Padstow

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 50.5384
longitude= -4.9378
official_name= Padstow
cornish_name= Lannwedhenek
static_

static_image_caption =Padstow harbour and quayside
population= 3,162 (Parish, 2001)
civil_parish= Padstow
shire_district= North Cornwall
shire_county= Cornwall
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= North Cornwall
post_town= PADSTOW
postcode_district = PL28
postcode_area= PL
dial_code= 01841
os_grid_reference= SW918751

Padstow ( _kw. Lannwedhenek) is a small town, its great civil parish and cargo port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It lies within the administrative district of North Cornwall. The UK Census 2001 reported a parish population of 3,162. [ [http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/Facts/fact100d.htm Parish population for North Cornwall district] , Cornwall County Council and ONS, 2001]

Geography

Padstow is located approximately 14 miles north and east up the coast from Newquay, at the mouth of the River Camel.

Transport

Between 1899 and 1967 the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway extended to Padstow. The old railway line is now the Camel Trail, [ [http://www.cameltrail.com Camel Trail website] ] a footpath and cycle path which is popular owing to its picturesque route beside the River Camel.

The South West Coast Path enables walkers to explore this spectacular section of coast, with Stepper Point and Trevose Head within an easy days walk. The path crosses the river using the Black Tor Ferry, which carries pedestrians between Padstow and Rock. Another long-distance footpath known as the Saints' Way starts in Padstow and ends at Fowey on the other side of Cornwall.

During the mid-nineteenth century, ships carrying timber from Canada (particularly Quebec) would arrive at Padstow and offer cheap travel to passengers wishing to emigrate. Shipbuilders in the area would also benefit from the quality of their cargoes. Among the ships that sailed were the barques "Clio", "Belle" [ [http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy/ships/ships1843.html Immigrants to Canada: Vessels Arriving at Quebec 1843] ] and "Voluna"; and the brig "Dalusia". [ [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~biblechristian/other/eynon_john_voyage.html John Eynon's Journal: Voyage to Quebec in 1833 from Padstow] ]

Economy

Traditionally a fishing port, Padstow is now a popular tourist destination; although some of its former fishing fleet remains, it is mainly a yachting haven on a dramatic coastline with few easily navigable harbours. The influence of restaurateur Rick Stein can be seen in the port, and tourists travel from long distances to eat at one of his restaurants or cafés. However, the Stein led boom has caused rocketing house prices in Padstow and surrounding areas, as people buy second or holiday homes there. This has meant significant numbers of locals cannot afford to buy property of their own now, with prices often well over 10 times the average salary of around £15 000. [ [http://beehive.thisiscornwall.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=11810 Cornish Housing: Home Page ] ]

Culture

'Obby 'Oss festival

Padstow is best known for its "'Obby 'Oss" festival. Although its origins are unclear, it most likely stems from an ancient fertility rite, perhaps the Celtic festival of Beltane. The festival starts at midnight on May Eve when townspeople sing the "Morning Song". [http://www.lyricspy.com/8766/Rankin_Family_lyrics/Padstow_(the_May_Morning_Song)_lyrics.html] In the morning, the town is dressed with greenery and flowers are placed around a maypole. The climax arrives when male dancers cavort through the town dressed as one of two 'Obby 'Osses, the "Old" and the "Blue Ribbon" 'Obby 'Osses; as the name suggests, they are stylised kinds of horses. Prodded on by acolytes known as "Teasers", each wears a mask and black frame-hung cape under which they try to catch young maidens as they pass through the town. Finally, at midnight on May Day, the crowd sings of the 'Obby 'Oss death, until its resurrection the following May Eve.

