View source for Penzance

{{Short description|Town in Cornwall, England}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Penzance
| country = England
| region = South West England
| static_image_name = PZHARBOURPANORAMA.jpg
| static_image_caption = A panorama of Penzance
| population = 20,734
| population_ref = (Parish, 2021)<ref name=2021census>{{cite web |title=2021 Census Parish Profiles |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2021_pp |website=NOMIS |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=31 March 2025}} (To get individual parish data, use the query function on table PP002.)</ref><br>{{nowrap|14,960 (Built up area, 2021)<ref name=bua>{{cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |website=Census 2021 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>}}
| os_grid_reference = SW475306
| coordinates = {{coord|50.119|-5.537|display=inline,title}}
| post_town = PENZANCE
| postcode_area = TR
| postcode_district = TR18
| dial_code = 01736
| constituency_westminster = [[St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)|St Ives]]
| civil_parish = Penzance
| unitary_england = [[Cornwall Council|Cornwall]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Cornwall]]
| cornish_name = Pennsans
| website = [http://www.penzance-tc.gov.uk// www.penzance-tc.gov.uk]
| static_image_2 = 
| static_image_2_caption = The council's logo
| type = Town
}}

'''Penzance''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ɛ|n|ˈ|z|æ|n|s}} {{respell|pen|ZANSS|'}}; {{langx|kw|Pennsans}})<ref>Official Maga Placenames list, November 2012; [http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 p. 520] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515091028/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 |date=15 May 2013 }}</ref> is a town, [[civil parish]] and [[port]] in [[Cornwall]], England. It lies {{convert|64|miles|km|0}} west-southwest of [[Plymouth]], {{convert|255|miles|km|0}} west-southwest of [[London]], and {{convert|9|miles|km|0}} east of [[Land's End]]. [[Penzance railway station]] is the terminus of the [[Cornish Main Line]] and is both the southernmost and westernmost station in England. Situated in the shelter of [[Mount's Bay]], the town faces south-east onto the [[English Channel]]. As well as Penzance itself, the parish also includes the [[fishing]] port of [[Newlyn]] and the villages of [[Mousehole]], [[Paul, Cornwall|Paul]], [[Gulval]], and [[Heamoor]]. At the [[2021–2022 United Kingdom censuses|2021 census]] the population of the parish was 20,734 and the population of the Penzance built up area as defined by the [[Office for National Statistics]] was 14,960.

Penzance was granted a [[market charter]] in 1404 and was formally [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] as a [[ancient borough|borough]] in 1614. Chapel Street has a number of interesting features, including the [[Egyptian House, Penzance|Egyptian House]], The Admiral Benbow [[public house]] (home to a 19th-century smuggling gang and allegedly the inspiration for ''[[Treasure Island]]''{{'}}s "Admiral Benbow Inn"),<ref name="Brandy Men">{{cite news |last1=Gainey |first1=Tom |title=Cornwall's smuggling past - a look at six pubs at the heart of a 'golden age' of criminality |url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/history/cornwalls-smuggling-past-look-six-888128 |publisher=The Cornishman |date=10 December 2017}}</ref> the Union Hotel (including a Georgian [[theatre]] which is no longer in use), and Branwell House, where the mother and aunt of the [[Brontë|Brontë sisters]] once lived. [[Regency style|Regency]] and [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] terraces and houses are common in some parts of the town. The nearby sub-tropical [[Morrab Gardens]] has a large collection of tender trees and shrubs, many of which cannot be grown outdoors anywhere else in the UK. Also of interest is the seafront with its [[promenade]] and the open-air seawater [[Jubilee Pool]], one of the oldest surviving [[Art Deco]] swimming baths in the country.

Penzance is the base of the [[pirate]]s in [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s [[comic opera]] ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]''. At the time the [[libretto]] was written in 1879, Penzance had become popular as a peaceful resort town, so the idea of it being overrun by pirates was amusing to contemporaries.
[[File:PENZANCE PANO NOVEMBER 2021editweb.jpg|thumb|Penzance panorama]]

==Toponymy==
Penzance—''Pennsans''; "holy headland" in the [[Cornish language]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mills |first=Anthony David |title=Dictionary of English Place-Names |date=1991 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0192831313 |page=257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mills |first=Anthony David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tXucAQAAQBAJ&q=0192831313 |title=A Dictionary of British Place Names |date=20 October 2011 |isbn=9780199609086 |page=366 |publisher=OUP Oxford |access-date=14 October 2018 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>—refers to the location of a chapel nowadays called [[Anthony the Great|St Anthony's]] that is said{{by whom|date=December 2023}} to have stood over a thousand years ago on the headland to the west of what became Penzance Harbour. There are no early documents mentioning an actual dedication to St Anthony which seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless.<ref name="Pool" />{{Rp|pages=13–15}} The only remaining object from this chapel is a carved figure, now largely eroded, known as "St Raffidy" which can be found in the churchyard of the parish church of St Mary's near the original site of the chapel.<ref name="Pool" /> Until the 1930s this history was also reflected in the choice of [[symbol]] for the town, the severed "holy head" of [[St John the Baptist]]. His head is shown on the civic [[regalia]] of the [[Mayor]] of Penzance<ref name="seal">{{cite web|url=https://www.penzance-tc.gov.uk/coat-of-arms/|title=Coat of Arms|website= www.penzance-tc.gov.uk|date=14 May 2024}}</ref> and on the northern side of the Market House in the town.<ref name="seal"/>

==History==
===Prehistory to Early Medieval period===
About 400 prehistoric stone axes, known as Group 1 axes and made from [[Elvan|greenstone]], have been found all over Britain, which from [[petrological]] analysis appear to come from west Cornwall.<ref>Markham, M. & Floyd, P. A. (1998) "Geochemical Fingerprinting of West Cornish Greenstones as an aid to Provenancing Neolithic Axes". Read at the Annual Conference of the Ussher Society, January 1998</ref> Although the quarry has not been identified, it has been suggested that the ''Gear'', a rock now submerged half a mile from the shore at Penzance, may be the site. A significant amount of trade is indicated as many have been found elsewhere in Britain.<ref name="Pool">Pool, Peter A S (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance.'' Penzance: The Corporation of Penzance.</ref> The earliest evidence of settlement in Penzance is from the [[Bronze Age]]. A number of bronze implements such as a [[palstave]], a spear-head, a knife, and pins, along with much pottery and large quantities of charcoal were discovered when building a new housing estate, at Tredarvah, to the west of Alverton.<ref>"Excavation News, 1963–1964: Tredarvah, Penzance". ''Cornish Archaeology''. {{date}} p. 85</ref> The defensive earthwork known as [[Lescudjack Hill Fort|Lescudjack Castle]] is not excavated, but almost certainly belongs to the [[Iron Age]].<ref>[[Craig Weatherhill|Weatherhill, Craig]] ''Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly'' (Alison Hodge 1985; Halsgrove 1997, 2000)</ref> A single rampart encloses three acres of hilltop, and would have dominated the approach to the area from the east. There are no signs of the additional ramparts reported by [[William Hals]] in about 1730,<ref name="Pool" /> and the site is now surrounded by housing with allotments. Excavations in 2008, {{convert|1|km}} to the west at [[Penwith College]] found an enclosure ditch and pottery indicating a settlement, and an evolving field system with ditches and interconnecting pits suggesting water management.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Gossip |first1=James |title=Penwith College, Penzance Cornwall. Archaeological recording in advance of redevelopment: Archive report |last2=Thorpe, Carl |publisher=Cornwall Council |year=2010 |location=Truro}}</ref> There are traces of a rampart and ditch to the west of Penzance at Mount Misery, and an [[Lesingey Round|oval rampart and ditch at Lesingey]] above the [[St Just in Penwith|St Just]] road, which together with Lescudjack, overlook the coast of Penzance and Newlyn.<ref>Russell, V. (1971) ''West Penwith Survey''. Truro: Cornwall Archaeological Society</ref>

Until recently, there was little evidence for anything but an early and short Roman occupation of Cornwall, and there have so far been only three finds in Penzance. In August 1899 two coins of [[Vespasian]] (69–79 AD) were found in an ancient trench in Penzance Cemetery.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coin Roman Reign of Vespasian |url=https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1975.653 |access-date=14 October 2018 |website=Penlee House: Gallery and Museum, Penzanace}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Coin of The Reign of Vespasian |url=https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1975.652 |access-date=14 October 2018 |website=Penlee House: Gallery and Museum, Penzance}}</ref> The coins were eight feet below ground together with some cow bones, and are now in the [[Penlee House|Penlee House Museum]]. Another coin, found in 1934 in the Alverton area, depicts [[Sol (Roman mythology)|Sol]], the Roman sun god.<ref name="PenleeH">{{Cite web |title=Roman Coin |url=https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1975.651 |access-date=14 October 2018 |website=Penlee House: Gallery and Museum, Penzance}}</ref> It is described as a ″''coin of the reign of Constantine the Great''″, and was also donated to the museum.<ref name="PenleeH" /> A 30&nbsp;mm (1 3/16&nbsp;in)'' [[sestertius]]'' was found on a building site in or around Penzance about ten years previously, and was presented to the [[Royal Institution of Cornwall]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Penhallurick |first=Roger David |title=Ancient and Early Medieval Coins from Cornwall & Scilly |publisher=[[Royal Numismatic Society]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-901405-49-4 |editor-last=Guest |editor-first=Peter S W |location=Londo|editor-last2=Wells |editor-first2=Nicholas}}</ref> Larger quantities of Roman coins have been found nearby, at [[Marazion Marsh]] and [[Kerris]] in Paul parish, but there is no evidence of any Roman settlement in the area, although nearby villages such as [[Chysauster]] were occupied at this time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roman coin |url=https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1975.650 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015002921/https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1975.650 |archive-date=15 October 2018 |access-date=14 October 2018 |website=Penlee House: Gallery and Museum, Penzance}}</ref><ref>Haverfield, F. & Taylor, M. V. (1934) "Romano-British Cornwall"; 38. In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance.'' Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref>

The [[Hundreds of Cornwall|Hundred]] of [[Penwith Hundred|Penwith]] had its ancient centre at [[Gwithian|Connerton]], now buried beneath the sands of Gwithian Towans at [[Gwithian]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gwithian |url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CON/Gwithian |access-date=23 January 2019 |website=[[GENUKI]]}}</ref> The [[Manor of Alverton]], with an area of 64 Cornish acres, gave its name to the second largest tithing in Penwith. The manor included Penzance as well as parts of Madron, Paul, St Buryan and Sancreed.

