Saltash

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type= Cornwall
latitude= 50.4086
longitude= -4.2127
official_name= Saltash
cornish_name= Essa
population= 14,964 (Civil Parish, 2001)
civil_parish= Saltash
shire_district= Caradon
shire_county= Cornwall
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= South East Cornwall
post_town= SALTASH
postcode_district = PL12
postcode_area= PL
dial_code= 01752
os_grid_reference= SX424579

Saltash ( _kw. Essa) is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of about 17,000. It lies in the extreme southeast of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It is in the Caradon district and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means "ash tree by the salt mill".

The community school in Saltash was designated as a Science and Mathematics & Computing Specialist College in September 2004, and renamed to saltash.net community school.

Saltash is also the location of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge, opened by HRH Prince Albert on May 2 1859. It takes the railway line across the River Tamar. Alongside it is the Tamar Bridge, a toll bridge carrying the A38 trunk road, which in 2001 became the first suspension bridge to be widened whilst remaining open to traffic.

Saltash railway station is close to the town centre. It was hoped that the empty buildings could be restored as a visitor centre for the bridge, but they have instead been purchased by a property developer.

The cottage of Mary Newman, Sir Francis Drake's wife, can be found in Saltash on Culver Road downhill from Saltash railway station.

There have been both real and fictitious Royal Navy ships named HMS "Saltash".

"Saltash" is also a popular traditional Cornish tune.

Nearby are the castles at Trematon and Ince, as well as the nature reserve at Churchtown Farm.

The town expanded in the 1990s with the addition of the large new estate Latchbrook, and is currently growing further with the recent building of another housing area, Pilmere.

Saltash hosts a number of annual festivals: Saltash Mayfair takes place in and around Fore Street during early May, and Saltash Town Regatta brings music and entertainment to the Waterside area in the summer. On the water there are intense Gig races with the best teams taking part, along with Flashboat rowing and dinghy racing, and the now infamous 'England and back' race between local organisations. For 2008 a new 5 towns challenge has been added to the list of events, pitting Saltash against Liskeard, Callington, Looe and Torpoint. Ashore you will find many stalls, music and marquees. See the Regatta and Mayfair websites listed below for more information.

History

There is no doubt that the history of Saltash is linked to the "passage", or ferrying place across the Tamar. The original ferry became established by fisherman for those passing to and from the monastery at St. Germans and to Trematon Castle.

After the Norman Conquest, Robert, Count of Mortain, who held the castle and manor at Trematon, took the market from the canons at St. Germans and established it at Saltash. The Count granted Trematon and other manors to the de Vallerots, who had then to provide for the ferry boat. In the twelfth century a borough was founded (1190), and Saltash became the only franchised seaport between Dartmouth and Fowey. This fact has given rise to the Saltash saying, "Saltash was a borough town, when Plymouth was a fuzzy down", as the City of Plymouth, and its seaport did not exist in 1190.

The Charter of Incorporation refers to the place as 'Essa' (Latin for 'Ash'). However, the spelling of the town has changed over the years. For example, in Edward the Confessor's time it was called and spelt 'Aysche'. In the 1584 Charter it is stated that "Essa is now commonly called Saltash". A family called Essa lived in the twelfth century at their property near Ashtor Rock, where the Manor Courts were once held. The 'Salt' part of the name was added to distinguish it from other places called Ash.

Roger de Vallertort (Reginald De Valle Torta) sold out in 1270 to Richard, Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans while Edward, the Black Prince, became the first Duke of Cornwall, and a visitor to Trematon Castle.

in 1549 there was a Cornish insurrection against the introduction of the Protestant liturgy, and the rebels under Humphrey Arundell, for which he was beheaded at Tyburn, gained possession of Trematon Castle by treachery, capturing Sir Richard Grenville, the elder, in the process. They then carried out acts of barbarity on their surprised visitors.

Twinned Towns

Saltash is twinned with:
*
* Buzançais in France

References

'A Glimpse of Saltash' - Douglas C Vosper - Snell & Cowling Press (Liskeard) - 1968.

External links

* [http://www.derektait.co.uk/saltashhistory.html Old photos of Saltash]
* [http://www.thisissaltash.co.uk/ thisisSaltash Forum, Image Galleries, News, local Events, Everthing Saltash]
* [http://www.royalalbertbridge.co.uk/ Official Site for the Royal Albert Bridge with Live Webcam]
* [http://www.saltashstation.co.uk/ Save Saltash Railway Station campaign]
* [http://www.saltash.net/ saltash.net community school]
* [http://www.saltash.gov.uk/ Saltash Town Council]
* [http://www.wesleyweb.co.uk/ Saltash Wesley Methodist Church]
* [http://www.saltashnewlifechurch.org.uk/ Saltash New Life Church]
* [http://www.srug.org.uk/ Saltash Rail Users Group]
* [http://www.saltashmayfair.co.uk/ Saltash Mayfair Website 3rd and 4th May 2008]
* [http://www.saltashregatta.co.uk/ Saltash Regatta Website 28th and 29th June 2008]
* [http://crocat.cornwall.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Overview.tcl&dsqSearch=((text)='saltash') Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Saltash]