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Cornwall has always declared that it was not a shire county of England. Most old maps until the reformation illustrated that Cornwall was one of the four nations of Britain that is, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Cornwall. Even as late as 1856 Cornwall still asserted its rights and claimed it had never been part of England. By definition Cornwall is a Duchy and is ruled by a Duke. The Duchy is in fact a property company of Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall.

Cornwall has its own Crest, Flag, Cornish Tartan and language, which was the most widely spoken language in Cornwall, until Edward VI introduced the Book of Common Prayer in 1547. There are still a few who speak the Cornish Language even to this day. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries many people left Cornwall to work in more affluent areas of the World.

However, recently this has reversed and many from other areas in the UK, seek a better life by moving to Cornwall. This is happening despite average earnings of twenty-five percent lower than the UK average, higher house prices, above average cost of living and unemployment higher than most areas.

Bodmin is supposedly the county town of Cornwall, dating back to when the assizes met here. Yet its only city is Truro, which is now the home of the county courts. Truro's most striking feature is the Cathedral, which was opened in 1880 and had half a million visitors in the first year. It is gothic in appearance and has a green spire. Its two hundred and fifty foot towers dominate the Truro skyline and it is one of the best examples of medieval architecture in the County.

Truro is a market town and its history as a port, dates back more than eight hundred years. The port of Truro boomed throughout the tin mining era, but is now mostly utilized for pleasure cruises to St Mawes and Falmouth. It is the main shopping center of Cornwall and also home to The Royal Cornwall Museum and the Hall for Cornwall.

Cornwall also houses a Campus for the University of Exeter. This is situated in seventy acres and is close to Falmouth and Penryn. It offers both postgraduate and undergraduate study and research.

The only zoo in Cornwall is to be found at Newquay. It is set in more than ten acres and was first opened in 1969. It in now one of the top wildlife parks in the UK, boasting ground breaking captive breeding and conservation programs and winning no less that ten awards since 1996.

Newquay dates from the Iron Age. It has been a fishing port and the quay was used for exporting mined ore and importing coal during the days of the copper and tin and mining industries. For years, the main industry was pilchard fishing. There is an aquarium on the promenade

Today Newquay is Cornwall's premier resort and is known for its nightlife. Its only theatre at Lane has recently been refurbished and enlarged with National lottery funding. Newquay is also famous for its many beaches, especially the one at Fistral, where the surfing championships are held, drawing competitors from around the world. Newquay is also the home of Cornwall's only airport.

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