104-536: The Montol Festival (often just Montol ) is an annual festival in Penzance , Cornwall , England, United Kingdom, which has been held on 21 December each year since 2007. The festival is a revival or reinterpretation of many of the traditional Cornish midwinter customs & Christmas traditions formerly practiced in and around the Penzance area and common to much of Cornwall at one point. The festival spans several days, but
208-518: A cèilidh . Cèilidhean are common fundraising and social events for many societies at the University of Glasgow. Some cèilidh bands intersperse cèilidh dancing with a DJ playing disco music to broaden the appeal of the evening's entertainment. The resurgence in the popularity of the céilí over the last 20 years or so in Northern Ireland has been assisted in no small way by
312-441: A fear-an-tigh (or, in contemporary Scottish Gaelic orthography, fear-an-taighe ), meaning 'man of the house'. The Scottish Gaelic feminine and gender-neutral equivalents are bean-an-taighe (woman of the house) and duine-an-taighe (person of the house), respectively. The use of these or similar terms is still the form in much of Ireland and Hebridean Scotland, and at gatherings elsewhere at which either Irish or Scottish Gaelic
416-622: A chapel of ease ) was granted parish status by church authorities though it had been registered since the new church was built in 1832. On 1 November 1755 the Lisbon earthquake caused seiching , a form of standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water, along the Cornish coast, and particularly in Mount's Bay, which is prone to seiching. At around 2:00 pm, the sea rose eight feet (2.4 m) in Penzance, came in at great speed, and fell at
520-435: A fifth-order Fresnel lens ) was built by Sandys & co. of Hayle and displayed a fixed red or green light, depending on the height of the tide. It remains operational, displaying a flashing sector light , which is visible up to 17 nmi (31 km; 20 mi) out to sea. The Scilly Isles Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1858 and placed in service the first steam ship on the route, SS Little Western . In 1870
624-572: A Scottish country dancing band and dress codes range from compulsory highland dress to informal. Knowledge and use of the basic dance steps is not always strictly necessary, and dances often alternate with songs, poetry recitals, storytelling and other types of "party pieces". Cèilidh music may be provided by an assortment of instruments including fiddle , flute , tin whistle , accordion , bodhrán (frame-drum), hammered dulcimer , and in more recent times also drums, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki , Scottish smallpipes , and electric bass guitar. The music
728-697: A boat house built on Jennings Street near the Promenade in 1884 to promote their activities. Penzance, with its dry dock and engineering facilities, was chosen as the western depot for Trinity House that serviced all the lighthouses and lightships from Start Point to Trevose Head . It was opened in October 1866 adjacent to the harbour and the Buoy Store became the Trinity House National Lighthouse Museum until 2005 when Trinity House closed
832-418: A civil court with jurisdiction over cases not exceeding £50; and providing a prison. The Charter also confirmed the harbour rights given earlier in 1512 and granted two weekly markets to be held on Tuesdays and Thursday; which replaced a single market previously held on Wednesdays. Seven fairs were granted (or confirmed): The Crown was paid a perpetual rent of five marks (£3 6s 8d / £3.33) in acknowledgment of
936-451: A fair, lasting seven days at the Feast of St Peter ad Vincula on 1 August; and another fair of seven days on 24 August at Mousehole for the feast of St Bartholomew – later to be held in Penzance. The settlement was growing in importance as the weekly Wednesday market was confirmed by King Henry IV and three further fairs, each of two days, were granted on 8 April 1404. These were at the Feast of
1040-441: A fish cellar. A carving in "Ludgvan granite" thought to be of St Anthony was removed in about 1830 and was used in the wall of a pig sty, which was further vandalised in 1850 when "a stranger ... taking fancy to the stony countenance and rough hands, they were broken off and carried away as relics ...". The remains of the vandalised relic were taken to St Mary's Churchyard by a mason who told Mr Millett that he "popped St Raffidy into
1144-539: A good understanding of the mechanics of the tunes and a deep knowledge of regional dances from the UK and beyond. They will confer with the band about what type of tune to play for the dance. This aids the selection of the right dance for the right audience. This skill is so sought after in the south of England that there are callers who are famous in their own right. However, many bands have their own caller, often also an instrumentalist; some have two. During an English ceilidh there
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#17328518923811248-498: A new road link the harbour area and the Promenade, and in 1933 the St. Anthony Gardens were built, followed two years later by the Jubilee Pool opposite. Tourists could now make full use of the whole seafront between Penzance and Newlyn harbours. In the early 1990s, a bypass was built around the town. Penzance railway station is sited at the eastern end of Market Jew Street and close to
1352-626: A new vessel for the King Harry Ferry on the River Fal was launched, built on the keel of an old landing craft . A steam tug, the Primrose , was built in 1963. Land was reclaimed beside the Albert Pier in the 1930s to allow the railway station to be enlarged at a cost of £134,000. The 1880 building was retained, but extra platforms and sidings were provided to handle more perishable goods, as well as
