30 April 2011

Z is for

Zennor is both a village and a Parish, located on the rugged north Cornish coast, 14 miles from Land's End and 4 miles west of St. Ives. Cornish granite hedges cover the land, and support an abundance of wildlife. These field systems date back to the Bronze Age  and are the oldest living artefacts in the world.

At the height of the tin mining industry over 1000 people lived and worked in Zennor. Today, the Parish has a population of around 200. Most of the land is owned by traditional Cornish farming families, who have farmed in Zennor for generations.

Zennor is designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and some of the land is owned and managed by the National Trust.
Zennor is steeped in myth, legend and history. 

The name Zennor is Cornish and is thought to derive from St. Senara, the Breton Princess Azenor who was falsely accused by her husband, and thrown into the sea in a barrel. She is said to have floated to Ireland founding Zennor along the way. 

Zennor is one of the last bastions of the Cornish language - the native speaker John Davey of Boswednack died in 1891. Many of the settlements and houses have Cornish names: Treveglos, Trewey, Porthmeor, Pennance, Boswednack, Bosporthennis, Foage, Treen, Tremedda, Tregerthen, Treveal, and Chy Kembro. 

This is the last day of the A-Z challenge, and I hope you have enjoyed the journey through Cornwall and Cornish along the way.

2 comments:

Kath said...

I just adore the North Cornish coast, the drama of the crashing sea, the wind the rocks, so romantic!

e.a.s. demers said...

Congrats on making it to the end of the challenge!
I've enjoyed the history and language lessons....and the alphabetic tour of Cornwall :-)