Par, Cornwall
Encyclopedia
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 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of St Austell
. Par has a population
of around 1,400..
Par Harbour and the beach
at Par Sands are south of the town with another small beach is at Spit Point west of the harbour. Between these two beaches the South West Coast Path
takes an inland diversion through the town.
Par lies in a triangle of streets which form a one-way traffic system. There are a variety of shops, a post office
, a pub
and other businesses.
The village started as a small group of houses below a cliff overlooking the mouth of the small River Par
that was crossed by a ferry
. Joseph Austen (later Joseph Treffry
) purchased the ferry and replaced it with a bridge in 1824. He then started construction of a harbour in 1829 near the mouth of the river; it was completed in 1840.
The harbour development saw the expansion of the village which split away from the parish of St Blaise
to the north in the mid 19th century. The arrival of the railway from Plymouth
in 1859 encouraged further expansion north-eastwards towards Tywardreath
. The boundaries between the three settlements are now somewhat indistinct.
A 450 feet (137.2 m) breakwater encloses 35 acres (14.2 ha) of water which is tidal with only 16 feet (4.9 m) depth of water and, unlike nearby Fowey
, cannot accommodate large ocean-going ships.
In 1858 15,154 tons of china clay
were shipped out of Par. By 1885 86,325 tons were being handled at Par, but Fowey now had a railway line and handled 114,403. In 1987 the port handled 700,000 tons, by 2002 the port had 284 vessels per year which were loaded with 318455 metric tons (313,424.5 LT) of china clay, and 107 vessels loaded with 136970 metric tons (134,806.4 LT) of secondary aggregates for the building trade
Initially, cargoes were mainly to and from Austen's mines and quarries above St Blazey; later further mines and china clay dries were situated on Par Moors adjacent to the harbour.
Treffry built the Par Canal to serve the harbour by canal
ising 2.25 miles (3.6 km) of the river and digging a new river channel slightly to the east. There was an entrance lock to the canal at the harbour, and then two more between there and its terminus at Pontsmill, north of St Blazey. From here inclined planes
carried tramways
to Fowey Consols mine
and Colcerrow quarry. The latter line was expanded northwards and over the Treffry Viaduct
and also was eventually brought right into the harbour. Some china clay was carried by the canal, it being loaded into open containers at the works to ease transshipment
at Pontsmill.
The harbour developed a range of industrial facilities including a lead smelter with a 248 feet (75.6 m) high chimney known as Par Stack. This was used as a navigation aid by shipping until it was demolished in 1907.
Today china clay is piped to the harbour in slurry
form, most of which is dried in large sheds before exporting either from Par or Fowey, the two being linked by a private road. One berth at Par can also load clay slurry into coasting vessels. The harbour also has a rail link that is used to carry away dried clay loaded in rail vans.
A major reduction in china clay operations, announced on 4 July 2006, included proposals to close Par to commercial shipping and to close some of the clay dryers. The closures took effect in 2007. There are plans to re-develop the docks as part of the St Austell and Clay Country Eco-town. This would include a new marina and 500-700 homes.
The Cornwall Railway
opened from Plymouth
to Truro
on 4 May 1859 when Par railway station
was opened to the north-east of Par, the railway then rose up over the tramway on a five arch granite viaduct
on its way to St Austell
. A siding was opened down to the harbour from the west end of the viaduct on 13 February 1860.
The Cornwall Railway was built to the broad gauge
of 7 ft (2,134 mm) but the tramway to Luxulyan
was to the which led to complex mixed gauge railways in the harbour until the broad gauge was converted on the weekend of 21 May 1892.