1456-600: A payment of 8 shillings for the rent of logii (huts or sheds) of foreign fishermen, i.e. those outside the manor. At a second Inquest in 1327 the number had risen to 13 at Penzance; with 16 recorded at Mousehole and both now paying only 1 shilling each: the total rent for logii was 8s 6d (42 1 ⁄ 2 p) with 17 tenants paying 6d (2 1 ⁄ 2 p) each. Both Inquests record 29 burgesses at Penzance and 40 at Mousehole. A burgess paid his rent with money rather than with personal services, and this indicates that Penzance and Mousehole were considered to be towns. A comparison of
1560-470: A progressive style. At the end of one whole iteration of the dance (lead around and body), instead of stopping, the groups move on to the next set of partners in the line. Céilí dances that can be performed progressively are: walls of Limerick, siege of Ennis, haymaker's jig, and fairy reel. When there is a large social gathering, there will often be a caller for the dance, though it is a very different style from square-dancing caller. A céilí caller
1664-564: A ring. These can be performed by fixed couples or in the more sociable "progressive" manner, with the lady moving to the next gentleman in the ring at or near the end of each repetition of the steps. In Ireland, the similar style of dance is called céilí dance or fíor ('true') céilí dance. Some of the dances are named after famous regiments, historical battles, and events, others after items of daily rural life. The " gay Gordons ", "siege of Ennis", "walls of Limerick", and "stack of barley" are popular dances in this genre. Step dancing
1768-651: A royal market in 1404. Henry VIII in 1512 granted the right to charge harbour dues, and King James I granted the town the status of a Borough in 1614. The Charter defined the bounds of the town by an artificial line formed by a half-mile circle, measured from the market cross in the Greenmarket. The granting of Borough status made the town independent of the County Courts, a right held until County Councils came into being in 1888. Other privileges included owning land and property; imposing fines for breaking bylaws ; holding
1872-500: A saltire couped Arg. a plate charged with a dagger point downwards Gu. Within a year the new Borough bought a "substantial degree of freedom" from the Manor of Alverton then known as Alverton and Penzance for £34 plus a perpetual annuity of £1 which was last paid in 1936. A market-house and Guildhall was built, and together with the rights bought in 1615, provided almost all the borough income for more than two centuries. The southern arm of
1976-516: A series of workshops dedicated to the making of masks and costumes so people can join in with guise parades, community carol services, and a ceilidh . Penzance Penzance ( / p ɛ n ˈ z æ n s / pen- ZANSS ; Cornish : Pennsans ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall , England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and
2080-804: A settlement, and an evolving field system with ditches and interconnecting pits suggesting water management. There are traces of a rampart and ditch to the west of Penzance at Mount Misery, and an oval rampart and ditch at Lesingey above the St Just road, which together with Lescudjack, overlook the coast of Penzance and Newlyn. Until recently, there was little evidence for anything but an early and short Roman occupation of Cornwall, and there have so far been only three finds in Penzance. In August 1899 two coins of Vespasian (69–79 AD) were found in an ancient trench in Penzance Cemetery. The coins were eight feet below ground together with some cow bones, and are now in
2184-615: A similar manner. Montol sought to revive practices recorded by antiquarians , some of which reportedly only died out after the Second World War . The first festival was in 2007 and was initially funded by grants from central government. The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Edward Lhuyd , in his 1700 MSS of vocabulary in the Cornish language , states that Montol means 'winter solstice'. However, he later translates
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#17328518923812288-515: A wheelbarrow and trundle him off to the chapel yard." The carving remains in St Mary's Churchyard and has been dated by Prof Charles Thomas as early 12th century. There are no early documents mentioning the dedication to St Anthony; this seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless. A licence for Divine Service in the Chapel of St Gabriel and St Raphael was granted in 1429, but nothing more
2392-503: Is a carved figure, now largely eroded, known as "St Raffidy" which can be found in the churchyard of the parish church of St Mary's near the original site of the chapel. Until the 1930s this history was also reflected in the choice of symbol for the town, the severed "holy head" of St John the Baptist . His head is shown on the civic regalia of the Mayor of Penzance and on the northern side of
2496-509: Is a traditional Scottish and Irish social gathering. In its most basic form, it simply means a social visit. In contemporary usage, it usually involves dancing and playing Gaelic folk music , either at a home or a larger concert at a social hall or other community gathering place. Cèilidhean (plural of cèilidh ) and céilithe (plural of céilí ) originated in the Gaelic areas of Scotland and Ireland and are consequently common in
2600-470: Is about 64 miles (103 km) west-southwest of Plymouth and 255 miles (410 km) west-southwest of London. Situated in the shelter of Mount's Bay , the town faces south-east onto the English Channel , is bordered to the west by the fishing port of Newlyn , to the north by the civil parish of Madron and to the east by the civil parish of Ludgvan . The civil parish includes the town of Newlyn and