Mummers' or Darkie Day

On Boxing Day and New Year's Day, it is a tradition for some residents to don blackface and parade through the town singing 'minstrel' songs. This is an ancient British midwinter celebration that occurs every year in Padstow and was originally part of the pagan heritage of midwinter celebrations that were regularly celebrated all over Cornwall where people would guise dance and disguise themselves by blackening up their faces or wearing masks. (Recently the people of Penzance have revived its midwinter celebration with the Montol Festival which like Padstow at times would have had people darkening or painting their skin to disguise themselves as well as masking).

Folklorists associate the practice with the widespread British custom of blacking up for mumming and morris dancing, and suggest there is no record of slave ships coming to Padstow. Once an unknown local charity event, the day has recently become controversial, perhaps since a description was published. [J. R. Daeschner, "True Brits" (Arrow, London, 2004)] Also some now suggest it is racist for white people to "black up" for any reason. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1981661,00.html "Way out West"] , "The Guardian" 3 January 2007] Although "outsiders" have linked the day with racism, Padstonians insist that this is not the case and are incredulous at both description and allegations. Long before the controversy Charlie Bate, noted Padstow folk advocate, recounted that in the 1970s the content and conduct of the day were carefully reviewed to avoid potential offence. [M. O'Connor, "Ilow Kernow 3" (St Ervan, 2005) p27] The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have taken video evidence twice and concluded there were no grounds for prosecution. [cite website|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4337475.stm|title=No action on town's 'Darkie Day'|publisher=BBC News] Nonetheless protests resurface annually. The day has now been renamed "Mummer's day" in an attempt to avoid offence and identify it more clearly with established Cornish tradition. [cite website|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4603886.stm
title=MP calls for 'Darkie Day' to stop|publisher=BBC News] The debate has now been subject to academic scrutiny. [M. Davey, "Guizing: Ancient Traditions and Modern Sensitivities", P.Payton (ed), "Cornish Studies 14" (Exeter, 2006) p229] .

Other similar traditions that use the black-face disguise are still celebrated within the United Kingdom
*Border Morris dancers
* [http://www.coconutters.co.uk/history.htm/ Britannia nutters] of Bacup
*Molly dancers of the East Midlands and East Anglia. *

Notable residents

*Rick Stein. Restaurateur and celebrity chef
*Enys Tregarthen. Author and folklorist
*Malcolm Arnold. Composer lived in nearby St Merryn in the 1960s

History

Padstow was originally named "Petroc-stow", after the Welsh missionary St. Petroc, who landed at nearby Trebetherick around AD 500.

Padstow isn't usually thought of as a "Viking town", but it was near Padstow that in 722 AD the Britons of Cornwall united with the Vikings of Denmark to destroy an invading Anglo-Saxon army led by Ine of Wessex at "Hehil". The Saxons army was slaughtered, and this decisive battle gave Cornwall 100 years of freedom from attacks by Wessex.Fact|date=June 2007

ee also

* Padstow lifeboat

References

External links

* [http://www.padstowandrock.com padstowandrock.com - local Information for everyone]
* [http://www.padstow.com PADSTOW.COM Definitive Guide with Accommodation and Gift Ideas] includes local attractions, walks, Obby Oss photos and lots more.
* [http://www.thisisnorthcornwall.com/padstow.html About Padstow]
* [http://www.shimbo.co.uk/leisure/padstow.htm Cornwall in Focus: Padstow] including further description of the 'Obby 'Oss festival.
* [http://cornovia.org.uk/htexts/henderson01.html Charles Henderson - Padstow Church: Its History and List of Vicars, 1927]
* [http://www.westcountryviews.co.uk/towns/padstow/padstow.htm Photographs of Padstow at WestCountryViews.co.uk]
* [http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/eng/Cornwall/Padstow/index.html Historial information on Padstow from Genuki]
* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Padstow Padstow on Wikitravel]
* [http://www.oldcornwall.org/padstow.htm Padstow OCS]
* [http://crocat.cornwall.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Overview.tcl&dsqSearch=((text)='padstow') Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Padstow]
* [http://www.padstowonline.com/gallery/c1.html Padstow Photographs] At Padstow Online