran through to Newquay Harbour in about 1924, but general goods traffic continued to reach Newquay railway station until 1964. The goods yard then closed as part of much wider changes on British Railways. However, the passenger station and its approaches were enlarged more than once, with additional carriage sidings being built at Newquay in the 1930s. The originally wooden viaduct just outside the station, which crosses the Trenance Valley, was rebuilt in 1874 to allow locomotives to run over the structure and then again after World War II to carry double track, which extended until 1964 for approximately 1 mile to Tolcarn Junction. The line is now single throughout again, but the width of the viaduct is still obvious.
Tolcarn Junction itself was the point where a second passenger route diverged from the Par line between 1906 and 1963. This branch ran to Chacewater
Chacewater
Chacewater is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately three miles east of Redruth.-Village:...
, west of Truro, via Perranporth
Perranporth
Perranporth is a small seaside resort on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is southwest of Newquay and northwest of Truro. Perranporth and its long beach face the Atlantic Ocean....
and St Agnes
St Agnes, Cornwall
St Agnes is a civil parish and a large village on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately five miles north of Redruth and ten miles southwest of Newquay....
, and provided through trains to Truro and Falmouth
Falmouth
-Canada:*Falmouth, Nova Scotia, a community in Hants County*Upper Falmouth, Nova Scotia-United States:*Falmouth, Florida*Falmouth, Indiana*Falmouth, Kentucky*Falmouth, Maine*Falmouth, Massachusetts...
.
The surviving branch line from Par
Par railway station
Par Station is a railway station serving the village and port of Par, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom. It is the junction for the Atlantic Coast Line to Newquay. The station is operated by First Great Western, and served by trains operated by both First Great Western and...
, which includes other viaducts—mainly in the Luxulyan Valley—and also numerous level crossings, still brings many visitors each year from the junction at Par (on the Cornish Main Line) to Newquay. From the 1890s until 1947 the branch was owned by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, then becoming part of British Railways Western Region until the late 1980s, when it was transferred to the Provincial sector of BR. This sector was renamed Regional Railways at the start of the 1990s.
After BR passenger services were franchised in 1996 and 1997, the line was operated by Wales and West (originally South Wales and West) from October 1996. W & W was a franchise owned by Prism Rail, but Prism did not stay the course: it was taken over by National Express in early 2001 and the W & W franchise was then divided, its South West of England area becoming Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
. This situation lasted until April 2006, when the Wessex franchise was absorbed by the new Greater Western contract, which is owned by FirstGroup and branded First Great Western. Thus, the wheel has largely come full circle since 1948: Newquay is now a Great Western station once again.
Air
Newquay Cornwall Airport provides links to many other parts of the United Kingdom. It is an HM Customs port, because it also handles increasing numbers of foreign flights, both scheduled and chartered. Newquay (NQY) is the principal airport for Cornwall, although there are several minor airfields elsewhere in the county and a Heliport at PenzancePenzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
for Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
traffic.
Until 2008, Newquay Civil Airport (as it was formerly known) used the runway and other facilities of RAF St Mawgan, but in December 2008 the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
handed over most of the site to the recently formed Cornwall Airport Limited. The first stage of the conversion into a fully commercial airport is now complete, although further substantial development is planned.
The handover, which was due to take place at the end of 2008, was delayed for almost three weeks because of problems in obtaining the essential Civil Aviation Authority licence, which was withheld until further work had been carried out. Altogether, Newquay Cornwall Airport now offers more than twenty routes.
Bus
National ExpressNational Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
runs coaches from various parts of Great Britain to Newquay. Newquay has a good local bus network: the principal operator is Western Greyhound, but some services are provided by FirstGroup and Summercourt Travel. The bus station is in Manor Road, which runs parallel to the main shopping area of Bank Street.
Education
Newquay has one higher education campus, Cornwall CollegeCornwall College
Cornwall College is a further education college situated on various sites throughout Cornwall with its main centre in St Austell. The college is a member of the 157 Group of high performing schools...