2704-932: Is another form of dancing often performed at céilithe , the form that was popularised in the 1990s by the Riverdance ensemble. Whereas set dancing involves all present, whatever their skill, step dancing is usually reserved for show, being performed only by the most talented of dancers. The cèilidh has been internationalised by the Scottish and Irish diasporas in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand , where local cèilidhean and traditional music competitions are held. In recent years, cèilidh and traditional music competitions have been frequently won by descendants of emigrants. It bears mention that cèilidhean are common throughout Nova Scotia. The tradition and
2808-606: Is cheerful and lively, consisting in Ireland mainly of jigs, reels , hornpipes, polkas, slip-jigs, and waltzes, with Scotland adding strathspeys , and England adding regional forms such as the northeastern rant. The basic steps can be learned easily; a short instructional session is often provided for new dancers before the start of the dance itself. In Ireland, the first céilí band was put together in 1926 by Séamus Clandillon, Radio Éireann's director of music, to have dance music for his studio-based programmes. Dancing at cèilidhean
2912-460: Is in a manuscript written by William Borlase in 1750: ″The ancient chapel belonging to the town of Penzance may be seen in a fish cellar, near the key; it is small and as I remember had the image of the Virgin Mary in it.″ The chapel was built of greenstone and about 30 ft in length and 15 ft in breadth of which only a fragment remained in situ . In around 1800 the chapel was converted to
3016-513: Is in the St Clare area of the town, where a chapel existed to St Clare or Cleer. The earliest reference is a lease of 1584: "...a certain chapel situate below the high road between Pensaunce and Madderne." In the early part of the 19th century the foundations of a building, said to be the chapel, was discovered, and enough was exposed to show the shape of the building. An episcopal licence cannot be traced for this chapel. The name, St Clare, lives on in
3120-521: Is indicated as many have been found elsewhere in Britain. The earliest evidence of settlement in Penzance is from the Bronze Age . A number of bronze implements such as a palstave , a spear-head, a knife, and pins, along with much pottery and large quantities of charcoal were discovered when building a new housing estate, at Tredarvah, to the west of Alverton. The defensive earthwork known as Lescudjack Castle
3224-422: Is known of this chapel except, possibly, for the mason who mentioned ″St Raffidy″ in 1850. Adjoining the chapel is St Anthony's Gardens, named in 1933 and containing an archway said to have been taken from the chapel site. Dominating the skyline above the harbour is the present church of St Mary's. A St Mary's Chapel is mentioned in a 1548 document which states that it was founded by Sir Henry Tyes, Knight, Lord of
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3328-530: Is no evidence of any Roman settlement in the area, although nearby villages such as Chysauster were occupied at this time. The Hundred of Penwith had its ancient centre at Connerton , now buried beneath the sands of Gwithian Towans at Gwithian . The Manor of Alverton , with an area of 64 Cornish acres, gave its name to the second largest tithing in Penwith. The manor included Penzance as well as parts of Madron, Paul, St Buryan and Sancreed. Although Penzance
3432-508: Is not excavated, but almost certainly belongs to the Iron Age . A single rampart encloses three acres of hilltop, and would have dominated the approach to the area from the east. There are no signs of the additional ramparts reported by William Hals in about 1730, and the site is now surrounded by housing with allotments. Excavations in 2008, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the west at Penwith College found an enclosure ditch and pottery indicating
3536-565: Is not mentioned in the survey document the Domesday Book , it is likely that the area would have been included. Domesday records that in 1066 the Manor of Alwarton was owned by Alward who was dispossessed by Robert, Count of Mortain , a half-brother of William the Conqueror . The name Alward and tun , a personal name combined with a town or settlement suffix, indicate Saxon land ownership. In Cornwall
3640-544: Is often an interval involving the talents of local Morris or rapper side; this also serves to give bands with older members a rest. It is possible to see many diverse and regionally distinct acts at a modern English ceilidh. Acts range from the most traditional, like the Old Swan Band , to the most experimental like the electronic dance music -influenced Monster Ceilidh Band. Many other forms of music have been combined with English ceilidh music including; Irish music from
3744-522: Is spelt cèilidh (plural cèilidhean ) and in Irish reformed spelling as céilí (plural céilithe ). Originally, a cèilidh was a social gathering of any sort, and did not necessarily involve dancing: The 'ceilidh' is a literary entertainment where stories and tales, poems and ballads, are rehearsed and recited, and songs are sung, conundrums are put, proverbs are quoted, and many other literary matters are related and discussed The ceilidh of
3848-799: Is the eccentric Egyptian House in Chapel Street, built in 1830. The first part of the Promenade along the sea front dates from 1844. After the passing of the Public Health Act (1848) , Penzance was one of the first towns to petition to form a local board of health , doing so in September that year. Following a report by a government inspector in February, the Board was established in 1849 which led to many facilities to enhance public health. The report shows that most streets were macadamised or sometimes paved, and
3952-464: Is the predominant social language. In modern events at which English predominates, the host is usually instead referred to as simply the "host" or "master of ceremonies". The cèilidh facilitated courting and prospects of marriage for young people and, although discos and nightclubs have displaced the cèilidh to a considerable extent, such events are still an important and popular social outlet in rural parts of Scotland and Ireland, especially in