Although Penzance is not mentioned in the survey document the [[Domesday Book]], it is likely that the area would have been included. Domesday records that in 1066 the Manor of Alwarton was owned by Alward who was dispossessed by [[Robert, Count of Mortain]], a half-brother of [[William the Conqueror]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Domesday & other notes |url=https://west-penwith.org.uk/penzance.htm#domesday |access-date=23 January 2019 |website=West Penwith Resources}}</ref> The name Alward and ''tun'', a personal name combined with a town or settlement suffix, indicate Saxon land ownership. In Cornwall the ''tun'' indicates a manorial centre such as [[Helston]] or Connerton. The change of ownership in 1066 was a change from one alien landlord to another, and the name Alverton lives on as the western part of Penzance from [[St John's Hall, Penzance|St John's Hall]], to the housing estate on the west side of the River Laregan.<ref name="Pool" />

===High and Late Middle Ages===
[[File:St Raffidy.jpg|thumb|The stone in the churchyard known as St Raffidy]]
The first mention of the name Pensans is in the [[Assize]] Roll of 1284,<ref>Gover, J. E. B. "Unpublished typescript on Cornish Place Names, RIC 614". In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref> and the first mention of the actual church that gave Penzance its name is in a manuscript written by William Borlase in 1750: ″The ancient chapel belonging to the town of Penzance may be seen in a fish cellar, near the key; it is small and as I remember had the image of the Virgin Mary in it.″<ref>Borlase, William (1750) "MS Parochial Memoranda (BM Egerton MSS 2657) (copy at RIC)". In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref> The chapel was built of [[Elvan|greenstone]] and about 30&nbsp;ft in length and 15&nbsp;ft in breadth of which only a fragment remained ''in situ''. In around 1800 the chapel was converted to a fish cellar. A carving in "Ludgvan granite" thought to be of [[Anthony the Great|St Anthony]] was removed in about 1830 and was used in the wall of a pig sty, which was further vandalised in 1850 when "a stranger ... taking fancy to the stony countenance and rough hands, they were broken off and carried away as relics ...". The remains of the vandalised relic were taken to St Mary's Churchyard by a mason who told Mr Millett that he "popped St Raffidy into a wheelbarrow and trundle him off to the chapel yard."<ref>Millett, G. B. (1880) ''PZPP II 7–13''. In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref> The carving remains in St Mary's Churchyard and has been dated by Prof [[Charles Thomas (historian)|Charles Thomas]] as early 12th century. There are no early documents mentioning the dedication to St Anthony; this seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless. A licence for Divine Service in the Chapel of [[Gabriel|St Gabriel]] and [[Raphael (archangel)|St Raphael]] was granted in 1429, but nothing more is known of this chapel except, possibly, for the mason who mentioned ″St Raffidy″ in 1850. Adjoining the chapel is St Anthony's Gardens, named in 1933 and containing an archway said to have been taken from the chapel site.<ref name="Pool" />

Dominating the skyline above the harbour is the present church of St Mary's. A St Mary's Chapel is mentioned in a 1548 document which states that it was founded by Sir Henry Tyes, Knight, Lord of the Manor of Alverton, who gave a £4 [[stipend]] for a priest.<ref>Snell, L. S. (1953) "The Chantry Certificates for Cornwall". In: Pool P. A. S. (1974) ''History of the Borough and Town of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance</ref> There is an earlier document from 1379, when Bishop Brantyngham licensed for services "the chapel of Blessed Mary of Pensande".<ref>"Exeter Episcopal Registers (note 25) Brantyngham I 395". In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''History of the Borough and Town of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance</ref> At this date it was a [[chapel of ease]] to the parish church at [[Madron]].<ref name="Pool" /> Further evidence of historical settlement from this period is in the St Clare area of the town, where a chapel existed to St Clare or Cleer. The earliest reference is a lease of 1584: "...a certain chapel situate below the high road between Pensaunce and Madderne."<ref>"Lease, Queen Elizabeth to Thomas Betts, 2 Dec 1584". In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref> In the early part of the 19th century the foundations of a building, said to be the chapel, was discovered, and enough was exposed to show the shape of the building.<ref>Courtney, J. S. (1845) "Half a Century of Penzance (1825–1875), edited by Louise Courtney, 1878". In: Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: Corporation of Penzance.</ref> An episcopal licence cannot be traced for this chapel.<ref name="Pool" /> The name, St Clare, lives on in the town as "St Clare Street", which is part of the road from Penzance to Madron, and the St Clare cricket ground at the top of the hill.

;Medieval economy
Markets were held on a fixed day each week, and fairs on fixed date(s) each year. To obtain either, a manorial lord had to apply for a [[royal charter]]. The right to hold a market each Wednesday was granted by [[Edward III of England|King Edward III]] to Alice de Lisle, sister of Lord Tyes and widow of Warin de Lisle, on 25 April 1332; a fair, lasting seven days at the Feast of St Peter ''ad Vincula'' on 1 August; and another fair of seven days on 24 August at Mousehole for the feast of St Bartholomew – later to be held in Penzance. The settlement was growing in importance as the weekly Wednesday market was confirmed by [[Henry IV of England|King Henry IV]] and three further fairs, each of two days, were granted on 8 April 1404. These were at the Feast of the Conception of Virgin Mary (8 December), St Peter ''in Cathedra'' (22 February) and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (8 September).<ref name="Pool" />

It is not known when a quay was built at Penzance as there is no grant or licence, but an Inquest as to the Manor of Alverton in 1322 records eight fishing boats each paying 2 shillings each, and an unspecified number at Mousehole each paying 12 shillings. There was also a payment of 8 shillings for the rent of ''logii'' (huts or sheds) of foreign fishermen, i.e. those outside the manor. At a second Inquest in 1327 the number had risen to 13 at Penzance; with 16 recorded at Mousehole and both now paying only 1 shilling each: the total rent for ''logii'' was 8s 6d (42{{frac|1|2}}p) with 17 tenants paying 6d (2{{frac|1|2}}p) each. Both Inquests record 29 [[Burgess (title)|burgess]]es at Penzance and 40 at Mousehole. A burgess paid his rent with money rather than with personal services, and this indicates that Penzance and Mousehole were considered to be towns.<ref>"Extent of the Property of Henry Tyes in the Manor of Alverton. Transcribed from the Latin by Paul Brand". Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: The Corporation of Penzance.</ref> A comparison of the settlements in West Cornwall can be made with the annual payments, based on the number of fishing boats, made to the [[Duchy of Cornwall]] in 1337: Porthia (St Ives) £6; Mosehole (Mousehole) £5; Marcasion (Marazion) £3; Pensanns (Penzance) 12s (60p); Londeseynde (Land's End), (Sennen Cove) 10s (50p); Nywelyn (Newlyn) 10s; and Portmynster (Porthminster, St Ives) 2s (10p).<ref name="Pool" /> In 1425, 1432 and 1440 ships in Penzance were licensed to carry pilgrims to the shrine of [[Santiago de Compostela|St James of Compostella]], in north-west [[Spain]].<ref>48th Report Deputy Keeper of Public Record (1887) 236, 298, 335. In Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''. Penzance: The Corporation of Penzance.</ref>

In medieval times and later, Penzance was subject to frequent raiding by "Turkish pirates", in fact [[Barbary Corsairs]].<ref>Canon Diggens Archive 1910</ref> Throughout the period before Penzance gained borough status in 1614 the village and surrounding areas continued to be within the control of the Manor of Alverton and was subject to the taxation regime of that manor.

===Early modern period===
====Tudor period====
In the summer of 1578 Penzance was visited by the [[Bubonic plague|plague]]. The burial registers of Madron (where all Penzance births, deaths and marriages were recorded) shows a massive increase in deaths for 1578, from 12 the previous year to 155. This is estimated to be about 10% of the population of the village at the time. The plague also returned in 1647 and the registers again show an increase of from 22 burials to 217 in one year.<ref>Notes on the Madron Parish Registers -Canon Jennings</ref>

Being at the far west of Cornwall, Penzance and the surrounding villages have been sacked many times by foreign fleets. On 23 July 1595,<ref>Trelease, G. M. ''A History of the Church in Paul Parish''</ref> several years after the [[Spanish Armada]] of 1588, a Spanish force of four galleys transporting 400 arquebusiers under [[Don (honorific)|Don]] [[Carlos de Amesquita]], which had been patrolling the Channel, landed troops in [[Cornwall]]. The local militias, which formed the cornerstone of their anti-invasion measures and numbered several hundred men, threw down their arms and fled in panic. Only Francis Godolphin, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and commander of the militias along with 12 of his soldiers stood to offer some kind of resistance. Amesquita's force seized supplies, [[Battle of Cornwall|raided and burned]] Penzance and surrounding villages, held a mass, and sailed away to successfully engage and put to flee a Dutch squadron of 46 ships.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 March 2003 |title=West Penwith Resources – The Spanish Attack – 1595 |url=http://west-penwith.org.uk/raid.htm |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=West-penwith.org.uk}}</ref>