The tramway was converted to a railway on 1 June 1874 by the Cornwall Minerals Railway
that linked Fowey
with Newquay
, whose workshops and engine shed
were situated on the north side of the village. St Blazey railway station
was opened adjacent to these on 20 June 1876 but in 1879 a loop line was built between the two stations and the Cornwall Minerals Railway station was renamed St Blazey to avoid the confusion of two stations with the same name; the workshops and engine shed were then known as St Blazey too. At around this time the Cornwall Railway station was rebuilt and the main building is still in use today. The line from Par to Fowey closed on 1 July 1968 to be converted into the private road linking the two harbours.
Par railway station is still open on the Cornish Main Line from Plymouth
to Penzance
. It is the junction for the Atlantic Coast Line
to Newquay
.
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, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par
Tywardreath and Par
Tywardreath and Par is a civil parish in Cornwall, England, UK. The 2001 UK census recorded that 3,161 people resided in the parish.The parish takes its name from its principal villages, Tywardreath and the fishing port Par.-External links:*...
and is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east 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...
. Par has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of around 1,400..
Par Harbour and the beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
at Par Sands are south of the town with another small beach is at Spit Point west of the harbour. Between these two beaches the 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...
takes an inland diversion through the town.
Par lies in a triangle of streets which form a one-way traffic system. There are a variety of shops, a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
and other businesses.
Par Harbour and Canal
River Par
The River Par is a river draining the area north of St Blazey in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom.The Par is formed by several streams, rising near the villages of Lockengate, Lanivet and Tregullon near Bodmin, which flow southwards via the Bokiddick, Bodwen and Luxulyan areas to flow into the...
that was crossed by a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. Joseph Austen (later Joseph Treffry
Joseph Treffry
Joseph Austen Treffry was an engineer, mining adventurer, and industrialist who became a significant landowner in Cornwall, United Kingdom.-Biography:...
) purchased the ferry and replaced it with a bridge in 1824. He then started construction of a harbour in 1829 near the mouth of the river; it was completed in 1840.
The harbour development saw the expansion of the village which split away from the parish of St Blaise
St Blazey
St Blazey is a small town in Cornwall, United Kingdom.St Blaise is the civil parish in which St Blazey is situated; the name St Blaise is also used by the town council.St Blazey is situated east of St Austell...
to the north in the mid 19th century. The arrival of the railway from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in 1859 encouraged further expansion north-eastwards towards Tywardreath
Tywardreath
Tywardreath is a small hilltop village in southern Cornwall, United Kingdom. about north west of Fowey. It is located in a sheltered spot overlooking a silted up estuary opposite Par and near the beach of Par Sands...
. The boundaries between the three settlements are now somewhat indistinct.
A 450 feet (137.2 m) breakwater encloses 35 acres (14.2 ha) of water which is tidal with only 16 feet (4.9 m) depth of water and, unlike nearby Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
, cannot accommodate large ocean-going ships.
In 1858 15,154 tons of china clay
Kaolinite
Kaolinite is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals, with the chemical composition Al2Si2O54. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina octahedra...
were shipped out of Par. By 1885 86,325 tons were being handled at Par, but Fowey now had a railway line and handled 114,403. In 1987 the port handled 700,000 tons, by 2002 the port had 284 vessels per year which were loaded with 318455 metric tons (313,424.5 LT) of china clay, and 107 vessels loaded with 136970 metric tons (134,806.4 LT) of secondary aggregates for the building trade
Initially, cargoes were mainly to and from Austen's mines and quarries above St Blazey; later further mines and china clay dries were situated on Par Moors adjacent to the harbour.
Treffry built the Par Canal to serve the harbour by canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
ising 2.25 miles (3.6 km) of the river and digging a new river channel slightly to the east. There was an entrance lock to the canal at the harbour, and then two more between there and its terminus at Pontsmill, north of St Blazey. From here inclined planes
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
carried tramways
Tramway (mineral)
Tramways are lightly laid railways, sometimes worked without locomotives. The term is in common use in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and elsewhere. In New Zealand, they are commonly known as bush tramways...