4056-463: Is usually in the form of cèilidh dances , set dances , or couples' dances. A "set" consists of four to eight couples, with each pair of couples facing another in a square or rectangular formation. Each couple exchanges position with the facing couple, and also facing couples exchange partners, while all the time keeping in step with the beat of the music. About half of the dances in the modern Scots cèilidh , however, are couples' dances performed in
4160-485: Is usually the teacher or most experienced dancer of the group who has the dance memorized. They then call the movements out in a non-stylized way, intended to remind those who are non-dancers when and where to move. Social céilí dances are often the easiest dances and very easy to shuffle through as a non-dancer. A caller makes sure that everyone at a social dance can participate. Embellishments are accepted and fun in social céilí dances, women adding spins or changing
4264-477: The Gaelic revival in the first quarter of the twentieth century and codified by the Irish Dancing Commission . There are about thirty dances that form the basis for examination of céilí dance teachers. Irish céilí is a participatory social event attended by both men and women and accompanied by live Irish traditional music. The dance emerged within cultural nationalist consciousness as during
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4368-830: The Penlee House Museum . Another coin, found in 1934 in the Alverton area, depicts Sol , the Roman sun god. It is described as a ″ coin of the reign of Constantine the Great ″, and was also donated to the museum. A 30 mm (1 3/16 in) sestertius was found on a building site in or around Penzance about ten years previously, and was presented to the Royal Institution of Cornwall . Larger quantities of Roman coins have been found nearby, at Marazion Marsh and Kerris in Paul parish, but there
4472-679: The Scottish and Irish diasporas . They are similar to the troyl traditions in Cornwall and twmpath and noson lawen events in Wales, merry neets in Cumbria and North East England , as well as English country dance throughout England which have in some areas undergone a fusion with céilithe. The term is derived from the Old Irish céle (singular) meaning 'companion'. It later became céilidh and céilidhe , which means 'visit' in Gaelic . In Scottish Gaelic reformed spelling it
4576-651: The University of Edinburgh providing a number for students throughout each term, especially the long-running Highland Annual, the oldest cèilidh in Edinburgh and the largest in Scotland, organised by the Highland Society ( An Comann Ceilteach ). Glasgow University Union's annual debating competition, Glasgow Ancients, traditionally ends the night with a cèilidh . The union's Christmas event, Daft Friday, also involves
4680-552: The tun indicates a manorial centre such as Helston or Connerton. The change of ownership in 1066 was a change from one alien landlord to another, and the name Alverton lives on as the western part of Penzance from St John's Hall , to the housing estate on the west side of the River Laregan. The first mention of the name Pensans is in the Assize Roll of 1284, and the first mention of the actual church that gave Penzance its name
4784-608: The Conception of Virgin Mary (8 December), St Peter in Cathedra (22 February) and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (8 September). It is not known when a quay was built at Penzance as there is no grant or licence, but an Inquest as to the Manor of Alverton in 1322 records eight fishing boats each paying 2 shillings each, and an unspecified number at Mousehole each paying 12 shillings. There was also
4888-646: The Cornwall Railway was built to the 7 ft ( 2,134 mm ) broad gauge . The West Cornwall Railway Act included a clause that it would be converted to broad gauge once it had been connected to another broad gauge line, but the company could not raise the funds to do so. The line was sold to the Great Western Railway and its "Associated Companies" (the Bristol and Exeter Railway and South Devon Railway ) on 1 January 1866. The new owners quickly converted
4992-468: The Gaelic-speaking regions. Cèilidhean are sometimes held on a smaller scale in private or public houses , for example in remote rural areas and during busy festivals. It is common for some clubs and institutions such as sports clubs, schools and universities and even employers to arrange cèilidhs on a regular—or at least annual—basis. The formality of these can vary. Some mix modern pop music with
5096-507: The Lizard . They were considered a success, carrying 16,091 passengers by the end of the year, so were followed the next spring by further routes to Land's End and St Just. These services developed into the First Kernow bus network that currently serves the area and is still centred on a terminus alongside Penzance railway station . In 1912, Penzance erected its first electric street lamps and
5200-519: The Manor of Alverton, who gave a £4 stipend for a priest. There is an earlier document from 1379, when Bishop Brantyngham licensed for services "the chapel of Blessed Mary of Pensande". At this date it was probably used as a chapel of ease , and not used for Sunday services, which would have affected the attendance at the Parish Church in Madron. Further evidence of historical settlement from this period
5304-514: The Market House in the town. About 400 prehistoric stone axes, known as Group 1 axes and made from greenstone , have been found all over Britain, which from petrological analysis appear to come from west Cornwall. Although the quarry has not been identified, it has been suggested that the Gear , a rock now submerged half a mile from the shore at Penzance, may be the site. A significant amount of trade