====Penzance as a town since 1614====
The reason for Penzance's relative success probably stems from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries when King Henry IV granted the town a royal market in 1404.<ref>Grant of Market to Thomas Lord Berkley 8 April 1404</ref> [[Henry VIII]] in 1512 granted the right to charge harbour dues,<ref name="P50">{{cite book |author1=Michael Sagar-Fenton |title=Penzance in 50 Buildings |date=2017 |publisher=[[Amberley Publishing]] |isbn=9781445665863 |pages=7–8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pool |first=Peter Aubrey Seymour |year=1971 |title=The Penzance Harbour Charter of 1512 |url=https://peterpool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Penzance-Harbour-Charter-of-1512-RIC-Journal-1971.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929135420/https://peterpool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Penzance-Harbour-Charter-of-1512-RIC-Journal-1971.pdf |archive-date=29 September 2020 |access-date=27 June 2023 |publisher=[[Royal Institution of Cornwall|Royal Institution of Cornwall Journal]] |via=peterpool.co.uk}}</ref> and [[James VI and I|King James I]] granted the town the status of a Borough in 1614. The charter defined the bounds of the town as being the area within a half-mile radius from the market cross in the Greenmarket.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Millett |first=G.B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nfUGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA2 |title=The Official Guide to Penzance |date=1876 |publisher=Beare and Son |location=Penzance |pages=2–3|access-date=1 July 2017}}</ref> The charter gave the town the right to hold certain courts, own land and property, impose fines for breaking [[bylaws]], and to provide a prison. The charter also confirmed the harbour rights given earlier in 1512 and granted two weekly markets to be held on Tuesdays and Thursday, which replaced a single market previously held on Wednesdays. Seven fairs were granted (or confirmed):
* [[Corpus Christi (feast)|Corpus Christi]], the Sunday after [[Whitsun]] – still held
* The Thursday before St Andrew's Day (30 November)
* St Peter's Day (1 August); first granted in 1332
* St Bartholomew's Day (24 August); originally granted to [[Mousehole]] but now obsolete probably due to the [[Battle of Cornwall|Spanish Raid of 1595]]
* St Mary the Virgin's Day (8 September); granted in 1404
* The Conception of St Mary the Virgin's Day (8 September); granted in 1404
* [[Feast of the Chair of Peter|St Peter's Day in Cathedra]] (22 February); granted in 1404
[[The Crown]] was paid a perpetual rent of five marks (£3 6s 8d / £3.33) in acknowledgment of the rights granted by the Charter, which was paid until 1832, but there was no grant of Parliamentary representation.<ref name="Pool" />

The old arms of Penzance were the head of St John the Baptist on a charger, with the legend "Pensans anno Domini 1614". The arms of the borough are Arg. a Paschal lamb proper in base a Maltese cross Az. on a chief embattled of the last between two keys in saltire wards upwards Or and a saltire couped Arg. a plate charged with a dagger point downwards Gu.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pascoe |first=W. H. |title=A Cornish Armory |publisher=Lodenek Press |year=1979 |isbn=0-902899-76-7 |location=Padstow, Cornwall |page=134}}</ref>

Within a year the new Borough bought a "substantial degree of freedom" from the [[Manor of Alverton]] then known as Alverton and Penzance for £34 plus a perpetual annuity of £1 which was last paid in 1936.<ref name="Pool" /> A market-house and Guildhall was built, and together with the rights bought in 1615, provided almost all the borough income for more than two centuries.<ref name="Pool" /> The southern arm of the pier was built in 1766 and extended in 1785,<ref name="Kittridge 1989">{{Cite book |last=Kittridge |first=Alan |title=Cornwall's Maritime Heritage |publisher=[[Twelveheads Press]] |year=1989 |isbn=0-906294-15-0 |location=Truro}}</ref> to add to the [[South Pier, Penzance|first pier]] of which was built prior to 1512.<ref name="Guthrie 1994">{{Cite book |last=Guthrie |first=A. |title=Cornwall in the Age of Steam |publisher=Tabb House |year=1994 |isbn=1-873951-16-7 |location=Padstow}}</ref>

During the [[English Civil War]] Penzance was sacked by the Parliamentarian forces of Sir [[Thomas Fairfax]] apparently for the kindness shown to [[George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich|Lord Goring]] and [[Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton|Lord Hopton]]'s troops during the conflict.<ref>Lewis, Samuel (1831) ''Topographical Dictionary of England''</ref>

Further civic improvements included the construction in 1759 of a reservoir which supplied water to public pumps in the streets.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Alan |title=Cornwall Through the Mid 19th Century |publisher=Kingfisher Railway Publications |year=1987 |isbn=0-946184-26-7 |location=Southampton}}</ref> In 1768 a friendly society of Tradesmen was formed at Penzance with 101 members living within three miles of the town. The members met on the first Monday in each month at the King's Head, kept by Richard Runnals. The benefits of the Society were: a member being sick, lame or infirm would receive seven shillings a week. [gout and rupture were common, and excepted from payment unless 'needful'. Aged and infirm members were allowed 3/6p per week. Three pounds was given toward the funeral of a member and 10 pounds to the widow or children. All members were to attend the funeral or be fined a shilling. How long this association lasted is not known.<ref>The Eva Collection of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (RIC)</ref>

====1755 seiche====
On 1 November 1755 the [[1755 Lisbon earthquake|Lisbon earthquake]] caused [[Seiche|seiching]], a form of [[standing wave]] in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water, along the Cornish coast, and particularly in Mount's Bay, which is prone to seiching. At around 2:00&nbsp;pm, the sea rose {{convert|8|ft|spell=in|1}} in Penzance, came in at great speed, and fell at the same rate. Little damage was recorded.<ref>[http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm/index.cfm?articleid=5772] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033857/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm/index.cfm?articleid=5772|date=30 September 2007}}</ref>

===19th century===

====1801–1848====
[[File:Penzance, Egyptian house.jpg|thumb|Egyptian House]]
At the start of the 19th century (1801), the town had a population of 2,248. The census, which is taken every ten years, recorded a peak population in 1861 of 3,843, but it then declined, as in most of Cornwall, through the remainder of the century, being just 3,088 in 1901.<ref name="UK & Ireland Genealogogy - Penzance">{{Cite web |title=Penzance |url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Penzance/index.html#Population |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923052909/http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Penzance/index.html#Population |archive-date=23 September 2013 |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=GENUKI}}</ref>

By the time [[Queen Victoria]] came to the throne in 1837, Penzance had established itself as an important regional centre. The [[Royal Geological Society of Cornwall]] was founded in the town in 1814<ref>{{Cite book |title=Murray's Handbook of Devon and Cornwall |publisher=John Murray |year=1859 |location=London}}</ref> and about 1817 was responsible for introducing a miner's safety tamping bar, which attracted the [[George IV|Prince Regent]] to become its patron.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Brief History of Penzance |url=https://www.picturepenzance.com/pages/Penzance-History/ |access-date=15 October 2018 |website=Picture Penzance}}</ref>

The first [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboat]] in Cornwall was bought by the people of Penzance in 1803 but it was sold in 1812 due to lack of funds to keep it in operation.<ref name="Lifeboat">{{Cite book |last=Leach |first=Nicholas |title=Cornwall's Lifeboat Heritage |publisher=Twelveheads Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-906294-43-6 |location=Chacewater |page=41 |orig-year=2000}}</ref> The pier had been extended again in 1812 and John Matthews opened a small dry dock in 1814, the first in the [[South West England|South West]]. In 1840 Nicholas Holman of [[St Just in Penwith|St Just]] opened a branch of his foundry business on the quayside.<ref name="Carter 49–64">{{Cite journal |last=Carter |first=Clive |title=If it's metal take it to Holman's |journal=Archive |publisher=Lightmoor Press |volume=3 |pages=49–64}}</ref> These facilities proved valuable in supporting the steamships that were soon calling at the harbour in increasing numbers.

Gas lighting was introduced in 1830 and the old Market House was demolished in 1836. [[Market Building, Penzance|Its replacement]], designed by W. Harris of [[Bristol]], was completed at the top of Market Jew Street in 1838. (The name Market Jew comes from the [[Cornish language]] ''Marghas Yow'', meaning ''Thursday Market'', the name of a nearby village now absorbed into [[Marazion]], to which Market Jew Street leads.<ref>{{Cite book |last=O.J. Padel |title=A Popular History of Cornish Place-Names |publisher=Alison Hodge |year=1988 |author-link=Oliver Padel}}</ref>) St Mary's Church, another prominent feature of the Penzance skyline, was completed in 1836, while a [[Roman Catholic]] church was built in 1843. Another familiar building from this period is the eccentric [[Egyptian House, Penzance|Egyptian House]] in Chapel Street, built in 1830. The first part of the Promenade along the sea front dates from 1844.

====1849–1900====
After the passing of the [[Local board of health#Public Health Act 1848|Public Health Act 1848]], Penzance was one of the first towns to petition to take on the powers to improve public health allowed by the act, doing so in September that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=To: The General Board of Health. From: Richard Pearce, Mayor, Penzance [Cornwall]. ... |url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14904483 |access-date=14 October 2018 |website=National Archive}}</ref> A report by a government inspector in February 1849 found that most streets were [[macadam]]ised or sometimes paved, and the town was lit by 121 gas lamps from October to March each year, although they were not lit when there was a full moon. Water was supplied from 6 public pumps, and there were a further 53 private wells. There were no sewage pipes at the time, waste being collected from the main streets by a refuse cart.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Alan |title=Cornwall Through the Mid Nineteenth Century |publisher=Kingfisher Railway Publications |year=1987 |isbn=0-946184-26-7 |location=Southampton}}</ref> The borough council was therefore given powers to act as a local board of health under the terms of the act in September 1849, giving it powers to lay sewers, improve water supply and improve the paving and lighting of the streets.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lawes |first1=Edward |title=The Act for promoting the Public Health, with notes |date=1851 |pages=258–259 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Act_for_promoting_the_Public_Health/MRJXAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA258&printsec=frontcover |access-date=5 September 2025}}</ref>

Penzance was connected to the Electric Telegraph network in 1863 when the [[Electric Telegraph Company|Electric and International Telegraph Company]] opened stations at Truro, Redruth, Penzance, Camborne, Liskard and St Austell.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Electric and International Telegraph Co. |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003586/19550407/096/0009  |newspaper=Royal Cornwall Gazette |location=England |date=18 September 1863 |access-date=23 March 2025 |via=British Newspaper Archive }}</ref>

;Railway station
[[Penzance railway station]], the terminus of the [[West Cornwall Railway]], opened on 11 March 1852<ref name="Langley">{{Cite book |last1=Langley |first1=RC |title=The West Cornwall Railway |last2=Jenkins, SC |publisher=Oakwood Press |year=2002 |isbn=0-85361-589-6 |location=Usk}}</ref> on the eastern side of the harbour, although trains only ran to [[Redruth]] at first. From 25 August 1852 the line was extended to [[Truro railway station|Truro]], but the [[Cornwall Railway]] linking that place with [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]] was not opened until 4 May 1859. Passengers and goods had to change trains at Truro as the West Cornwall had been built using the {{RailGauge|ussg}} [[standard gauge]], but the Cornwall Railway was built to the {{RailGauge|7ft}} [[broad gauge]]. The West Cornwall Railway Act included a clause that it would be converted to broad gauge once it had been connected to another broad gauge line, but the company could not raise the funds to do so.

