James Fox TV - Michael Gambon - John Betjeman - Percy Bysshe Shelley - D H Lawrence - Alice Roberts TV - Simon Reeve TV -
Ancient and mysterious. Romantic and remote. Cornwall stands at the very edge of our world. Yet it exerts a magnetic pull on our imaginations. Coincidence, curiosity and crisis drew a string of great artists to this remote region. Responding to each other and the dramatic landscape they went on to produce some of the most exhilarating art of the twentieth century. Dr James Fox, The Art of Cornwall, BBC 2010
A small fishing village was briefly transformed into an international centre of modern art. And that fishing village was St Ives. ibid.
A wave of young artists now poured into St Ives. ibid
Terry [Frost] may have been on to something, but he still wasn’t earning a living as a painter. In 1951 Ben intervened and got him a part-time job as an assistant to Barbara Hepworth. She was not by all accounts an easy employer. ibid.
The arrival of Tate St Ives in 1994 has helped to encourage contemporary art and reaffirm the reputations of these past masters. ibid.
The achievements of the St Ives colony look grossly undervalued. In our consumer world their art remains unfashionable. But I marvel at their bravery, dedication and the sheer range and quality of work that spanned more than half a century. It is their passion for Nature, their defiant radicalism, and more than anything their unyielding optimism that defines the art of Cornwall as a high water mark in twentieth century art. ibid.
A child did approach me in a restaurant in Cornwall, but he thought I was Gandalf. Michael Gambon
The golden and unpeopled bays
The shadowy cliffs and sheep-worn ways
The white unpopulated surf
The thyme-and-mushroom scented surf
The slate-hung farms, the oil-lit chapels
Thin elms and lemon-coloured apples. John Betjeman, Delectable Duchy, 1974
Cornwall, and the storm-tossed isle
Where to the sky the rude sea rarely smiles
Unless in treacherous wrath. Percy Bysshe Shelley, letter 1820
Cornwall is very primeval: great, black, jutting cliffs and rocks, like the original darkness, and a pale sea breaking in, like dawn. It is like the beginning of the world, wonderful. D H Lawrence, letter 1916
One of the most mysterious and misunderstood periods in British history. For 200 years after the Romans left our islands in 410 AD our country was plunged into what became known as the Dark Ages. The turmoil transformed the nation. But we know almost nothing about it. The legends tell of a lawless land, warring tribes and a legendary leader – King Arthur. King Arthur’s Britain: The Truth Unearthed, BBC 2018
Evidence that up on the top of Tintagel there was not just a settlement during the Dark Ages but a seat of power. ibid.
Geoffrey of Monmouth: Arthur’s sword is a weapon of mass destruction. ibid.
This was certainly not a backwater. ibid.
It’s summer in Cornwall! It’s gorgeous here: rugged and breathtaking during a summer like no other. With its glorious beaches, some pretty good surf, and iconic wildlife, this is one of the most beautiful corners of the world. Cornwall with Simon Reeve I, BBC 2021
The far south-west tip of Cornwall and some of its most spectacular coastline … It’s home to some of Britain’s most picturesque fishing villages; visitors, tourists and second-homers do bring in huge amounts of money for the local economy. But in some villages up to half the houses are second homes. ibid.
Cornwall is almost an island. 80% of the county is surrounded by water. Here the Atlantic collides with the coast, shaping the land and life ... a gorgeous corner of planet earth warmed by the Golf Stream, blessed by the light. Cornwall has an extraordinary landscape and environment, and it’s home to some of Britain’s most spectacular wildlife. Cornwall with Simon Reeve II
A major study of wild beavers has confirmed they reduce flooding and pollution and boost fish and wildlife. Government ministers suggest farmers might be paid to have beavers such are the colossal environmental benefits they can bring. ibid.