Newquay, which is a member of the Combined Universities in Cornwall Partnership. It offers foundation degree courses in Zoological Conservation, Marine Aquaculture, Animal Science and Wildlife Education and Media. Appropriately, the campus is close to Newquay Zoo
Newquay Zoo
Newquay Zoo is a zoological garden located in Newquay, England. The zoo was opened in Cornwall on Whit Monday May 26, 1969 by the local council , it was privately owned by Mike Thomas and Roger Martin from 1993 until 2003...
in the Trenance Valley. There are also two secondary schools: Newquay Tretherras School
Newquay Tretherras School
Newquay Tretherras School is a state school in Newquay, Cornwall. It is located in the north-east part of the town beside the A3058 road at .Tretherras is a mixed comprehensive school for pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. It is a Designated Technology College and the current headteacher is Mrs...
is a state-funded specialist Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
and Treviglas College
Treviglas College
Treviglas College is a secondary school in Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a sixth form for boys and girls. The age range of the pupils is 11-18....
is a specialist Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
.
World War II
Among many schools evacuated to Cornwall (notably BenendenBenenden
Benenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the Weald six miles to the west of Tenterden...
Girls' School), 240 boys and 20 masters of Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
were evacuated to the town from Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, during the Second World War, between June 1940 and March 1944.
Notable people associated with Newquay
- William GoldingWilliam GoldingSir William Gerald Golding was a British novelist, poet, playwright and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate, best known for his novel Lord of the Flies...
author of Lord of the FliesLord of the FliesLord of the Flies is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding about a group of British boys stuck on a deserted island who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results...
, was born in Newquay - Singer-songwriter Ruarri JosephRuarri JosephRuarri Joseph is a singer-songwriter based in Newquay, Cornwall. He was signed to Atlantic Records, and released his debut album, Tales of Grime and Grit, in mid 2007 on that label. Joseph is currently continuing his musical career on his own label, Pip Productions, after deciding to leave...
lives in the Newquay area - Former Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
footballer Chris MorrisChris Morris (footballer)Christopher "Chris" B. Morris is a former professional footballer who made his name as a defender with Celtic in Scotland and Sheffield Wednesday & Middlesbrough in England, among others...
was born in Newquay - Singer-songwriter James MorrisonJames Morrison (singer)James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
grew up in the Newquay area: he attended Treviglas CollegeTreviglas CollegeTreviglas College is a secondary school in Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a sixth form for boys and girls. The age range of the pupils is 11-18.... - Phillip SchofieldPhillip SchofieldPhillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
attended Newquay Tretherras SchoolNewquay Tretherras SchoolNewquay Tretherras School is a state school in Newquay, Cornwall. It is located in the north-east part of the town beside the A3058 road at .Tretherras is a mixed comprehensive school for pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. It is a Designated Technology College and the current headteacher is Mrs... - John Coulson TregarthenJohn Coulson TregarthenJohn Coulson Tregarthen was a British field naturalist and author, described as "the best loved Cornishman of his time"....
, naturalist and novelist - Sir David WillcocksSir David WillcocksSir David Valentine Willcocks CBE MC is a British choral conductor, organist, and composer. His son, Jonathan Willcocks, is also a composer.- Biography :...
the choral conductor, organist, and composer was born here in 1919 - British painter Nicholas Charles WilliamsNicholas Charles WilliamsNicholas Charles Williams Nicholas Charles Williams Nicholas Charles Williams (born Nicholas Charles Williams (born Nicholas Charles Williams (born [[1961], [[England|English]] painter and draughtsman....
is based in Newquay
Newquay in films
- The Headland HotelHeadland HotelThe Headland Hotel is located in Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is near Towan Head and overlooks Fistral Beach.-History:In 1911, Edward, Prince of Wales, and his brother Prince Albert recuperated at the hotel after catching measles and mumps while studying at Royal Naval College,...
next to Fistral BeachFistral BeachFistral Beach is in Fistral Bay on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated half-a-mile west of Newquay at ....
has been used in several films, including Wild ThingsWild ThingsWild Things is a 1998 erotic thriller film starring Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell and Bill Murray. It was directed by John McNaughton. In some countries the film was released as Sex Crimes...
(1998) and The Witches (1990). - The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
filmed part of the Magical Mystery TourMagical Mystery Tour (film)Magical Mystery Tour is an hour-long British television film starring The Beatles that originally aired on BBC1 on 26 December 1967...
film in Newquay. Scenes were filmed at the Atlantic Hotel and Towan Beach.