The Little History of Cornwall

by Paul Wreyford

There is nothing ‘little’ about the history of Cornwall! However, this small volume condenses that fascinating, rich history into a collection of stories and facts that will make you marvel at the events the county has witnessed.Discover Henry VIII’s plan to protect the county from invasion from Catholic Europe, the important development of tin mining on the north coast and the rise of seaside resorts all around the county. Take a journey through Cornwall’s historic struggles and celebrations or jump in to the era of your choice to discover the who, what and why of Cornish history.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

192 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2018

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting Cornish facts - I didn’t know captain Bligh, of mutiny on The Bounty, was Cornish 😬

[Rosanna Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having recently moved back to Cornwall this was a good reintroduction to some basic history. As others have said, it’s really only the very top line, not much detail, but definitely a good starting point and has provided me with plenty of little trivia facts to share when guests come to visit, or at pub quizzes.

[Han · Rating 3 out of 5]

The physical book itself is a beautiful design (hardback too, what a joy) and the illustrations are well done. This is definitely one of those books where it feels good to hold it in your hand.

In some places I felt there could have been more detail added (although in all fairness it has little in the title for a reason), especially in the first chapter which was incredibly short. There is for sure more available information out there than what is given. However, it is an easy read for those who are just getting into Cornish history. The chapters are split into several topics under several subheadings which makes it easier to take breathers between reading.

My biggest concern with this is that there isn’t really any referencing done. There are mentions of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s ‘History of the Kings of Britain’ and others but it might have been beneficial to have a list at the end of the book as to where all this information is being pulled from to corroborate the given facts.

Overall, I did enjoy it. It’s nice to see whole books being dedicated to the awesome history of Cornwall, and it’s especially nice to see the whole story all in one place.

[Ken Sampson · Rating 2 out of 5]

[21 Dec 2018] A great concept - a short history of Cornwall and well written in a easy accessible style. It covers pretty much all the bases and has a chatty friendly-style which is really refreshing. However it has one major flaw - which emerges early on - and underpins the entire work and that is the author does not understand his subject at all. He goes to great lengths to ensure you understand that Cornwall is a territorial possession of England and is 100% an English County - pretty much every page refers to it as 'an English County'. Yes - he indulges the reader with the usual trite 'Cornwall is a land apart' stuff, but fails to understand that for many Cornish people their sense of Cornish ethnicity is absolutely core and underpins a sense of not being English. At one point - he demonstrates his failure to grasp the subject by saying ' They [the Cornish] think of themselves as Cornish first and English second' - Sorry to burst you bubble Mr Wreyford, but the reality is just as the Welsh are Welsh, the Scottish are Scottish and the English are English - we the Cornish are Cornish! Essentially he is patronising and deeply offensive to Cornish people - Ask yourself would anyone write a book about Wales or Scotland and describe them as mere extensions of England? No don't think so!

Yes - you get a sense of what happened in Cornwall, but absolutely nothing about the Cornish. Acceptable for tourists, but Cornish people should probably avoid as it will not be good for your blood pressure

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A misleading title as this book about the history of Cornwall is packed full of history and information - who knew that Captain Bligh of Mutiny On The Bounty fame was Cornish!
This book condenses that amazing, fascinating and rich history into a collection of stories about people, places and events that will make you marvel at the events the county has witnessed.
Henry VIll's plan to protect the county from invasion, tin mining submarines on north coast and the rise of seaside resorts all around the county.
It includes Cornwall's historic struggles and celebrations, its painter & poets, sculptors & sports people, everyone of note.

[Kit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst it does have a lot of interesting facts, it is also littered with inaccurate information and it is obvious the writer has spent little time in Cornwall (and I resent it being repeatedly called "the backwater of England").
The early book between stone age to Stuart era holds merit but after that it's a muddle.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a delightful way to learn about English history! The Little History of Cornwall provides a terrific overview of the history of the county without getting bogged down in a lot of dry details. I definitely plan to read more of the books in this series. Read if you enjoy: English history

[Rekha Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting subject matter - especially for anyone visiting Cornwall. It's written in a very conversational, accessible way but I sometimes found that this made for a slightly clumsy narrative. Very easy read however, so a good way to dip into Cornwall's history.

[George Foord · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. It is very short in detail but gives a good overview.

[Alexander Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun compilation of facts about Cornwall from the stone age until today. I wish there was a little more about Cornish Language!