The line was sold to the [[Great Western Railway]] and its "Associated Companies" (the [[Bristol and Exeter Railway]] and [[South Devon Railway Company|South Devon Railway]]) on 1 January 1866. The new owners quickly converted the line to [[Dual gauge|mixed gauge]] using three rails so that both broad and "narrow" trains could operate. Broad gauge [[goods train]]s started running in November that year, with through passenger trains running to [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]] from 1 March 1867.<ref>{{Cite book |last=MacDermot |first=ET |title=History of the Great Western Railway, Vol. 2 1863–1921 |publisher=[[Great Western Railway]] |year=1931 |location=London}}</ref> The last broad gauge train arrived at 8.49pm on 20 May 1892, having left London Paddington at 10.15am that morning. The two locomotives, numbers [[GWR 1076 Class|1256]] and [[GWR 3521 Class|3557]], took the carriages away to [[Swindon Works]] at 9.57pm, and all trains since have been standard gauge.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sheppard |first=Geof |year=2002 |title=The Last Broad Gauge Train |journal=Broadsheet |publisher=Broad Gauge Society |volume=47 |pages=26–34}}</ref>

The ability of the railway to carry fresh produce to distant markets such as [[Bristol]], London and [[Manchester]] enabled local farmers and fishermen to sell more produce and at better prices. The special "perishable" train soon became a feature of the railway, these being fast extra goods trains carrying [[potato]]es, [[broccoli]] or fish depending on the season. In August 1861, 1,787 tons of potatoes, 867 tons of broccoli, and 1,063 tons of fish were dispatched from the station.<ref name="Bennett">{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Alan |title=The Great Western Railway in West Cornwall |publisher=Runpast Publishing |year=1988 |isbn=1-870754-12-3 |location=Cheltenham}}</ref> Fruit and flowers were also carried; the mild climate around Penzance and on the [[Scilly Isles]] meant that they were ready for market earlier and could command high prices.

The completion of the railway through Cornwall made it easier for tourists and invalids to enjoy the mild climate of Penzance. Bathing machines had been advertised for hire on the beach as early as 1823,<ref name="Guthrie 1994" /> and the town was already "noted for the pleasantness of its situation, the salubrity of its air, and the beauty of its natives".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stockdale |first=F. w. l. |title=Excursions in the County of Cornwall |publisher=Simpkin and Marshall |year=1824 |location=London}} (Reprinted by D. Bradford Barton, Truro, 1972)</ref> The town's first official guide book was published in 1860, and the Queen's Hotel opened on the seafront the following year. It was so successful that it was extended in 1871 and 1908.

;Harbour
[[File:Port de Penzance.JPG|thumb|left|Penzance Harbour.]]
[[File:Penzance harbour light 466.jpg|thumb|upright|The pier head light, with a plaque marking the extension of the Old Pier in 1853.]]
At the same time as the railway was being built more improvements were being made to the harbour, with a second pier on the eastern side of the harbour, the Albert Pier, completed in 1853 to provide even better shelter for shipping.<ref name="Kittridge 1989" /> At the same time the Old Pier was also extended, and a [[lighthouse]] was built on it (replacing an earlier light), commissioned in 1855. The lighthouse (which was originally lit by an oil lamp within a [[Fifth order Fresnel lens|fifth-order Fresnel lens]]) was built by Sandys & co. of [[Hayle]] and displayed a fixed red or green light, depending on the height of the tide.<ref name="RC1861">{{Cite web |year=1861 |title=Lighthouse management: the report of the Royal Commissioners on Lights, Buoys, and Beacons, 1861, examined and refuted Vol. 2 |url=https://archive.org/stream/lighthousemanage02blak#page/350/mode/1up |place=London |page=350}}</ref> It remains operational, displaying a flashing [[sector light]], which is visible up to {{convert|17|nmi|abbr=on}} out to sea.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Penzance South Pier lighthouse |url=https://www.lightphotos.net/photos/displayimage.php?pos=-22494 |access-date=4 June 2019 |website=World of Lighthouses}}</ref>

The Scilly Isles Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1858 and placed in service the first steam ship on the route, ''SS Little Western''. In 1870 the new [[West Cornwall Steam Ship Company]] joined the route, taking over the Scilly Isles Company the following year.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Duckworth |first1=C. l. d. |title=Railway and other Steamers |last2=Langmuir, G. E. |publisher=T. Stephenson |year=1948 |location=Preston}}</ref>

In 1853 the [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution]] stationed one of their boats in the town, the first since 1812, and maintained a station here until 1908 when the Watson Class ''Elizabeth Blanche'' was transferred to Newlyn as the first step towards setting up [[Penlee Lifeboat Station]]. The RNLI still use a boat house built on Jennings Street near the Promenade in 1884 to promote their activities.<ref name=Lifeboat/>

Penzance, with its dry dock and engineering facilities, was chosen as the western depot for [[Trinity House]] that serviced all the lighthouses and [[Lightvessel|lightship]]s from [[Start Point, Devon|Start Point]] to [[Trevose Head]]. It was opened in October 1866<ref name="Carter">{{Cite book |last=Carter |first=C |title=The Port of Penzance |publisher=Black Dwarf Publications |year=1998 |isbn=0-9533028-0-6 |location=Lydney}}</ref> adjacent to the harbour and the [[Buoy]] Store became the Trinity House National Lighthouse Museum until 2005 when [[Trinity House]] closed the museum.

;Improvements
[[File:GWR SRM 45 Penzance.jpg|thumb|left|Inside the new railway station. taken circa 1915]]
In 1875 a local newspaper described the railway station as ''a large dog's house of the nastiest and draughtiest kind''<ref name="Bennett" /> but a series of works improved this part of the town during the 1880s. The original railway station was rebuilt with the present buildings and [[train shed]] over the platforms (1880). The lower end of Market Jew Street was widened and a new road was built to link the station with the harbour over the Ross [[Swing Bridge]] (1881) (named after [[Charles Campbell Ross]]),<ref name="PAS Pools">P. A. S. Pool's ''History of the Borough and Town of Penzance'', 1974</ref> allowing the construction of proper sewers beneath. A larger dry dock replaced Matthews' original facility (1880), and a floating harbour was made (1884) with [[Lock (water transport)|lock]] gates to keep in the water at low tide.

Around the headland, public baths were opened on the Promenade in 1887 and the Morrab Gardens with its sub-tropical plants was opened two years later. A bandstand was added to the gardens in 1897.<ref name="Bennett" />
{{clear left}}

===20th century===
[[File:Market Jew Street - geograph.org.uk - 308023.jpg|thumb|Market Jew Street, Penzance's main street]]
[[File:Abbey Slip full with people swimming and paddleboarding in Penzance.jpg|thumb|Sea swimming is extremely popular in Penzance.  The abbey slip at high tide]]

In 1901 the town had a population of 3,088. The decennial census recorded a continuing decline in population until 1921, when just 2,616 people were recorded. The population then climbed to 4,888 (1931) then 5,545 (1951), with much of the increase between 1931 and 1951 being due to the borough's expansion in 1934 to take in [[Newlyn]], [[Mousehole]], [[Gulval]] and [[Heamoor]]. It was then larger than at any time in the past.<ref name="UK & Ireland Genealogogy - Penzance" />

A proposed electric [[tram]]way along the Promenade to [[Newlyn]], which would have continued as a [[light railway]] to [[St Just in Penwith|St Just]], failed to gain authorisation in 1898. Instead [[GWR road motor services|motor buses]] were put into service on 31 October 1903.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kelley |first=Philip J. |title=Road Vehicles of the Great Western Railway |publisher=Oxford Publishing |year=1973 |isbn=0-902888-12-9 |location=Headington}}</ref> These linked Penzance with [[Marazion]] and were operated by the [[Great Western Railway]], being introduced only 11 weeks after the railway's pioneering service between [[Helston]] and [[the Lizard]]. They were considered a success, carrying 16,091 passengers by the end of the year, so were followed the next spring by further routes to [[Land's End]] and St Just. These services developed into the [[First Kernow]] bus network that currently serves the area and is still centred on a terminus alongside [[Penzance railway station]].

In 1912, Penzance erected its first electric street lamps and the town's first cinema opened.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Penzance |url=http://www.localhistories.org/penzance.html |access-date=15 October 2018 |website=LocalHistories.org}}</ref>

The dry dock was sold on 25 August 1904 to N. Holman and Sons Limited, the engineering business that had been trading in Penzance since 1840. New workshops would be built during the 1930s, and the facility continued to be used by the Scilly ferries and other merchant ships, as well as Trinity House, the [[Royal Navy]] and [[Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service]]. In 1951 a new vessel for the [[King Harry Ferry]] on the [[River Fal]] was launched, built on the keel of an old [[landing craft]]. A steam tug, the ''Primrose'', was built in 1963.<ref name="Carter 49–64"/>

Land was reclaimed beside the Albert Pier in the 1930s to allow the railway station to be enlarged at a cost of £134,000.<ref name="Bennett" /> The 1880 building was retained, but extra platforms and sidings were provided to handle more perishable goods, as well as the increasing numbers of tourists.

In 1905 a new bandstand was built on the Promenade opposite the Queen's Hotel, and the Pavilion Theatre opened nearby in 1911, complete with a roof garden and café.<ref name="Bennett" /> Travel to Penzance was easier than ever, with the Great Western Railway introducing the ''[[Cornish Riviera Express]]'' on 1 July 1904, which left [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]] at 10:10{{nbsp}}am and arrived in Penzance just 7 hours later, two hours faster than the previous quickest service.<ref name="Langley" /> (In 2018 it left Paddington at 10:03{{nbsp}}am and took 5 hours and 8 minutes.) The railway promoted local tourism with postcards that were sold at its railway stations, and an annual guide book, ''[[Cornish Riviera Express#Publicity|The Cornish Riviera]]'', in which [[Petre Mais|SPB Mais]] described the town as "a suburb of Covent Garden, and a great fishing centre ... there is always something going on in its harbour".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mais |first=S. p. b. |title=The Cornish Riviera |publisher=[[Great Western Railway]] |year=1928 |location=London}}</ref>

1923 saw a new road link the harbour area and the Promenade, and in 1933 the St. Anthony Gardens were built, followed two years later by the [[Jubilee Pool]] opposite. Tourists could now make full use of the whole seafront between Penzance and Newlyn harbours.