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#17328518923815408-713: The Penzance Guise dancers is given by William Bottrell in his book Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall (1870–80): During the early part of the last century the costume of the guise dancers often consisted of such antique finery as would now raise envy in the heart of a collector. The chief glory of the men lay in their cocked hats which were surmounted with plumes and decked with streamers and ribbons. The girls were no less magnificently attired with steeple crowned hats, stiff bodied gowns, bag skirts or trains and ruffles hanging from their elbows. The festival often includes community-oriented events such as public music,
5512-580: The Princess May Recreation Ground, opposite Humphry Davy School . Other customs include the Cornish candle dance (a dance around a basket full of lit, brightly-coloured candles), and the performance of traditional Guisers plays such as St George and the Turkish Knight or Buffy and the Bucca . Cornish Christmas carols also feature during the festivities. The historical basis for many of
5616-582: The Scottish cèilidh is by no means limited to the younger generation, and dances vary in speed and complexity to accommodate most age groups and levels of ability. Most private schools in Scotland will also hold cèilidhean on a fairly regular basis. Public cèilidhean are also held, attracting paying participants, often held at dance clubs ; and the annual Ceilidh Culture festival in Edinburgh. Universities in Scotland hold regular cèilidhean , with
5720-473: The Scottish and Irish social dance traditions. The dance figures are similar using couples' dances, square sets, long sets, and circle dances. However, the English style requires a slower tempo of tune accentuating the on-beat, the central instrument often being the English melodeon , a diatonic accordion in the keys of D and G. Dancers often use a skip, a step-hop or rant step depending on region. This contrasts with
5824-478: The UK. Also of interest is the seafront with its promenade and the open-air seawater Jubilee Pool (one of the oldest surviving Art Deco swimming baths in the country). Penzance is the base of the pirates in Gilbert and Sullivan 's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance . At the time the libretto was written, 1879, Penzance had become popular as a peaceful resort town, so the idea of it being overrun by pirates
5928-560: The Western Hebrides corresponds to the veillée of Lower Brittany ... and to similar story-telling festivals which formerly flourished among all the Celtic peoples On long, dark winter nights it is still the custom in small villages for friends to collect in a house and hold what they call a "ceilidh" (pronounced kay'lee). Young and old are entertained by the reciters of old poems and legendary stories which deal with ancient beliefs,
6032-401: The actual music and dancing. Novices are usually among the participants, so a "dance caller" may teach the steps before music begins for each dance. The more versatile bands will demonstrate the dances too. Scottish primary schools frequently teach some Scottish country dancing , often around Christmas time. Bands vary in size but are commonly made up of between two and six players. The appeal of
6136-447: The carriages away to Swindon Works at 9.57pm, and all trains since have been standard gauge. The ability of the railway to carry fresh produce to distant markets such as Bristol , London and Manchester enabled local farmers and fishermen to sell more produce and at better prices. The special "perishable" train soon became a feature of the railway, these being fast extra goods trains carrying potatoes , broccoli or fish depending on
6240-434: The current population.) A proposed electric tramway along the Promenade to Newlyn , which would have continued as a light railway to St Just , failed to gain authorisation in 1898. Instead motor buses were put into service on 31 October 1903. These linked Penzance with Marazion and were operated by the Great Western Railway , being introduced only 11 weeks after the railway's pioneering service between Helston and
6344-472: The customs described above is taken from the texts of notable Cornish antiquarians and contemporary research into the subject. A. K. Hamilton Jenkin in his book Cornish Homes and Customs describes the Guise dance processions and performances of 1831 as "like an Italian carnival" and further noted that "everyone including the rich and the great came masked and disguised on to the streets". A detailed description of
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#17328518923816448-485: The direction they are facing is common, as are jig-step movements called the "rising step" or "grinding step". Céilí dances may be divided into figures, but a single type of tune is generally used for all the figures and the dancing does not pause between the figures. Unlike square dance and round dance , céilí dances are generally not called by a caller ; the flow of dance is defined by its name. Céilí dances when performed socially are often performed in
6552-418: The doings of traditional heroes and heroines, and so on. Some sing old and new songs set to old music or new music composed in the manner of the old. In more recent decades, the dancing portion of the event has usurped the older meanings of the term, though the tradition of guests performing music, songs, storytelling, and poetry still persists in some areas. Céilithe / Cèilidhean were originally hosted by
6656-527: The eastern side of the harbour, although trains only ran to Redruth at first. From 25 August 1852 the line was extended to Truro , but the Cornwall Railway linking that place with Plymouth was not opened until 4 May 1859. Passengers and goods had to change trains at Truro as the West Cornwall had been built using the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge , but
6760-559: The evening culminating in the ceremony of the "Chalking of the Mock". The Mock is a Cornish Yule Log , which is marked with a stick figure and then burnt on the Montol bonfire. In the early years of the festival, the bonfire was a beacon was lit at Lescudjack Hill Fort , in a similar vein to the beacons lit by the Old Cornwall Society at midsummer. More recently, the bonfire has been held at
