Rock, Cornwall

Rock
Cornish: Pennmeyn

Rock Sailing Club and the estuary looking west
Rock
 Rock shown within Cornwall
Population 1,203 2011 Census
OS grid referenceSW933757
Civil parishSt Minver Lowlands
Unitary authorityCornwall
Ceremonial countyCornwall
RegionSouth West
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town WADEBRIDGE
Postcode district PL27
Dialling code 01208
Police Devon and Cornwall
Fire Cornwall
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK ParliamentNorth Cornwall
List of places
UK
England
Cornwall

Coordinates: 50°32′37″N 4°55′06″W / 50.5437°N 4.9182°W / 50.5437; -4.9182

The ferry vessel Black Tor II approaching Rock from Padstow

Rock (Cornish: Pennmeyn)[1] is a coastal fishing village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.[2] It is opposite Padstow on the northeast bank of the River Camel estuary. The village is in the civil parish of St Minver Lowlands[3] about 4 miles (6.4 km) north west of Wadebridge.[4][5]

Geography

The main residential area is set back from the coast along the road from Pityme and St Minver. To the northeast, Rock is contiguous with the settlements of Splatt and Pityme. Stoptide is a southern extension of Rock. Rock is best known for its estuary frontage. To the northwest, the road runs beside the estuary as a cul de sac giving access to the ferry boarding point and an intertidal beach backed by sand dunes which at low water extend for two miles past Brea Hill to Daymer Bay.[4][5] To the south is the small coastal settlement of Porthilly with St Michael's Church situated on the bank of Porthilly Cove.

Rock Dunes

Rock Dunes, sand dunes to the west of the village on the banks of the River Camel, are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their flora and geology. These include various vegetation found in these embryo dunes as well as various types of slate.[6]

Toponymy

The original name recorded in 1303 was Penmayn, Cornish for the end or head of stones. An alternative, Blaketorre, Black Tor, is found in 1337. This had become Black Rock by the 18th century and was subsequently shortened to Rock.[7] The name of the ferry that operates between Rock and Padstow recalls the old place name.

Tourism

Rock is popular with holidaymakers and is a well-established centre for water sports including dinghy racing, waterskiing, windsurfing, and sailing. Rock Sailing Club's headquarters, in a converted warehouse on a wharf, is a local landmark. Rock has Cornwall's highest proportion of second homes in the county.[8]

The Black Tor Ferry operates across the river to the town of Padstow, and this is a major source of tourist traffic through Rock. The early 21st century has seen extensive building work and increased prosperity for Rock, there a large number of holiday homes, as well as a number of retail outlets. Rock is also home to Sharp's Brewery, a real ale brewery established as an independent in the mid 1990s, but taken over by Molson Coors in 2011 to secure the Doom Bar bitter brand.[9]

Rock has been referred to as 'Britain's Saint-Tropez'[10] and the 'Kensington of Cornwall'[11] due to its popularity with affluent holidaymakers. The Daily Telegraph has also called it Chelsea-on-Sea and stated that David Cameron's favourite beer is brewed there.[12]

Affluent visitors such as Mohamed Al-Fayed and Jay Kay of Jamiroquai often arrive by helicopter.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Place-names in the Standard Written Form (SWF) : List of place-names agreed by the MAGA Signage Panel. Cornish Language Partnership.
  2. ↑ "Must see fishing villages in Cornwall". Travel Daily News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Cornwall Council online mapping; Retrieved June 2010
  4. 1 2 Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 Newquay & Bodmin ISBN 978-0-319-22938-5
  5. 1 2 Ordnance Survey: Explorer map (scale 1:25000); Sheet 106 Newquay & Padstow ISBN 978-0-319-24016-8
  6. ↑ "Rock Dunes" (PDF). Natural England. 5 November 1986. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  7. ↑ Weatherhill, Craig (2005). Place Names in Cornwall and Scilly. Launceston: Wessex Books. ISBN 1-903035-25-2.
  8. ↑ "Councillors vote in favour of second home planning permit". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  9. ↑ McCann, John (2 February 2011). "'Sharp' Practice by Molson Coors". CAMRA press release. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  10. ↑ The Guardian, Gareth McClean's 'Watch This'
  11. ↑ Tyzack, Anna (2007-10-12). "The Kensington of Cornwall". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  12. ↑ James Kirkup (5 December 2014). "Has Nigel Farage had one too many?". Daily telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  13. ↑ McGhie, Caroline (2007-06-23). "Rock on". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
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