scubish.com: Scuba diving Falmouth, Cornwall - United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland

Falmouth (Aberfal) is a town and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, UK. It is both a town and a civil parish.

The name Falmouth comes from the river Fal, which is a Norse/Danish Viking name, strongly suggesting that the Danes used the deep water habour as a landing/resting place. During the Viking Age, the Danes did ally with the Britons of Cornwall, and the Vikings helped their Cornish allies by making pillaging raids on the South coast of Devon and Dorset, which was then controlled by the Saxons of Wessex, who were historically the enemies of both the Danes and the Britons.

Falmouth is the "gateway" to the Lizard peninsula and South-West Cornwall as a whole.

Falmouth harbour

Falmouth is famous for its harbour. Together with Carrick Roads, it forms the third deepest natural harbour in the world, & the deepest in Western Europe. It is also famous for being the start or finish point of various round-the-world record-breaking voyages, such as those of Sir Francis Chichester and Dame Ellen MacArthur. It is at the terminus of A39, which passes in succession close to the neighbouring town of Penryn .

There is a year-round ferry service to St Mawes, on the other side of Carrick Roads. During the holiday season several other ferry services operate, mainly sight-seeing cruises up the Fal. These vessels are also available for hire.

History

Originally called Peny-cwm-cuic, which later became 'Pennycomequick', it was the site where Henry VIII built Pendennis Castle to defend Carrick Roads, in 1540. The main town was at Penryn. Sir John Killigrew created the town of Falmouth shortly after 1613.

In the late 16th century, under threat from the Spanish Armada, the defences at Pendennis were strengthened by the building of angled ramparts.

During the Civil War, Pendennis Castle was the second to last fort to surrender to the Parliamentary Army.
After the Civil War, Sir Peter Killigrew received Royal patronage when he gave land for the building of the Parish Church, dedicated to Charles I, "the Martyr".

The news of Britain's victory (and Admiral Nelson's death) at Trafalgar was landed here from the schooner Pickle and taken to London by stagecoach.

The Falmouth Packet Service operated out of Falmouth for over 160 years between 1689 and 1851. Its purpose was to carry mail to and from Britain's growing empire.

19th & 20th Centuries
The Cornwall Railway reached Falmouth on 24 August 1863. The railway brought new prosperity to Falmouth, as it made it easy for tourists to reach the town. It also allowed the swift transport of the goods recently disembarked from the ships in the port.

The town now has three railway stations. Falmouth Docks railway station is the original terminus and is close to Pendennis Castle and Gyllyngvase beach. Falmouth Town railway station was opened on 7 December 1970 and is convenient for the National Maritime Museum, the waterfront, and town centre. Penmere railway station opened on 1 July 1925 towards the north of Falmouth and within easy walking distance of...