6864-540: The evening large guiser processions can be seen through the town, carrying lanterns, wearing masks and traditional costumes. Early in the evening a Lord of Misrule is chosen from among the masked revellers by the drawing of coloured beans. The Lord of Misrule leads the main processions and has certain honorary functions, although there is no historical basis for this part of the event prior to 2007. Since 2010, Pen Hood (the Montol Obby Oss ) and Penglaz (the Golowan Obby Oss) appear later on, leading parades and revelling, with
6968-575: The far west of Cornwall, Penzance and the surrounding villages have been sacked many times by foreign fleets. On 23 July 1595, several years after the Spanish Armada of 1588, a Spanish force of four galleys transporting 400 arquebusiers under Don Carlos de Amesquita , which had been patrolling the Channel, landed troops in Cornwall . The local militias, which formed the cornerstone of their anti-invasion measures and numbered several hundred men, threw down their arms and fled in panic. Only Francis Godolphin, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and commander of
7072-407: The first in the South West . In 1840 Nicholas Holman of St Just opened a branch of his foundry business on the quayside. These facilities proved valuable in supporting the steamships that were soon calling at the harbour in increasing numbers. Gas lighting was introduced in 1830 and the old Market House was demolished in 1836. Its replacement , designed by W. Harris of Bristol , was completed at
7176-418: The harbour over the Ross Swing Bridge (1881) (named after Charles Campbell Ross ), allowing the construction of proper sewers beneath. A larger dry dock replaced Matthews' original facility (1880), and a floating harbour was made (1884) with lock gates to keep in the water at low tide. Around the headland, public baths were opened on the Promenade in 1887 and the Morrab Gardens with its sub-tropical plants
7280-886: The harbour; it is the southernmost station on the UK mainland rail network. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line , which runs above the beach to Marazion; this affords passengers good views of St. Michael's Mount and Mount's Bay. Services are operated by two train operating companies : The bus and coach station is next to the railway station from where National Express operates coach services to London Victoria Coach Station (taking around 9 hours) via Heathrow Airport . Local bus services run by First Kernow connect Penzance with most major settlements in Cornwall, including Truro , St Ives , St Just , St Buryan , Land's End and also Plymouth in Devon. Ceilidh A cèilidh ( / ˈ k eɪ l i / KAY -lee , Scottish Gaelic: [ˈkʲʰeːlɪ] ) or céilí ( Irish: [ˈceːlʲiː] )
7384-451: The increasing numbers of tourists. In 1905 a new bandstand was built on the Promenade opposite the Queen's Hotel, and the Pavilion Theatre opened nearby in 1911, complete with a roof garden and café. Travel to Penzance was easier than ever, with the Great Western Railway introducing the Cornish Riviera Express on 1 July 1904, which left London Paddington at 10:10 am and arrived in Penzance just 7 hours later, two hours faster than
7488-521: The inspiration for Treasure Island ' s "Admiral Benbow Inn"), the Union Hotel (including a Georgian theatre which is no longer in use), and Branwell House, where the mother and aunt of the famous Brontë sisters once lived. Regency and Georgian terraces and houses are common in some parts of the town. The nearby sub-tropical Morrab Gardens has a large collection of tender trees and shrubs, many of which cannot be grown outdoors anywhere else in
7592-598: The interest in céilithe amongst the younger generation and bands such as Haste to the Wedding, a céilí band. Céilí dances ( / ˈ k eɪ l i / , Irish: [ˈceːlʲiː] ) or true céilí dances ( fíor céilí ) are a popular form of folk dancing in Ireland and are part of the broader Irish dances . The Irish céilí dances are based on heys ("hedges", or pairs of facing lines), round dances, long dances, and quadrilles , generally revived during
7696-514: The late 19th and early 20th century traditions promoting nationalist agendas, and national identities were regarded as not culturally unified. Irish céilí regained its popularity in the late 19th century, when Ireland made efforts to regain its cultural and political autonomy after being colonized for over 800 years. The goal of the Gaelic League established in 1893 was to promote Irish cultural independence and de- anglicisation , which involved
7800-464: The line to mixed gauge using three rails so that both broad and "narrow" trains could operate. Broad gauge goods trains started running in November that year, with through passenger trains running to London Paddington from 1 March 1867. The last broad gauge train arrived at 8.49pm on 20 May 1892, having left London Paddington at 10.15am that morning. The two locomotives, numbers 1256 and 3557 , took
7904-464: The main events are held on the traditional date of the feast of St Thomas the Apostle , usually 21 December, which always coincides with the winter solstice . Montol came about from the same community which had created Golowan , a midsummer festival also held in Penzance, though different people were involved. The idea was formed after the success of Golowan, in order to celebrate the winter solstice in
8008-475: The mild climate of Penzance. Bathing machines had been advertised for hire on the beach as early as 1823, and the town was already "noted for the pleasantness of its situation, the salubrity of its air, and the beauty of its natives". The town's first official guide book was published in 1860, and the Queen's Hotel opened on the seafront the following year. It was so successful that it was extended in 1871 and 1908. At
