iKnow Cornwall
Helston Tourist Information Gardens Folk Museum Cornwall UK
Helston sits firmly within Cornish stannery and tin mining history, and was one of the key Cornish stannery centres with it's own coinage hall alongside Truro, Lostwithiel and Liskeard. Helston or 'Helly' has it's own superb Town Trail Leaflet (pick this up at the tourist information centre). Follow the guide and take a journey through Helston history taking in Godolphin Hall, The Guildhall, the Helston Folk Museum, the old Angel Hotel and more. Helston's the perfect base for branching out into the Lizard and idyllic beaches around Lizard Point. Also for families the superb Flambards Theme Park is close to hand, with other attractions such as Godolphin Elizabethan House and grounds making the perfect family day out.
Helston Tourist Information Centre, 79 Meneage Street, Helston, Cornwall. TR13 8RB. Tel: 01326 565 431.
Helston Folk Museum
Helston Folk Museum is excellent for exploring the social history of this region taking in the areas mining and stannery past, plus a nod to maritime history and various artefacts thrown up from shipwrecks. Learn about Helston's renowned 'Furry Dance' or 'Flora Dance', held usually every 8th May unless it's a Sunday.
The actual Helston building serving as the folk museum was once a market house in the 1820s. Exhibits focus on local industrial and social history across industries such as fishing, mining and farming. Also on show are various works by local artists which include painting, sculpture and jewellery.
Helston Folk Museum, Market Place, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 8TH. Tel: 01326 564027.
Flambards Village Theme Park Helston
Whoopeeeeeeeee, another superb family fun Cornwall theme park. This one, the Flambards Experience, is ideally situated near Helston and is jam packed with great thrill rides and more, including a Victorian village, a Britain in the Blitz indoor attraction and a superb selection of shows which include, new for 2006, Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast.
It's a cracker, this one, with a regular Sunday Car boot sale and indoor theatre. This Cornwall theme park has been going for some time, about 30 years, and was built on an old airfield. It still pays homage to it's airfield/aircraft past with a large collection of historic aircraft on display. There's a Garden Experience too on-site, with a plant centre. Flambards successfully blends family fun and entertainment with an educational element - school group visits are welcome.
Check out the Flambards Experience website to the right for full details. Certainly one of Cornwall's, if not the UK's best theme parks!! No shortage of thrilling rides too for the adventurous older kids and adults, including Thunderbolt, Extreme Force and the Hornet Roller Coaster - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
The Flambards Experience, Clodgey Lane, Helston, Cornwall. TR13 0QA. Tel: +44 (0)1326 573404.
Godolphin House, Near Helston
Godolphin House is a stunning example of a Tudor/Stuard manor house, dating from 1475. This manor house is also surrounded by ancient gardens dating from 1500 with stables also within the grounds. Inside the manor house visitors can view impressive old English furniture, a medieval cellar and various displays.
Plants are on sale, and there's a marquee on-site restaurant plus numerous woodland trails to keep the kids happy. Well worth a look! The grounds are free to enter, with parking on-site. There's a small charge to enter the stunning manor house. See the Godolphin web links right for details.
The Godolphin Estate, Godolphin Count House, Godolphin Cross, Helston, Cornwall TR13 9RE. Tel: 01736 763194.
The National Seal Sanctuary Cornwall
The National Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall began with one man - Ken Jones in the 1950s. It grew from just one pool for rescued seals in St Agnes, moving to Gweek in the mid-1970s and it's grown ever since. Rescued seals are not the only guests, there goats, otters and ponies here too.
The National Seal Sanctuary in Gweek has been voted Cornwall's best attraction. Find out more about the great work done here with many rescued seals found on Cornish beaches throughout the year, and learn more about Grey and Common Seals, as well as Fur Seals and Californian and Patagonian Sea Lions.
Browse the National Seal Sanctuary weblink right for more details, plus information on campaigns against seal culling in Canada.
The National Seal Sanctuary, Gweek, near Helston, Cornwall TR12 6UG. Tel: 01326 221361. Open every day from 10am except Christmas Day.
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