Glimpses of the past


I always find industrial landscapes that have returned to nature so appealing. It's hard to imagine how different this landscape would have looked when it was operating as a tin mine.



The Count house at Botallack Cornwall perched on the  rugged cliffs near St Agnes has been on my wish list of places to visit  -we only managed to get there a few hours before we returned home from Cornwall last summer.






There seemed to be glimpses of the past in every corner in Penzance too!



These stunning homes overlooking the sea must have been so grand in their heyday too.


The Admiral Benbow pub is one of the oldest pubs in Penzance and is full of anchors and other maritime artifacts, which have been salvaged from ship wrecks off the Cornish coast over the last 400 years,


Further up the street was a vintage shop. The interior had been set up so beautifully it felt as you were in someone's home. A visit to Penzance is not complete without visiting the Penlee House Gallery and museum .


 In France the impressionist painters of the 1880's started to come out of their studios and paint what they could see around them.Some of the British artists had trained in France,  artists started to visit Cornwall in large numbers in the 1880's. They were so impressed with the changing light that many of them stayed and created wonderful pieces of art. Walter Langley's pictures were my favourite so many of them almost looked like photographs!

knitting
"Knitting by Walter Langley (1852-1922)
He was well known for capturing the real scenes of struggling fisherman and their families going about their daily lives. So many of the Cornish villages look so picturesque with their pretty fisherman's cottages, but life for their previous occupants was very hard. I remember reading about a cycling holiday taken around the West Country back in the 1930's. They described the fisherman's cottages as reeking of fish and the living conditions being appalling, such a contrast to the view today.



How many of you enjoyed watching "Poldark" back in the 1970's ? A new adaption of the book starts next week on the BBC. I'm sure one of the stars of the programme will be the wonderful landscape of Cornwall.

Thank you for all the comments last week. I was fun to read about things that have been lost and found by the sea.
Sarah x

Comments

  1. rusty duck1 March 2015 at 21:25

    I thought immediately of Poldark seeing the cliffs at St Agnes. Didn't know it was back. You're right, it will be worth watching if only for the locations!

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  2. Gracie Saylor1 March 2015 at 22:17

    "Knitting" by the sea is my idea of perfect, Sarah :-) Thanks for sharing all your wonderful photos. I like watching Doc Martin, and Monarch of the Glen episodes in part because of their beautiful settings as well. While my sister was visiting from CA recently we made it over to the OR coast...and it was warm enough I actually did some knitting while sitting on a bench looking out to sea :-) xx

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  3. CJ1 March 2015 at 22:22

    What beautiful photos, you have made me long to visit Cornwall again. It's absolutely breathtaking. Thank you for sharing your travels. CJ xx

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  4. Margaret1 March 2015 at 23:13

    Penzance brings back so many memories of holidays in the 70s, we visited again a couple of years ago. Can't wait to watch Poldark

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  5. Castles Crowns and Cottages1 March 2015 at 23:43

    Lovely Sarah, HOW GREAT TO SEE YOU POST! And what a quaint and fabulous share tonight as I sit in my home, writing poetry. Those English seaside towns are my favorite, and one day, I will make it out that way. My husband and I enjoyed Broadchurch...have you seen that? We are now watching Bletchly Circle. How we love the British TV series!

    Give Tavi a hug for me, OK?

    Be well sweet Sarah! Anita

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    1. Down by the sea2 March 2015 at 06:03

      I hope you manage to visit some British seaside towns one day. I now live where the majority of Broadchurch was filmed so some of the views in my pictures may be familiar. Sarah x

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  6. Sweetpea1 March 2015 at 23:49

    Another beautiful post that makes me "homesick" for the British seaside ... today, especially Cornwall. We're looking forward to "Poldark" remake over here in the US and now I will more than ever as you've reminded me of the Cornish setting. Beautiful photos. Always a pleasure to stop by here.

    Christi

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  7. Draffin Bears2 March 2015 at 00:00

    Dear Sarah,

    Your photos of Cornwall are so beautiful and the houses and the vintage shop look delightful.
    Also love the painting knitting by the sea -
    Hope you have a lovely week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  8. ANNE2 March 2015 at 00:45

    How beautiful! I would love to visit there. Thank you for taking us with you!!

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  9. Amy at love made my home2 March 2015 at 07:20

    Lovely to look back on wonderful sunny moments! xx

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  10. Sigrun2 March 2015 at 07:26

    Very impressive, Sarah. I love the old houses overlooking the sea and remember our last visit there in 2003, later we want to see other parts of Britain. Penzance is nice, I baught us a teapot with flowers, because in the cottages the pots are allways to small for us (ore to dirthy).
    Also I remember the tin mines, Lands end and a lot of gardens.