In the early 1990s, a bypass was built around the town.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Greg |date=2017-12-13 |title=See the abandoned sections of A30 nature is slowly reclaiming |url=http://www.cornwalllive.com/news/history/abandoned-sections-a30-nature-slowly-921649 |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=CornwallLive|quote=newly built Penzance bypass in the early nineties}}</ref>

==Transport==

===Railway===
[[File:Penzance - GWR 802003+802013 London service.JPG|thumb|left|Penzance station]]
[[Penzance railway station]] is sited at the eastern end of Market Jew Street and close to the harbour; it is the southernmost station on the UK mainland rail network. The station is the western terminus of the [[Cornish Main Line]], which runs above the beach to Marazion; this affords passengers good views of [[St. Michael's Mount]] and Mount's Bay.

Services are operated by two [[train operating companies]]:
* [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] operates local services to [[St Erth railway station|St Erth]], [[St Ives railway station|St Ives]], [[Hayle railway station|Hayle]], [[Camborne railway station|Camborne]], [[Redruth railway station|Redruth]] and [[Truro railway station|Truro]]. It provides [[inter-city rail|inter-city]] trains to [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]], [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]], [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol Temple Meads]], [[Reading railway station|Reading]] and [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]]. The ''[[Night Riviera]]'' train offers an overnight [[sleeping car]] service to and from Reading and London. Journey time to Plymouth is typically under 2 hours, to Bristol around 4 hours and London around 5{{frac|1|2}} hours.<ref> {{Cite web |work=Great Western Railway |title=Train Times |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=6 September 2024 |url= https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/train-times |quote=}}</ref>
* [[CrossCountry]] runs a small number of services (departing in the morning, arriving in the evening) providing a service to destinations such as {{Stnlnk|Birmingham New Street}}, {{Stnlnk|Derby}}, {{Stnlnk|Sheffield}}, {{Stnlnk|Leeds}}, {{Stnlnk|York}}, {{Stnlnk|Newcastle}} and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]]. The company previously operated a train from {{rws|Aberdeen}}, with a journey time of over 13 hours. It was the longest direct rail service in the United Kingdom.<ref> {{Cite web |work=CrossCountry |title=Timetables |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=6 September 2024 |url= https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/train-timetables |quote=}}</ref> However, this route was shortened to {{Stnlnk|Plymouth}} as of 16 May 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK’s longest direct train route cancelled by CrossCountry|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/crosscountry-train-aberdeen-penzance-cancelled-b2732873.html |access-date=10 August 2025 |publisher=Independent.co.uk}}</ref> 

===Buses===
The bus and coach station is next to the railway station from where [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] operates coach services to [[London]] [[Victoria Coach Station]] (taking around 9 hours) via [[Heathrow Airport]]. Local bus services run by [[First Kernow]] connect Penzance with most major settlements in Cornwall, including [[Truro]], [[St Ives, Cornwall|St Ives]], [[St Just in Penwith|St Just]], [[St Buryan]], [[Land's End]] and also [[Plymouth]] in Devon.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stops in Penzance |work=Bus Times |date=2024 |access-date=6 September 2024 |url= https://bustimes.org/localities/penzance |quote=}}</ref>

===Roads===
The [[A30 road|A30]] from London to Land's End is a [[trunk road]] as far as the ''Chy-an-Mor'' roundabout, a mile (1.6&nbsp;km) to the east of Penzance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cornwall Council – Roadworks |url=http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4538 |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Cornwall.gov.uk}}</ref> After bypassing Penzance to the north the road continues to Land's End mainly as a rural ''A route''. The A30 provides a fast connection to the [[M5 motorway]] at [[Exeter]] {{convert|111|mi|km}} to the north-east. The distance from Penzance to London is {{convert|275|mi|km}}, with a 5 hour journey time.<ref>Market Jew Street to Trafalgar Square, calculated using [http://www.theaa.com/travel/index.asp The AA Route Planner]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Water===
[[File:Scillonian III Penzance 285.jpg|right|thumb|Scillonian III docked in Penzance Harbour]]
A ferry service operates between Penzance Harbour and the [[Isles of Scilly]]. ''The [[Scillonian III]]'', carries both foot-passengers and cargo; sailing time is about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

===Air===
From 1964 to 2012, and again since 2020, [[Penzance Heliport]] offers a helicopter route to the Isles of Scilly. Until 2012, the service was run by [[British International Helicopters|British International]], but this ended on 1 November 2012 due to rising costs and falling passenger numbers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 August 2012 |title=British International Final Press Release |url=http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/BIH-FINAL-media-release-announcement.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003092014/http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/BIH-FINAL-media-release-announcement.pdf |archive-date=3 October 2012 |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Islesofscillyhelicopter.com}}</ref> The heliport was subsequently demolished and replaced by a supermarket. In 2020, a new heliport opened not far from the location of the previous one and offers again services to the islands of [[Tresco, Isles of Scilly|Tresco]] and [[St Mary's, Isles of Scilly|St Mary's]] (operated by Penzance Helicopters in conjunction with Sloane Helicopters).<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 March 2020 |title=Penzance Helicopters launches new Isles of Scilly helicopter shuttle service |url=https://www.verticalmag.com/news/penzance-helicopters-isles-scilly-helicopter-shuttle-service/ |access-date=30 August 2020 |publisher=verticalmag.com}}</ref> A bus service run by the Skybus Airline Service connects with [[Land's End Airport]] for fixed wing flights (15 minutes) to the Isles of Scilly. The buses leave from the railway station, near the [[Taxicab|taxi]] rank.

[[Newquay Airport]] is 41 miles (66&nbsp;km) away and offers flights to [[Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]], [[Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]], [[Dublin]], [[Cork (city)|Cork]] and many other places, including an increasing number of European destinations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flying from Cornwall. |url=https://www.cornwallairportnewquay.com/flying-from-cornwall |access-date=16 March 2020 |website=Cornwall Airport Newquay}}</ref>

==Governance==
[[File:St John's Hall, Penzance, April 2021.jpg|thumb|[[St John's Hall, Penzance|St John's Hall]]]]
There are two tiers of local government covering Penzance, at [[Parish council (England)|parish]] (town) and [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] level: Penzance Town Council (which generally styles itself "Penzance Council") and [[Cornwall Council]]. The town council has its offices at the Penlee Centre, in the outbuildings of [[Penlee House]], and usually meets at [[St John's Hall, Penzance|St John's Hall]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Our meetings |url=https://www.penzance-tc.gov.uk/our-meetings/ |website=Penzance Council |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>

===Administrative history===
Penzance historically formed part of the [[ancient parish]] of [[Madron]] in the [[Penwith Hundred]] of Cornwall. The town was incorporated as a [[ancient borough|borough]] in 1614.<ref>{{cite book |title=First Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Part 1 |date=1835 |page=571 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/First_Report_of_the_Commissioners_Appoin/7pNRAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA1-PA571&printsec=frontcover |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref> The borough was reformed to become a [[municipal borough]] in 1836 under the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]], which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country.<ref>{{cite book |title=Municipal Corporations Act |date=1835 |page=460 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Statutes_of_the_United_Kingdom_of_Gr/ta8uAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA460&printsec=frontcover |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>
[[File:Old Pzarms.gif|left|thumb|Common seal of the Borough of Penzance, used in lieu of a [[coat of arms]] 1614–1934 (now the Mayoral [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]])]]

The borough remained part of the parish of Madron into the 19th century. From the 17th century onwards, parishes were gradually given various civil functions under the [[poor laws]], in addition to their original ecclesiastical functions. In some cases, including Madron, the civil functions were exercised by subdivisions of the parish rather than the parish as a whole. Poor law functions were administered separately for Penzance and the rest of Madron parish. In 1866, the legal definition of 'parish' was changed to be the areas used for administering the poor laws, and so Penzance became a separate [[civil parish]] from Madron.<ref name=Youngs>{{cite book |last1=Youngs |first1=Frederic |title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume I, Southern England |date=1979 |publisher=Royal Historical Society |location=London |isbn=0901050679 |pages=xvi, 65}}</ref>{{efn|The boundary between Penzance and Madron adopted for poor law purposes, which therefore became the civil parish boundary in 1866, differed slightly from the borough boundary. Whereas the borough boundary was defined mathematically as a half mile radius from the market cross in the Greenmarket, the civil parish boundary followed identifiable features on the ground. When the [[Local Government Act 1894]] split parishes which straddled borough boundaries, this led to the creation of two new civil parishes called "Madron in Penzance" covering the bits of the old Madron civil parish inside the circle of the borough of Penzance, and "Penzance in Madron" covering the bits of the old Penzance civil parish outside the circle of the borough boundary. Both these parishes comprised multiple thin slithers of land around the edge of the borough.<ref>{{cite web |title=Diagram of Cornwall showing administrative boundaries, 1899 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/241891876 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref> These two unusual parishes endured until they were abolished as part of a wider review of parish and borough boundaries in 1934. As [[urban parish]]es, neither had parish councils.<ref>{{cite web |title=Penzance in Madron Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10192419 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Madron in Penzance Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10067730 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref>}} In ecclesiastical terms, Penzance had been a [[chapelry]] to Madron, but had its own clergy from 1741.<ref name=Youngs/> Penzance eventually also became a separate [[ecclesiastical parish]] from Madron in 1871.<ref>{{cite book |title=Kelly's Directory of Cornwall |date=1914 |page=276 |url=https://leicester.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/296328/rec/1 |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 January 2012 |title=Penzance St Mary |url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Penzance/StMary/index.html#Cemeteries |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908053357/http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Penzance/StMary/index.html#Cemeteries |archive-date=8 September 2013 |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=[[GENUKI]]}}</ref>

In 1934 the borough absorbed the nearby settlements of [[Newlyn]], Paul and [[Mousehole]] (from [[Paul Urban District]]), [[Gulval]] (from [[West Penwith Rural District]]) and [[Heamoor]] (from [[Madron Urban District]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Penzance Municipal Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10042331 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>

