Perranporth
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 Perran Beach from Droskyn Point | |
  Perranporth Location withinCornwall | |
| Population | 3,066 |
| OS grid reference | SW756540 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Perranporth |
| Postcode district | TR6 |
| Dialling code | 01872 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Cornwall |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| 50°20′37″N5°09′17″W / 50.3437°N 5.1546°W /50.3437; -5.1546 | |
Perranporth (Cornish:Porthperan)[2] is aseaside resort town on the north coast ofCornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 2.1 miles east of theSt Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 7 miles south-west ofNewquay. Perranporth and its 2 miles (3 km) long beach face theAtlantic Ocean.[3] It has a population of 3,066,[4] and is the largest settlement in thecivil parish ofPerranzabuloe. It has an electoral ward in its own name whose population was 4,270 in the 2011 census.[5]
The town's modern name comes fromPorth Peran, theCornish for The Cove ofSaint Piran who is the patron saint of Cornwall. He founded theSt Piran's Oratory on Penhale Sands, near Perranporth, in the 7th century. The Oratory was buried under sand dunes for many centuries, being unearthed in 1835.[6][7]
John Woodward (1688–1728) recorded that iron ore was mined from a large vein on the beach. In the 1860s ore was moved up the cliff by a 'puffer' engine. It was then transported from Gravel Hill Mine, at the north end of Perran Beach, to a quay on theGannel.[8]
The shipVoorspoed ran ashore in a northerly gale in Perran Bay on 7 March 1901 whilst travelling fromCardiff toBahia. The wreck was one of the last to be looted.[9]
From 1903 Perranporth was served by a railway line. Built as theTruro and Newquay Railway, the line ran fromChacewater toNewquay and the principal intermediate stop was Perranporth station.[10] Perranporth also had a second station, known as Perranporth Beach Halt. The line closed in the 1960s
Perranporth Airfield, built duringWorld War II as anRAF fighter station, is now a civil airfield. It is located at Cligga Head, on theplateau above the cliffs.[3]
Perranporth is centred on a main street, St Piran's Road, part of the B3285Newquay toSt Agnes road. The town centre has various shops, cafés and pubs. The long-distanceSouth West Coast Path runs past the town. There is a long-distance coach service provided byNational Express (service 316) which runs between London and Perranporth.
Perranporth is a popular family holiday destination. A wide sandy beach, Perran Beach, extends northeast of the town for about approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) to Ligger Point. The beach faces west onto Perran Bay and the Atlantic Ocean and is a popularsurfing location.[3] There are lifeguard beach patrols from May to September and the beach is generally safe for bathing, although there are dangerousrip currents around Chapel Rock atebb tides. Perran Sands is a sprawling holiday camp and caravan site to the north of the town centre.[11]
At the south end of the beach are cliffs withnatural arches, naturalstacks and tin-miningadits. There is ayouth hostel above the cliffs at Droskyn Point. Nearby is the 19th-century Droskyn Castle, formerly a hotel and now divided into apartments.
Perran beach is backed by extensivesand dunes which reach nearly a mile inland. Known asPenhale Sands, the dunes are used fororienteering competitions, and there is an 18-hole links golf course.
The far northern end of the beach is used as anaturist beach,[12][13] although theMinistry of Defense discouraged naturism in the sand dunes that bordered their property.[citation needed]
The dunes are also a valuable resource for wildlife, with many rare plants and insects including Cornwall's largest colony of thesilver-studded blue, aRed Data Book species.[14]
Southwest of Perranporth, the coast becomes more rocky, with cliffs rising to about 300 feet (90 metres) at Cligga Head. These cliffs form the Cligga Head SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), noted for itsgeological andbiological characteristics.[15]
Theparish church, which is in theAnglo-Catholic tradition of theChurch of England, is inPerranzabuloe.[17] An Anglicanchapel of ease in Perranporth dedicated to St Michael opened in 1872 and seats 100 people.[18]
The town also has its ownRoman Catholic church, dedicated to Christ the King, on Wheal Leisure Road, which is part of theDiocese of Plymouth.[19]Dom Charles Norris completed stained glass windows for the church of Christ the King.[20]
Surfing is popular in Perranporth with its long sands and beach break. The beach is a destination forkite surfing enthusiasts. There is a golf club, Perranporth Golf Club, just north of the town, while the football team Perranporth A.F.C. play in Division One West of theSouth West Peninsula League. There is a rugby club, "The Brewers", and a tennis club.
Perranporth has heldCornish wrestling tournaments, for prizes in venues for included the field next to the Perranporth Tennis Club.[clarification needed][21]
See alsoCornish wrestling at the Perran Round.
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