Cornwall : : (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)

Cornwall was the first volume in the Buildings of England series, published in 1951.  This extensively revised edition brings much new research to bear on the history of the county’s buildings, beginning with its rich prehistoric remains and early Christian structures and monuments including numerous Celtic crosses and holy wells.  The high towers of the village churches, manor houses such as Cotehele, and the distinctive white-walled cottages in the villages and fishing towns contribute to Cornwall’s unique, picturesque landscape.  Cornwall is home to major country houses, including the spectacular castle of St Michael’s Mount, as well as the greatest English cathedral of the Victorian age at Truro. The architectural legacy of industry is also of considerable importance, from the net houses of the fishing industry to the tapering engine-house chimneys of the tin mines.

Peter Beacham is an Anglican priest who was until recently heritage protection director for English Heritage. He is a member of the Architectural Panel of the National Trust. He contributed to the Devon volume of The Buildings of England.