    Sigrun

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  11. Unknown2 March 2015 at 07:58

    Stunning photos of Cornwall. Love the painting of the girl knitting. I am really looking forward to the new adaptation of the Poldark novels. I loved the original series and love Winston Graham's Poldark novels - all twelve of them! xx

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  12. elaine 2 March 2015 at 08:12

    I haven't visited Cornwall for a long time but your pictures brought all the memories back - beautiful and fascinating too. I am looking forward to seeing Poldark again my Mum and I used to watch the original series together and drool over Ross Poldark - the new Ross looks even more handsome.

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  13. Claire2 March 2015 at 08:35

    Looks lovely, that shop....I could live there haha. (btw no I'm not learning Italian, I am learning the Ukulele though!)

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  14. Jane and Lance Hattatt2 March 2015 at 08:56

    Hello Sarah,

    We almost bought a house in Penzance. The seascape is wonderfully dramatic all round the coastline of Cornwall and the town of Penzance is bustling and lively. There are, as you say, many fine houses there and pretty Victorian terraces. Many years ago we went with friends of ours who live just outside Penzance to the Count House for dinner. It was the most amazing experience, not only for the food but the dramatic setting of the place.

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  15. Rustic Vintage Country2 March 2015 at 09:02

    There are some beautiful photos here and I love those houses looking over the sea. That vintage shop is just brilliant! I'm looking forward to seeing Poldark! Suzy x

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  16. Rosemary2 March 2015 at 09:40

    Dear Sarah - the photo showing the Erigeron karvinskianus growing in the wall is especially lovely. I have tried time and time again to grow it in my walls without success.
    I must watch out for the new Poldark series - thank you for the mention.
    I must confess to being an admirer of Walter Langley too, and we are fortunate enough to own two of his small preparatory watercolour sketches which both show young girls with stoneware urns. I would love to know which paintings they were intended for.

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    1. Down by the sea2 March 2015 at 19:42

      How fortunate to have two sketches done by Walter Langley. We introduced Erigeron kavinskianus into our previous garden and it spread everywhere, what a shame you had no success. Sarah x

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  17. Vintage Sheet Addict2 March 2015 at 09:47

    Cornwall has such a beautiful coastline doesn't it....love photos, I could do with a summers day right now! :) xxx

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  18. Cathy2 March 2015 at 10:32

    Sarah, thank you for introducing me to Walter Langley's paintings. I looked at some of his other paintings set in Cornwall. There was one of a grieving young woman being comforted by an older woman that was particularly moving. I love your photos! And all the flowers in bloom there! Here it is March and we have a covering of snow on the ground still. We watched Poldark in the 70's and a few years back I found the whole set of VCR tapes for sale at our library and watched them again before giving them to a friend in Canada. It will be fun to see the remake.

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  19. Kathy2 March 2015 at 10:48

    I used to visit Cornwall a lot when I was a child and loved it. Sadly I haven't been back for over twenty years. Your post has just given me a longing to visit again very soon. I'm looking forward to Poldark too. The old BBC series was one of my favourites ..... slight teenage crush on Ross Poldark if I'm honest.

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    1. Down by the sea2 March 2015 at 19:38

      I think there was many of us with a teenage crush on Ross! I remember my mother in law telling me many years later that she admired him too! Sarah x

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  20. valerietilsten59.blogspot.com2 March 2015 at 11:35

    Dear Sarah,
    You always take such beautiful interesting photos of the places you visit. Cornwall no exception. It looks lovely.
    I have been looking at watercolor workshops in cornwall. They have one in st. ives.. its a place i have always wanted to visit. The cornish cottages are adorable.
    What a stunning painting by Walter Langley.. a master at his art.
    lovely post Sarah.
    val xx

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  21. Freda2 March 2015 at 11:55

    I do love Cornwall too (quite like Scotland but with a better climate!).Your photographs are beautiful Sarah.

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  22. Julie2 March 2015 at 13:07

    Poldark will be new to me but I'm looking forward to watching it. Lovely photos. So nice to see the sunshine - I'm dreaming of warmth at the moment, it is very chilly up here! Juliex

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  23. kristieinbc2 March 2015 at 14:47

    Your posts always make me want to visit the English coast, Sarah. Someday I will, and your blog will have played a big part in me doing so. I love the picture of the girl knitting!