The borough of Penzance was abolished in 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], when the area became part of the [[Penwith]] district.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref> The area of the former borough became [[Unparished area|unparished]] under the 1974 reforms, and the Penwith district councillors representing the area acted as [[charter trustees]] for the town. In 1980 a new civil parish of Penzance was created, covering the area of the pre-1974 borough.<ref>{{cite book |title=Alteration of areas and status of local authorities, October 1979 to April 1980 |date=1980 |publisher=Department of the Environment |location=London |pages=1 |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20221201175812mp_/https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/17511/bulletin79-80.pdf |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref> The new parish council declared the parish to be a town, allowing it to take the name Penzance Town Council and allowing the chair of the council to take the title of [[mayors in England|mayor]]. The [[List of Mayors of Penzance|Mayor of Penzance]] is appointed every year in May. Though much of their time is taken up with ceremonial duties, they work closely with the town clerk and Cornwall Council to deliver a wide range of services and amenities for the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the Council |url=https://www.penzancetowncouncil.co.uk/town-council |access-date=26 November 2019 |publisher=Penzance Town Council}}</ref>

The civil parish of Penzance was extended in 2004 to include Eastern Green, formerly part of the civil parish of [[Ludgvan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 July 2011 |title=The District of Penwith (Electoral Changes) Order 2002 |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022593.htm |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Opsi.gov.uk}}</ref> 

Penwith district was abolished in 2009. Cornwall County Council then took on district-level functions, making it a unitary authority, and was renamed Cornwall Council.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 2008|year=2008|number=491|access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Other Provision) Order 2009|year=2009|number=837|article=3}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Penzance Aerial.jpg|left|thumb|Penzance Harbour and surrounding area as seen from the air]]
The economy of Penzance has, like those of many Cornish communities, suffered from the decline of the traditional industries of fishing, mining and agriculture. Penzance now has a mixed economy consisting of light industrial, tourism and retail businesses. However, like the rest of [[Cornwall]], housing remains comparatively expensive, wages low and unemployment high. In 2007, house prices rose 274% from 10 years prior, the fastest rise in the UK.<ref>BBC article 27 October 2007, House price report</ref> The fishing port of [[Newlyn]], which falls within the parish boundaries, provides some employment in the area, but has also been greatly affected by the decline in the fishing industry over the last 30 years. In the 2004 index of deprivation Penzance is listed as having 3 wards within the top 10% for employment deprivation, Penzance East (125th most deprived in England) Penzance West (200th most deprived in England), and Penzance Central (712th most deprived in England).<ref>2004 indices of deprivation – Employment deprivation index</ref> 18–31% of households in the parish are described as "poor households".<ref name="poverty">Bristol University regional poverty files – West Cornwall</ref> Penzance East also has one of the highest unemployment rates in Cornwall, stated as 15.4%.<ref name="poverty" />

===Mining===
Following [[Sir Humphry Davy]]'s contribution to the mining industry, the [[The Miners Association|Miners' Association]] began [[mining]] classes in Penzance. As mining in the area became more complex, the Penzance Mining and Science School was founded in 1890. The school continued to teach mining until 1910, when it was amalgamated with Camborne and Redruth Mining School forming the [[School of Metalliferous Mining]] in Camborne, which is now known as the [[Camborne School of Mines]]. This institution has now moved to the [[Combined Universities in Cornwall]] campus at [[Tremough]], [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]]. From 1663, Penzance<ref>Coinage charter granted by [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] 18 August 1663</ref> was a [[Stannary|coinage town]], responsible for the collection of tin taxation on behalf of the [[Duchy of Cornwall]]; it held this status for 176 years.<ref>Pool, Peter Aubrey Seymour (1974) ''History of the Borough and Town of Penzance.'' Corporation of Penzance p. 74 {{ISBN|9780905375007}}</ref> According to [[William Pryce]] in his 1778 book ''Mineralogia Cornubiensis'', Penzance coined more tin than the towns of [[Liskeard]], [[Lostwithiel]] and [[Helston]] put together.

Penzance also had its own submarine mine situated off the coast of the town next to the area known as [[Wherrytown]]. The mine, known as Wheal Wherry Mine, was worked from 1778 to 1798 and again from 1836 to 1840.<ref>Mines and Miners of Cornwall Vol 4. pages 17–21</ref> Founded by "a poor 57 year old miner" named Thomas Curtis, the mine was said to be "very rich at depth" and was connected to the shore by a wooden bridge; the ore was transported by [[wherry]] boat. The mine suffered considerable damage in 1798 when an American ship broke anchor off nearby [[Newlyn]] and smashed into the bridge and head gear. Later attempts at mining were not as profitable.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 December 2012 |title=Wherry Mine, Penzance, Mount's Bay District, Cornwall, England, UK |url=http://www.mindat.org/loc-1109.html |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Mindat.org}}</ref>

During the 19th century and until 1912, Penzance had the largest tin [[smelting]] house in Cornwall, operated by the Bolitho family. The smelting works were situated at [[Chyandour]].<ref name="Pool" /> As a consequence of this concentration of mining wealth, Penzance became a centre for commercial banking. The Bolitho Bank (now part of [[Barclays Bank]])<ref>Company History Barclays PLC Website</ref> and the Penzance Bank were two of the largest, although the latter collapsed in 1896.

==Main sights==
[[File:Penzance church.jpg|thumb|St Mary's Church, Chapel Street]]
[[File:Jubilee pool battery rocks penzance.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jubilee Pool]], Penzance]]
[[File:HumphryDavyStatueNew2.jpg|right|thumb|Humphry Davy Statue and Penzance Market House]]
Large sections of Penzance are classified as ″conservation areas″ under the Penwith local plan<ref>[http://www.penwith.gov.uk/local_plan_penwith/maps/i01c.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213051/http://www.penwith.gov.uk/local_plan_penwith/maps/i01c.htm|date=27 September 2007}}</ref> and are subject to special planning laws. The current [[conservation area]] forms most of the core of the town of Penzance and the historic harbour areas of Newlyn and Mousehole.<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Penwith conservation areas from Penwith Council website |url=http://www.penwith.gov.uk/media/adobe/m/c/CONSERVATION_AREA_LIST.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327092003/http://www.penwith.gov.uk/media/adobe/m/c/CONSERVATION_AREA_LIST.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2009 |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Penwith.gov.uk}}</ref> A number of Georgian and Regency buildings are present in the town. However, the majority of developments in the town centre itself are of mixed date, including several 20th-century buildings – one of which, the former Pearl Assurance building (now the Tremenheere [[J D Wetherspoon|Wetherspoon's]] pub), was subject to comment by [[Sir John Betjeman]]<ref>Pool, P. A. S. (1974) ''The History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''; Review of Architecture</ref> who wrote, in 1963:
<blockquote>"Penzance has done much to destroy its attractive character. The older houses in the narrow centre round the market hall have been pulled down and third-rate commercial 'contemporary', of which the Pearl Assurance building is a nasty example, are turning it into [[Slough]]".</blockquote> The [[Market Building, Penzance|Market Building]] (1836–38) in Market Jew Street was designed by William Harris, District Surveyor for Bristol, in the Greek Revival style. It has a grand Ionic portico and is surmounted by a dome. Alterations for Lloyds Bank were carried out in 1922–25.<ref>Beacham, Peter & Pevsner, Nikolaus (2014) ''Cornwall''. (The Buildings of England.) New Haven: Yale University Press; pp. 428–29</ref>

Penzance's former main{{explain|date=July 2022}} street Chapel Street has a number of interesting features, including the [[Egyptian House, Penzance|Egyptian House]], the Union Hotel (including a Georgian [[theatre]] which is no longer in use) and Branwell House, where the mother and aunt of the famous [[Brontë|Brontë sisters]] once lived. The Georgian theatre was built in c. 1787, closed in 1831, and is said to be where the first public announcement of [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Nelson's]] victory at [[Battle of Trafalgar|Trafalgar]] took place.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Old Penzance Theatre, Penzance |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-69475-the-old-penzance-theatre-penzance- |access-date=1 June 2013 |publisher=British Listed Buildings}}</ref> [[Regency style|Regency]], and [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] terraces and houses (such as Regents Square and Clarence Street) are common in some parts of the town. The nearby sub-tropical [[Morrab Gardens]], has a large collection of tender trees and shrubs, many of which cannot be grown outdoors anywhere else in the UK. Also of interest is the seafront with its [[promenade]] and the open-air seawater [[Jubilee Pool]] (one of the oldest surviving [[Art Deco]] swimming baths in the country), built during Penzance's heyday as a fashionable [[seaside resort]]. The pool was designed by Captain F. Latham, the Penzance Borough Engineer, and opened in 1935, the year of King [[George V]]'s [[Silver Jubilee]].<ref>Janet Smith ''Liquid Assets – the lidos and open air swimming pools of Britain'' {{ISBN|0-9547445-0-0}}</ref> The [[grade II listed]] pool is triangular with graceful curves and is considered the best surviving example of its type, with the exception of the [[Saltdean Lido]] in Brighton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jubilee Pool, Penzance |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-351301-jubilee-pool-penzance- |access-date=1 June 2013 |publisher=British Listed Buildings}}</ref> In early 2018, work began to add a [[Geothermal heating|geothermal]] section to the pool, becoming the first of its kind in the United Kingdom to use this type of technology when it eventually opens.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Geothermal at Jubilee Pool {{!}} |work=Jubilee Pool |url=https://www.jubileepool.co.uk/news/geothermal-at-jubilee-pool |access-date=2018-03-29}}</ref>

Penzance promenade has been destroyed in parts several times by storms. The most recent example was on 7 March 1962, when large parts of the western end of the promenade, the nearby Bedford Bolitho Gardens (now a play park) and the village of [[Wherrytown]] suffered severe damage.<ref>Pool (1974) ''History of the Town and Borough of Penzance''</ref> On the outskirts of town is [[Trereife House]], a grade II listed [[Queen Anne style architecture|Queen Anne style]], [[manor house]] which now offers accommodation and hosts events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=House and Garden Opening « Trereife House – Accommodation, Events, Weddings |url=http://www.trereifepark.co.uk/house/ |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Trereifepark.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=British Listed Buildings |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-394999-trereife-manor-penzance |access-date=5 April 2011 |website=Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk}}</ref>

==Geography==
Penlee Quarry which is within the boundaries of the Penzance parish is a geological [[SSSI]].

==Climate==
Penzance has an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'') according to [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] and a [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cf'') according to [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]].