8112-406: The militias along with 12 of his soldiers stood to offer some kind of resistance. Amesquita's force seized supplies, raided and burned Penzance and surrounding villages, held a mass, and sailed away to successfully engage and put to flee a Dutch squadron of 46 ships. The reason for Penzance's relative success probably stems from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries when King Henry IV granted the town
8216-412: The museum. In 1875 a local newspaper described the railway station as a large dog's house of the nastiest and draughtiest kind but a series of works improved this part of the town during the 1880s. The original railway station was rebuilt with the present buildings and train shed over the platforms (1880). The lower end of Market Jew Street was widened and a new road was built to link the station with
8320-639: The new West Cornwall Steam Ship Company joined the route, taking over the Scilly Isles Company the following year. In 1853 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed one of their boats in the town, the first since 1812, and maintained a station here until 1908 when the Watson Class Elizabeth Blanche was transferred to Newlyn as the first step towards setting up Penlee Lifeboat Station . The RNLI still use
8424-562: The pier was built in 1766 and extended in 1785, to add to the first pier of which was built prior to 1512. During the English Civil War Penzance was sacked by the Parliamentarian forces of Sir Thomas Fairfax apparently for the kindness shown to Lord Goring and Lord Hopton 's troops during the conflict. Further Civic improvements included the construction in 1759 of a reservoir which supplied water to public pumps in
8528-417: The previous quickest service. (In 2018 it left Paddington at 10:03 am and took 5 hours and 8 minutes.) The railway promoted local tourism with postcards that were sold at its railway stations, and an annual guide book, The Cornish Riviera , in which SPB Mais described the town as "a suburb of Covent Garden, and a great fishing centre ... there is always something going on in its harbour". 1923 saw
8632-696: The remergent popularization of the Irish language, literature, and vernacular traditions, such as Irish singing and dancing. Plentiful branches of the Gaelic League giving dance, singing, music, and literature classes were established across Ireland. The style of dance employed for céilí dance differs greatly from that used for set dance , and has more the appearance associated with the style of step dance . In particular, it emphasizes height and extension, with dancers generally dancing on their toes (but not en pointe as in ballet). A movement called "side-step" or "sevens and threes" with which dancers travel sideways to
8736-455: The rights granted by the Charter, which was paid until 1832, but there was no grant of Parliamentary representation. The old arms of Penzance were the head of St John the Baptist on a charger, with the legend "Pensans anno Domini 1614". The arms of the borough are Arg. a Paschal lamb proper in base a Maltese cross Az. on a chief embattled of the last between two keys in saltire wards upwards Or and
8840-488: The same rate. Little damage was recorded. At the start of the 19th century (1801), the town had a population of 2,248. The census, which is taken every ten years, recorded a peak population in 1861 of 3,843, but it then declined, as in most of Cornwall, through the remainder of the century, being just 3,088 in 1901. By the time Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, Penzance had established itself as an important regional centre. The Royal Geological Society of Cornwall
8944-480: The same time as the railway was being built more improvements were being made to the harbour, with a second pier on the eastern side of the harbour, the Albert Pier, completed in 1853 to provide even better shelter for shipping. At the same time the Old Pier was also extended, and a lighthouse was built on it (replacing an earlier light), commissioned in 1855. The lighthouse (which was originally lit by an oil lamp within
9048-457: The season. In August 1861, 1,787 tons of potatoes, 867 tons of broccoli, and 1,063 tons of fish were dispatched from the station. Fruit and flowers were also carried; the mild climate around Penzance and on the Scilly Isles meant that they were ready for market earlier and could command high prices. The completion of the railway through Cornwall made it easier for tourists and invalids to enjoy
9152-499: The settlements in West Cornwall can be made with the annual payments, based on the number of fishing boats, made to the Duchy of Cornwall in 1337: Porthia (St Ives) £6; Mosehole (Mousehole) £5; Marcasion (Marazion) £3; Pensanns (Penzance) 12s (60p); Londeseynde (Land's End), (Sennen Cove) 10s (50p); Nywelyn (Newlyn) 10s; and Portmynster (Porthminster, St Ives) 2s (10p). In 1425, 1432 and 1440 ships in Penzance were licensed to carry pilgrims to
9256-408: The shrine of St James of Compostella , in north-west Spain . In medieval times and later, Penzance was subject to frequent raiding by "Turkish pirates", in fact Barbary Corsairs . Throughout the period before Penzance gained borough status in 1614 the village and surrounding areas continued to be within the control of the Manor of Alverton and was subject to the taxation regime of that manor. In
9360-426: The smoother style and more fluid motion seen in Ireland, Scotland, or (the walking) in contra. Many ceilidh dances involve a couple, but this does not limit the number of partners any one dancer has during the ceilidh. Often dancers will change partners every dance to meet new people. An important part of English ceilidhs is the "caller" who instructs the dancer in the next dance. An experienced ceilidh caller will have
9464-429: The spirit of these gatherings are carried on in most small communities of these Maritime Provinces . Privately organised cèilidhean in the 2020s are extremely common in both rural and urban Scotland, where bands are hired, usually for evening entertainment for a wedding, birthday party, celebratory or fundraising event. These may be more or less formal, and very often omit all other traditional Gaelic activity beyond