to Fowey Consols mine
Fowey Consols mine
Fowey Consols mine is a group of mines in the St Blazey district of Cornwall. They were owned by wealthy Cornishman, Joseph Treffry. The mines were worked by 6 steam engines and 17 waterwheels. The mines were linked to the port at Par by a canal...
and Colcerrow quarry. The latter line was expanded northwards and over the Treffry Viaduct
Treffry Viaduct
The Treffry Viaduct is a historic dual-purpose railway viaduct and aqueduct, located close to the village of Luxulyan, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom...
and also was eventually brought right into the harbour. Some china clay was carried by the canal, it being loaded into open containers at the works to ease transshipment
Transshipment
Transshipment or Transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, and then from there to yet another destination....
at Pontsmill.
Today china clay is piped to the harbour in slurry
Slurry
A slurry is, in general, a thick suspension of solids in a liquid.-Examples of slurries:Examples of slurries include:* Lahars* A mixture of water and cement to form concrete* A mixture of water, gelling agent, and oxidizers used as an explosive...
form, most of which is dried in large sheds before exporting either from Par or Fowey, the two being linked by a private road. One berth at Par can also load clay slurry into coasting vessels. The harbour also has a rail link that is used to carry away dried clay loaded in rail vans.
A major reduction in china clay operations, announced on 4 July 2006, included proposals to close Par to commercial shipping and to close some of the clay dryers. The closures took effect in 2007. There are plans to re-develop the docks as part of the St Austell and Clay Country Eco-town. This would include a new marina and 500-700 homes.
Railways
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
opened from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
to 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...
on 4 May 1859 when Par railway station
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...
was opened to the north-east of Par, the railway then rose up over the tramway on a five arch granite viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
on its way to 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...
. A siding was opened down to the harbour from the west end of the viaduct on 13 February 1860.
The Cornwall Railway was built to the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
of 7 ft (2,134 mm) but the tramway to Luxulyan
Luxulyan
Luxulyan , also spelled Luxullian or Luxulian, is a village and civil parish in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village lies four miles northeast of St Austell and six miles south of Bodmin...
was to the which led to complex mixed gauge railways in the harbour until the broad gauge was converted on the weekend of 21 May 1892.
The tramway was converted to a railway on 1 June 1874 by the Cornwall Minerals Railway
Cornwall Minerals Railway
The Cornwall Minerals Railway operated a network of railway lines in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Based at St Blazey, its network stretched from Fowey to Newquay and lasted as an independent company from 1874 to 1896, after which it became a part of the Great Western Railway.-Authorisation:The...
that linked Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
with Newquay
Newquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
, whose workshops and engine shed
St Blazey engine shed
St Blazey Engine Shed is located in Par, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The depot operator is DB Schenker. It is named after the adjacent village of St Blazey and has the depot code is BZ.-History:...
were situated on the north side of the village. St Blazey railway station
St Blazey railway station
A passenger station was opened at Par on 20 June 1876 when the Cornwall Minerals Railway started a passenger service from Fowey to Newquay. It was adjacent to the railway's workshops...
was opened adjacent to these on 20 June 1876 but in 1879 a loop line was built between the two stations and the Cornwall Minerals Railway station was renamed St Blazey to avoid the confusion of two stations with the same name; the workshops and engine shed were then known as St Blazey too. At around this time the Cornwall Railway station was rebuilt and the main building is still in use today. The line from Par to Fowey closed on 1 July 1968 to be converted into the private road linking the two harbours.
Par railway station is still open on the Cornish Main Line from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
to Penzance
Penzance
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...
. It is the junction for 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...
to Newquay
Newquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
.
- See also Bagnall 0-4-0ST "Alfred" and "Judy"; the distinctive locomotives used at Par harbour.
External links
- Cornwall Record OfficeCornwall Record OfficeCornwall Record Office , part of Cornwall Council, is situated at Old County Hall in Truro and is the main repository for the historical archives of Cornwall....
Catalogue for Par - Geograph - photos of Par and surrounding area