{{Weather box
|collapsed= y
|location = Penzance, Penlee Gardens (1912–2003 averages)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan high C = 9
|Feb high C = 9
|Mar high C = 10
|Apr high C = 11
|May high C = 14
|Jun high C = 16
|Jul high C = 18
|Aug high C = 18
|Sep high C = 16
|Oct high C = 14
|Nov high C = 11
|Dec high C = 10
|year high C = 
|Jan low C = 6
|Feb low C = 5
|Mar low C = 6
|Apr low C = 7
|May low C = 9
|Jun low C = 12
|Jul low C = 14
|Aug low C = 14
|Sep low C = 12
|Oct low C = 11
|Nov low C = 8
|Dec low C = 7
|year low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 111.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 83.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 79.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 67.5
|May precipitation mm = 63.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 58.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 66.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 66.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 75.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 107.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 120.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 119.0
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan sun = 59.2
|Feb sun = 79.9
|Mar sun = 132.3
|Apr sun = 190.0
|May sun = 222.0
|Jun sun = 220.1
|Jul sun = 211.4
|Aug sun = 206.3
|Sep sun = 163.2
|Oct sun = 117.1
|Nov sun = 75.7
|Dec sun = 54.5
|year sun = 
|date=December 2024}}

==Education==
[[File:Polwithen House, Penzance.jpg|thumb|Polwithen House (former Bolitho School)]]
Penzance has two [[comprehensive school]]s, [[Mounts Bay Academy]] and [[Humphry Davy School]]. Post 16 education is catered for by Penwith College, founded in 1981 from the sixth form departments of the former Penzance Girls' [[Grammar School]] and the [[Humphry Davy Grammar School]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 June 2009 |title=West Penwith Resources – Schools |url=http://west-penwith.org.uk/schools.htm |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=West-penwith.org.uk}}</ref> In the Penzance parish there are 8 [[primary school]]s, including the newly created Pensans Primary School which was formed in 2006 from the former Penzance [[Junior School]] and the Lescudjack Infants School. There is also a special educational needs school within the parish boundary named Nancealverne.

Various other schools have existed in past times, including St Erbyn's School, West Cornwall School for Girls and Bolitho School at Polwithen House. The Polwithen site was originally home to Penzance Church of England Girls' High School and later the School of St Clare (a [[Woodard Schools|Woodard school]]) whose pupils included author [[Rosamund Pilcher]] and Ethiopian Princess [[Aida Desta]].<ref>[https://west-penwith.org.uk/schools.htm West Penwith Resources; Schools]</ref> Bolitho School closed in 2017 because too few pupils were available. The building is now being developed as a care home, named the Frances Bolitho Care Home.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bolitho School in Penzance is to close for good after it failed to attract enough pupils |url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/bolitho-school-penzance-close-good-363762 |access-date=15 October 2018 |website=CornwallLive|date=22 August 2017 }}</ref>

==Culture==
Every June since 1991 the [[Golowan Festival]] (which includes [[Mazey Day]]) has been held in the town. The name comes from the Cornish ''gool'' (meaning feast) and ''Jowan'' (a Cornish name equivalent to the English John) - loosely translating to 'Feast of [[John the Baptist|St John]]' and marking the midsummer-eve as the vigil of [[John the Baptist]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Golowan |url=https://www.golowanfestival.org/history-of-golowan/ |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=Golowan Festival}}</ref>

Before the 1930s Penzance was the scene of large [[West Cornwall May Day celebrations|May Day celebrations]], which saw local children making and using tin 'May horns' and 'May whistles'; a small revival of these traditions took place on 4 May 2008. The [[feast day]] of [[Corpus Christi (feast)|Corpus Christi]] was also celebrated in Penzance. The Corpus Christi fair has been a long-standing event in the town, and is currently undergoing attempts to revive it in a more traditional format.
[[File:Golowan4.JPG|thumb|left|Mayor and [[Mock Mayor]] speeches at the Golowan Festival 2005.]]

The [[summer solstice]] was, in 1882, described as a ''very old custom'' and celebrated ''with all the rude revelry of heathendom''. Bonfires were lit in the town centre and lines of [[Ottery St Mary#Tar Barrels|tar barrels]] were swung along the streets by males and females. It was also accompanied by ''dancing of the roughest kind, uncouth dress and semi-disguise, sky and hand rockets, and all sorts of fireworks''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 June 1882 |title=The Summer Solstice |volume=207 |page=4 |work=The Cornishman |issue=197}}</ref>

[[Allantide]], a Cornish version of Halloween, was also a popular activity in the town. Many of these customs were recorded by local antiquarian [[Margaret Ann Courtney|M. A. Courtney]] and have influenced historical views of traditional Cornish cultural activities.

In October 2010 the first full festival of music and the arts – the Penzance Proms – was held (23–31 October).

Every December Penzance holds the [[Montol Festival]] a community arts event reviving many of the Cornish customs of Christmas, including traditional costumes, masks and [[guise dancing]].

===Music and theatre===
Penzance is the home of the [[pirate]]s in [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s [[comic opera]], ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]''. At the time the libretto was written, 1879, Penzance had become popular as a peaceful resort town, so the idea of it being overrun by pirates was amusing to contemporaries.

The Acorn Arts Centre, sited within a former Methodist chapel in Parade Street, provides a mixture of theatre, film, dance music and cabaret and is partially public funded. The Savoy is an independent cinema in Causewayhead which opened in 1912 and was originally named the Victoria Hall Music Hall. The Savoy is one of the locations of performances sponsored by the Penwith Film Society (an arts cinema society based in the Penwith area), it is reputedly the oldest continuously used cinema in Britain. Prior to the [[Second World War]], Penzance was also home to a further three cinemas and at least two theatres, one of which, the Pavilion Theatre, is now home to an amusement arcade.

The 2016 pop single by indie group [[The Hit Parade (group)|The Hit Parade]] "From Paddington to Penzance", takes as its subject a relationship that was formed on the railway line from London to Cornwall that terminates in Penzance.<ref>[[The Hit Parade (group)|The Hit Parade]] (2014), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY0LuFlO60A From Paddington to Penzance], ''Cornish Pop Songs'', JSH Records, retrieved 30 June 2021</ref>

===Art galleries===
Penzance is home to the new [[Newlyn Art Gallery]] establishment "The Exchange" which opened in 2007. [[Penlee House]], an [[art gallery]] and [[museum]] notable for its collection of [[painting]]s by members of the [[Newlyn School]]. It was one of the former homes of the [[Maria Branwell|Branwell family]]. Within Penzance town centre there are a growing number of commercial art galleries.

===Religion===
As in other Cornish towns and villages [[Methodism]] was historically the predominant Christian denomination. Prior to the 1980s Penzance had six Methodist churches, but this number has now been reduced to two, Chapel Street and High Street. There are Methodist churches in most of the surrounding villages including Newlyn's Trinity Methodist which operates ''The Centre'', a busy multi-use church and community facility. Penzance is also home to a [[The Salvation Army]] citadel, a Roman Catholic church, two [[Church of England]] parish churches (formerly three), a [[Christadelphian]] meeting hall,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find your Local Christadelphians: Penzance |url=http://www.ukchristadelphians.org.uk/info.asp?act=ecc&id=207 |access-date=14 February 2007 |website=Ukchristadelphians.org.uk}}</ref> two [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] independent churches, the Penwith [[Paganism|pagan]] moot, an independent [[Baptist]] church and a [[Buddhist]] meditation group.

[[File:Penzance - Vicarage.jpg|thumb|St John's Vicarage]]
[[St Mary's Church, Penzance|St Mary's Church]] was built in 1832–35, St Paul's (now closed) in 1843 and [[St John's Church, Penzance|St John's]] in 1881. Penzance was formerly in the parish of [[Madron]] but St Mary's parish was established in 1871 and St Paul's in 1869. Two medieval chapels (''see above'', History) are known to have existed before the [[English Reformation|Reformation]]. St Mary's chapel was consecrated in 1680 but was in existence three hundred years earlier and the licensing of it in 1379 is recorded. The chaplain's stipend was £4 p.a. from the manor of Alverton. In 1549 its endowments were seized by the Crown though the burgesses made representations that they should not be. [[Thomas Lamplugh]] Bishop of Exeter by much cajolery induced the mayor and burgesses to consent to consecration of the chapel in 1680. The curate then had a stipend of £5 p.a.<ref>''Cornish Church Guide'' (1925) Truro: Blackford; pp. 177–178</ref>

Arthur Langdon (1896) described a Cornish cross in front of the Market House. This cross stood in the Green Market until 1829 when it was removed to a house in North Street (Causewayhead) close to its original position. About 1868 it was moved again to the western end of the Market House. It is ornamented on the front and the sides. On the back there is said to be an inscription: PCMBUNT/QUICUMQ/VENIENT//COP/PIO/UM//O/+/X (described in 1850).<ref>Langdon, A. G. (1896) ''Old Cornish Crosses''. Truro: Joseph Pollard; pp. 308–10</ref> It is now at [[Penlee House]].

===Sport===
Penzance is the home of Cornwall's most successful rugby teams, the [[Cornish Pirates]] (Penzance & Newlyn RFC). The [[RFU Championship|Championship]] side moved to [[Kenwyn Rugby Ground|Truro]] in 2005 and was renamed the Cornish Pirates in a bid to improve attendances and reach the Premiership. In 2006 the side moved again, this time to the home ground of [[Camborne]] Rugby Club, before returning to Penzance in 2010 to play, once more, at the [[Mennaye Field]]. The club has twice reached the play-off final for promotion to the [[English Premiership (rugby union)|top tier]] of English rugby in seasons [[2010–11 RFU Championship|2010–11]] and [[2011–12 RFU Championship|2011–12]]. Penzance was the home of [[Mount's Bay RFC|Mounts Bay RFC]], founded in 1999, originally as a team for local players who could not play for the professional Cornish Pirates. They won promotion seven times in eight seasons to reach the [[National League 1|third tier]] of English rugby before folding in 2009 due to financial problems. The Pirates Amateurs are part of the Cornish Pirates and play in the lower levels of the league system. They ended their first season in second place in the [[2010–11 Cornwall League 1|Tribute Cornwall One]] and won promotion to [[Tribute Cornwall/Devon]] for 2011–12 season, where they continue to play. They also won the Cornwall Clubs Cup in 2010–11.

[[Penzance A.F.C.]] were relegated from the [[South West Peninsula League]] Premier Division following the [[2012–13 South West Peninsula League|2012–13]] season and now play in Division One West. The club was one of the founding members of the [[Cornwall County Football Association]] and the first winners of the [[Cornwall Senior Cup]] in 1892–93. Penzance have won the Senior Cup on ten occasions, the last in the 1980–81 campaign.