9568-572: The streets. In 1768 a friendly society of Tradesmen was formed at Penzance with 101 members living within three miles of the town. The members met on the first Monday in each month at the King's Head, kept by Richard Runnals. The benefits of the Society were: a member being sick, lame or infirm would receive seven shillings a week. [gout and rupture were common, and excepted from payment unless 'needful'. Aged and infirm members were allowed 3/6p per week. Three pounds
9672-508: The style of a swing based on the skill of a partner. Cèilidh in England has evolved a little differently from its counterparts elsewhere in Scotland and Ireland. English cèilidh, usually called ceilidh, without the e-grave but pronounced as it is in Scottish Gaelic, can be considered part of English country dance (and related to contra dance ). English ceilidh has many things in common with
9776-435: The summer of 1578 Penzance was visited by the plague . The burial registers of Madron (where all Penzance births, deaths and marriages were recorded) shows a massive increase in deaths for 1578, from 12 the previous year to 155. This is estimated to be about 10% of the population of the village at the time. The plague also returned in 1647 and the registers again show an increase of from 22 burials to 217 in one year. Being at
9880-415: The top of Market Jew Street in 1838. (The name Market Jew comes from the Cornish language Marghas Yow , meaning Thursday Market , the name of a nearby village now absorbed into Marazion , to which Market Jew Street leads. ) St Mary's Church, another prominent feature of the Penzance skyline, was completed in 1836, while a Roman Catholic church was built in 1843. Another familiar building from this period
9984-452: The town as "St Clare Street", which is part of the road from Penzance to Madron, and the St Clare cricket ground at the top of the hill. Markets were held on a fixed day each week, and fairs on fixed date(s) each year. To obtain either, a manorial lord had to apply for a royal charter . The right to hold a market each Wednesday was granted by King Edward III to Alice de Lisle, sister of Lord Tyes and widow of Warin de Lisle, on 25 April 1332;
10088-472: The town was lit by 121 gas lamps from October to March each year, although they were not lit when there was a full moon. Water was supplied from 6 public pumps, and there were a further 53 private wells. There were no sewage pipes at the time, waste being collected from the main streets by a refuse cart. Penzance railway station , the terminus of the West Cornwall Railway , opened on 11 March 1852 on
10192-501: The town's first cinema opened. The dry dock was sold on 25 August 1904 to N. Holman and Sons Limited, the engineering business that had been trading in Penzance since 1840. New workshops would be built during the 1930s, and the facility continued to be used by the Scilly ferries and other merchant ships, as well as Trinity House, the Royal Navy and Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service . In 1951
10296-456: The villages of Mousehole , Paul , Gulval , and Heamoor . Granted various royal charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated on 9 May 1614, it has a population of 21,200 (2011 census). Penzance's former main street Chapel Street has a number of interesting features, including the Egyptian House , The Admiral Benbow public house (home to a real life 1800s smuggling gang and allegedly
10400-576: The word as 'balance' (in Latin , Trutina – 'a set of scales'). Montol is not based on a particular historical festival, but rather incorporates many different recorded customs. The festival centres around Montol Eve (21 December) and several revived traditions of West Cornwall including, most predominantly, guise dancing . Guise dancing is a Cornish custom in which people dress up in costumes and masks and play music, dance, sing and take part in parades, somewhat similar to mummering elsewhere in England. During
10504-465: Was amusing to contemporaries. Penzance— Pennsans ; "holy headland" in the Cornish language —refers to the location of a chapel nowadays called St Anthony's that is said to have stood over a thousand years ago on the headland to the west of what became Penzance Harbour. There are no early documents mentioning an actual dedication to St Anthony which seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless. The only remaining object from this chapel
10608-466: Was founded in the town in 1814 and about 1817 was responsible for introducing a miner's safety tamping bar, which attracted the Prince Regent to become its patron. The first lifeboat in Cornwall was bought by the people of Penzance in 1803 but it was sold in 1812 due to lack of funds to keep it in operation. The pier had been extended again in 1812 and John Matthews opened a small dry dock in 1814,
10712-399: Was given toward the funeral of a member and 10 pounds to the widow or children. All members were to attend the funeral or be fined a shilling. How long this association lasted is not known. Penzance has a long-standing association with the local parish of Madron . Madron Church was in fact the centre of most religious activity in the town until 1871, when St Mary's Church (until this period
10816-487: Was opened two years later. A bandstand was added to the gardens in 1897. In 1901 the town had a population of 3,088. The decennial census recorded a continuing decline in population until 1921, when just 2,616 people were recorded. The population then climbed to 4,888 (1931) then 5,545 (1951) – thus more than doubling in 30 years. It was now larger than at any time in the past. (The census boundaries changed in 1981 so these figures do not directly compare with those stated for
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