A history of cornwall online - through its objects
Journeys
Pilgrimage and plant hunting
It takes a long time to get to Cornwall from most places in Britain, whether by road, rail or air.
Until the introduction of motorised transport most Cornish people walked the long distance to get from town to town, or from home to work. Many of the surviving waymarking crosses we see scattered across our landscape still mark the ancient routes that people used.
Pilgrimage was an important motive for starting a long journey. From the early Middle Ages St Michael's Mount, Cornwall’s most recognisable landmark, was a very significant pilgrimage site. Pilgrims from Britain and Ireland would have walked the 12.5 miles (19.5km) along St Michael’s Way, a route from Lelant near St Ives, to Marazion and the Mount. From here pilgrims could also make their way by sea to Mont Saint-Michel and other pilgrimage sites in Brittany and beyond.
Cornwall became a popular holiday destination from the mid-19th century directly as a result of the establishment of the Great Western Railway which cut journey times from London, the Midlands and northern England from days to hours.
Towns like Newquay quickly transformed from industrial harbour to seaside resort. The souvenir industry took off as tourists wished to take back a memento of their trips, and china objects such as plates, vases and jugs embellished with an attractive scene were popular items to take back home.
The Cornish also journeyed abroad but until recently the motive was not leisure but seeking new opportunities abroad. It is estimated that 250,000 people emigrated from 1860 to 1900, the best known of which were the mining Cousin Jacks and Jills. But others left too, and the USA in particular was a popular destination for those wanting to set up new businesses.
Cornwall’s many exotic gardens, with their signature rhododendrons and palm trees, are also the direct result of travelling Cornish men and women. Plant hunters came back with seeds and plants to cultivate sub-tropical varieties in our temperate climes, often at the request of a wealthy patron wishing to create a striking garden for their stately home.