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  24. Casa Mariposa2 March 2015 at 15:21

    At the risk of sounding like a stupid American, I had no idea Penzance was a real place. Now I know! What a beautiful place. I'm planning a trip to England next summer to see a friend and might add this to the list of places to go. :o)

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  25. Anonymous2 March 2015 at 17:14

    Such lovely photos of Cornwall - we were very regular visitors particularly over the past few years. The children and I are going for a week quite soon and it will be very strange without the head of our herd. I'm looking forward to walks on the beach with the collies and some time to reflect.

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  26. Unknown2 March 2015 at 18:57

    Beautiful photos Sarah, truly a journey by laptop. I always make a mental note of places we need to visit and this is one of those places. Happy week for you! Sharon x

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  27. Janneke 2 March 2015 at 20:08

    Wonderful....I want to visit Cornwall again, we were there twice.

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  28. Mary Anne Brady2 March 2015 at 20:17

    Gorgeous! Is that the setting of the musical "The Pirates of Penzance"? Thank you for the lovely stroll through this town even while I'm all the way in Alaska. :)

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    1. Down by the sea2 March 2015 at 20:32

      I assume Penanzance must be the setting of the musical as it was based in Cornwall. Glad you enjoyed the stroll from so far away. Sarah x

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  29. Leanne2 March 2015 at 20:22

    Hey Sarah,
    I feel exactly the same about what remains of our industrial past. It seems you can't go far without seeing the remnants of Cornwall's mining heritage. It kind of fits the landscape too; rugged and stark edifices of the stacks dotted here and there. That row of houses in Penzance are some of my favourites. My son;s friend lives in one, and it is rather lovely I must say. I love the promenade there.
    Have a great week.
    Leanne xx

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  30. Mark Willis2 March 2015 at 20:37

    Lots of memories in your post for me! My Dad was from the Isles of Scilly and I spent much of my youth on Penzance and St.Ives. My family still loves the county, and we have had some great holidays there. We have eaten in the Admiral Benbow restaurant many times. My parents took me there as a youngster, and my most recent visit was with my own grandchildren. My Granny had a grand big house at the top of a hill overlooking Mount's Bay. I remember the view from it as if it were yesterday!

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  31. Thimble Fingers3 March 2015 at 01:15

    What a beautiful place to visit. I remember Poldark, and will look out for the remark coming on tele soon.

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  32. Bobbie Lynn3 March 2015 at 13:33

    Fascinating photos Sarah, You live in a beautiful part of the world. Thank you for always sharing with us.
    Have a lovely day.
    Blessings,
    Bobbie Lynn

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  33. Patricia3 March 2015 at 19:44

    Lovely post Sarah with some stunning photos. I visited that coastline at St Agnes a few years ago and loved it there. Those wild flowers are gorgeous. I never saw the original Poldark back in the day but looking forward to watching it this time around. Have a good week. P x

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  34. Linda3 March 2015 at 20:04

    Wonderful post, Sarah! Your photos are beautiful and captivating. Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  35. Things and Thoughts3 March 2015 at 20:53

    It seems that Corwall is a region of an outstanding natural beauty.The cliffs, the houses, the painting give us the essence of the whole area. Lovely pictures Sarah!

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  36. HWIT BLOGG3 March 2015 at 21:19

    Your blog is just stunning and I love every post! You really live in a beautiful country...
    Have a happy week, take care!
    Titti

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  37. Anonymous5 March 2015 at 09:28

    I've never been to Cornwall but I'm sure I shall go. Seeing your pictures made me feel a little nostalgia about England in general too, The last picture in particular remind me of Rottingdean, a small village close to Brighton where I often used to go.

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  38. Lowcarb team member5 March 2015 at 22:20

    Cornwall is lovely .. so too Dorset and Hampshire. In fact we are fortunate to have many beautiful and interesting counties.Your photo's look great I particularly love the one with flowers perching on the wall/ cliff side.

    All the best Jan

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  39. Tori Dickey6 March 2015 at 20:43

    Wow it really is stunning there. Beautiful pictures Sarah :).

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  40. Annie Cholewa7 March 2015 at 22:13

    It is years and years since I've been to Cornwall, and now I'm remembering what I so love about the place :)

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  41. Charlotte8 March 2015 at 19:25

    Absolutely beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!

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  42. artistfriend13 March 2015 at 19:16

    I also love the erigeron photograph. I do manage to grow it in Scotland but it struggles some years to survive a wet winter. I first saw it in Christopher Lloyd's garden, sprinkling down the steps.. It does strike very easily from cuttings..

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  43. Lee22 March 2015 at 19:54

    Fantastic pics.I live in St.Agnes,come visit this year.

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