Porthleven

Porthleven is a toun, ceevil parish an fishin port in Cornwall, Unitit Kinrick, near Helston. It is the maist sootherly port on the island o Great BreetainCornwall Online - The Lizard Peninsula Guide an wis oreeginally developed as a harbour o refuge, when this pairt o the Cornish coastline wis recognised as a black spot for wrecks in days o sail. Nearbi Loe Bar wis pairticularly infamous, wi swimmers an surfers being warned aff the aurie tae this day.

History an geografie
Historically an for local-govrenment purposes, Porthleven wis includit athin the toun bundaries o nearbi Helston. Efter years o growth, it nou haes its awn toun cooncil. Its population in 2001 recordit bi the UK census
was 3,190.

Includin tourists an surfers wad swell that number considerably. Porthleven haes exploitit its location an exposur tae pouerful swells tae become ane o the best-kent an heichlie-regardit surfin spots in Breetain. Waves regularly exceedin 2 metres break on the shallae reef that wis shaped bi blastin the harbour. Due tae the prevailin wasterly winds it wis vera easy for a ship unner sail tae become entrapped athin the bay an be cast up on the rocks which made up the sma fishin coves o Mullion, Kynance an the Lizard.

Arguably, Porthleven's maist recognisable biggin is the Bickford-Smith Institute which is next tae the pier an harbour entrance. Wi a touer o aboot 70 fuit in heicht, it haes the appearance o a kirk but currently is uised as a snooker club an hooses the toun cooncil offices. It featured (alang wi various ither scenes frae the toun) as the incident room in an episode o the TV detective series Wycliffe.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed a lifeboat at Portleven in 1863. A boat hoose wis built at Breageside frae whaur the boat wis taken tae the water on a carriage. A new boat hoose on the wast side o the harbour entrance wis opened in 1894 wi a slipway tae mak launchin easier. The station wis closed in 1929 as the neighbourin stations at The Lizard an Penlee haed been equipped wi motor lifeboats that coud cover the whole o Mount's Bay. The slipway wis dismantled an the boat hoose saw uise as a store for a while but haes syne become the Shipwreck Centre museum.

Notable residents
Porthleven wis the birthplace o the Victorian theologian an releegious writer Pender Hodge Cudlip.

Porthleven wis the hame toun o the Dambusters' Commandin Officer, Guy Gibson, an there is a road named in his memory. Umwhile motor racin driver Chris Craft - who competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race for ower a decade, including a third-placed finish in 1976, as well as twa races in Formula Ane - wis born in Porthleven.

 Twinnin 
25px Gwiseni (Breetany, Fraunce)

References

Freemit airtins

 Porthleven Sithney Guisseny Twinning Association 
 Porthleven Old Cornwall Society 
 Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Porthleven

Category:Ceevil pairishes in Cornwall
Category:Touns in Cornwall
Category:Surfin locations in Cornwall
Category:Ports an herbours o Cornwall