Former England and [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] cricketer [[Jack Richards (cricketer, born 1958)|Jack Richards]] (born Clifton James Richards) was born in Penzance. He played eight test matches and was the [[wicket keeper]] during England's [[English cricket team in Australia in 1986–87|1986 Ashes]] win in [[Australia]]. He learnt his cricket with the [[Humphry Davy School|Humphry Davy Grammar School]] and [[Penzance Cricket Club]]. The cricket club was founded in 1829 and are Cornwall's most successful club having been champions on 23 occasions and have had more players play for Cornwall than any other club. The club currently plays in the top tier of the [[Cornwall Cricket League]].<ref>Richards, B. (2004) ‘'Penzance Cricket Club. 1829–2004 The First 175 Years. Penzance: Brian Richards.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cornwall Cricket League |url=http://www.cornwallcricket.co.uk/ |access-date=24 January 2016 |website=Cornwallcricket.co.uk}}</ref>

Penzance Wheelers, Britain's most south-westerly cycling club was founded in the 1930s. Their most famous member is [[Tom Southam]] who represented Great Britain in five [[UCI Road World Championships|World Championships]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Penzance Wheelers |url=http://www.pzwheelers.co.uk/ |access-date=29 July 2016 |website=Pzweheeelers.co.uk}}</ref> Penzance Wheelers predecessors was the Penzance Bicycle Club who were in existence in 1880 and, for example, on 30 April had a run to [[St Just in Penwith|St Just]], returning via [[Trewellard]] and [[Pendeen]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 April 1880 |title=Church & Chapel Services and other Announcements |page=4 |work=The Cornishman |issue=94}}</ref> Mount's Bay Harriers, a [[triathlon]] and [[Road running|running]] club founded in 2005 are based at [[Mounts Bay Academy|Mount's Bay School]], [[Heamoor]]. Athletes from the club participate at most road races and triathlons in Cornwall as well as many further afield.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Triathlon and Running Club |url=http://www.mountsbayharriers.co.uk/ |access-date=21 September 2013 |publisher=Mounts Bay Harriers}}</ref> Other sporting clubs and organisations include Penzance Hockey Club, with male and female teams, based at the Penzance Astro Park, Penzance Tennis Club at Penlee Park and lawn bowling at Penzance Bowling Club and Penlee (Newlyn) Bowling Club.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Penzance Hockey Club |url=http://www.penzancehockeyclub.com/ |access-date=1 June 2013 |website=Penzancehockeyclub.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Penzance Bowling Club |url=http://www.penzancebowlingclub.co.uk/ |access-date=1 June 2013 |website=Penzancebowlingclub.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Penlee (Newlyn) Bowling Club |url=http://www.penleebowls.org.uk/ |access-date=1 June 2013 |website=Penleebowls.org.uk}}</ref>

The [[Mini Transat 6.50]] (now the Transit 6.50) transatlantic yacht race started from Penzance (hosted by [[Penzance Sailing Club]]) from its conception in 1977 to the fourth edition of the race in 1983.

====Cornish wrestling====
Penzance has been a major centre for [[Cornish wrestling]] for centuries.<ref name="RCG17061809">Royal Cornwall Gazette, 17 June 1809.</ref> Places where tournaments were held include:
the Western Green,<ref name="RCG17061809"/>
the Pentreath & Co's Brewery,<ref name="WBCA08071842">West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 8 July 1842.</ref>
the Folly,<ref name="TCT27041870">The Cornish Telegraph, 27 April 1870.</ref>
Penzance football club, St Just Road, Alverton,<ref name="CT27071904">The Cornish Telegraph, 27 July 1904.</ref>
the field at [[Treneere Manor#Cornish wrestling|Treneere Manor]],<ref name="C24091885">Cornishman, 24 September 1885.</ref>
the field behind the Golden Lion inn in the Market-place,<ref name="C01111888">''Tom Gundry'', Cornishman, 1 November 1888, p3.</ref>
St Clare Sports Ground,<ref name="C07091921">Cornishman, 7 September 1921.</ref>
St Johyn's Hall,<ref name="WMN05091932">Western Morning News, 5 September 1932.</ref>
Mennaye Rugby Field,<ref name="CG12071956">Cornish Guardian, 12 July 1956.</ref>
Ponsandane<ref name="C21061945">Cornishman, 21 June 1945.</ref> and
Trereife House.<ref name="TFP31052013">The Falmouth Packet, 31 May 2013.</ref>

The oldest Cornish wrestling champion we know of was Stanton, who became the Cornish wrestling champion of Cornwall at a tournament in Penzance, in the fifteenth century.<ref name="WDP19021875">''Stanton'', Western Daily Press, 19 February 1875, p1.</ref> It is said that the wrestler was named this after chants at the tournament of "Stand-to-un, boy!"<ref name="WDP16021875">''Stanton for Stroud'', Western Daily Press, 16 February 1875, p1.</ref>

W Sampson, originally from Penzance, was Cornish wrestling champion of Toronto in 1907.<ref name="C08081907">''Penzance Notes News'', Cornishman, 8 August 1907, p5.</ref>

Earnest Small, from Penzance, was West of England champion in 1906.<ref name="TS20081906">''Cornish wrestling revived'', The Sportsman, 20 August 1906, p8.</ref><ref name="C04101922">''Links with sport'', Cornishman, 4 October 1922, p4.</ref> He was Cornish champion in 1906 defeating Sidney and Reuben Chapman.<ref name="C23081906">''Cornish wrestling revived'', Cornishman, 23 August 1906, p8.</ref><ref name="RCG23081906">Royal Cornwall Gazette, 23 August 1906</ref> He defeated Ahmed Madrali.<ref name="C04101922"/>

===Media===
The local newspaper is ''[[The Cornishman (newspaper)|The Cornishman]]'', published weekly. [[Outback (lesbian newsletter)|''Outback'']], a lesbian newsletter, was self-published in Penzance between 1996 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Outback Newsletter, 1997-2008.: A Lesbian Lifeline – Queer Kernow |url=https://queerkernow.co.uk/1397-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618225744/https://queerkernow.co.uk/1397-2/ |archive-date=2023-06-18 |access-date=2023-12-13}}</ref>

Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC South West]] and [[ITV West Country]].

The local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Cornwall]] on 103.9 [[MHz]] [[FM broadcasting|FM]] and [[Coast FM (West Cornwall)|Coast FM]] (formerly Penwith Radio), a [[Community radio in the United Kingdom|community radio]] station which is based in the town, and broadcasts on 96.5 and 97.2 [[MHz]] [[FM broadcasting|FM]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Penwith gets it's &#91;sic&#93; very own FM radio station |work=PenwithRadioNews.com |url=http://penwithradionews.com/penwith-gets-its-very-own-fm-radio-station |url-status=dead |access-date=21 October 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714163916/http://penwithradionews.com/penwith-gets-its-very-own-fm-radio-station |archive-date=14 July 2012}}</ref> There are two ILR stations for Cornwall: [[Pirate FM]] can be received in Penzance on 102.8&nbsp;MHz FM, and [[Heart West]] on 107.0&nbsp;MHz FM.

===Folklore===
When the area between Marazion and Penzance was mainly marsh, people tended to avoid the Eastern Green because of the ''"White Lady"''. She would jump onto a horse (already with rider) and ride pillion as far as the Red River, Chyandour (not the [[Red River, Marazion|Red River]] at Marazion). Her identity and reasons for haunting are unknown. Mr William Richards of Chapel Street is reputed to be the last person to have seen her.<ref>Courtney. (1882) Ghosts and Witchcraft. Trans Penzance Nat Hist Soc. p164-5</ref>

==Cornish language==
Passengers using the station are greeted with a [[bilingual]] sign in both [[Cornish language|Cornish]] and [[English language|English]].
[[File:Penzance 43133.jpg|thumb|[[Cornish Language]] at [[Penzance railway station]], installed by [[British Rail]].]]

==Notable residents past and present==
{{see also|List of residents of Penzance}}
[[File:Sir Humphry Davy, Bt by Thomas Phillips.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The celebrated scientist Sir Humphry Davy]]
Penzance has been home to numerous persons of note, including actress [[Thandiwe Newton]], model [[Jean Shrimpton]] and cricketer [[Jack Richards (cricketer, born 1958)|Jack Richards]]. Penzance was the birthplace of [[Maria Branwell]], mother of three famous novelists – [[Charlotte Brontë]], [[Emily Brontë]] and [[Anne Brontë]].

===Sir Humphry Davy===
{{main|Humphry Davy}}
Penzance was the birthplace of the chemist Sir [[Humphry Davy]]. He was President of the [[Royal Society]]; inventor of the process of [[electrolysis]]; the first person to isolate [[sodium]]; the first to discover [[nitrous oxide]]; and joint discoverer, with [[Michael Faraday]], that diamonds are made of pure [[carbon]]. Today he is possibly best known as the inventor of the Miner's Safety Lamp, or [[Davy lamp]]. There is a statue of Davy at the top of Market Jew Street, near the house in which he was born. One of Penzance's secondary schools is also named after the scientist, and runs as a music and maths community college. [[Robert Dunkin (Penzance)|Robert Dunkin]], a Penzance [[saddles|saddler]] and maker of scientific instruments, taught Davy the fundamental principles of practical science.

==Twinning==
Penzance is [[Town twinning|twinned]] with the following towns:<ref>{{cite web |title=Twinning Promoting international friendship and understanding |url=https://www.penzance-tc.gov.uk/twinning/ |website=Penzance Town Council |access-date=30 June 2021}}</ref>
* [[Concarneau]], [[Brittany]], France
* [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia
* [[Nevada City, California|Nevada City]], [[California]], United States
* [[Cuxhaven]], Germany. From 1967 to 1974 Penzance was twinned with Cuxhaven, though between 1974 and 2009 this twinning arrangement was passed to the now defunct [[Penwith District Council]]. As of April 2009, the arrangement was reinstated.

==Freedom of the Town==
The following people and military units have received the [[Freedom of the City|Freedom of the Town]] of Penzance.
 
{{Incomplete list|date=June 2019}}

===Individuals===
* 25 April 1958: [[Edward Hoblyn Warren Bolitho|Sir Edward Bolitho]], [[Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall]] 1936–1962.<ref>{{cite web |title=Programme from the 25.4.1958 Honorary Freedom of the Town of Penzance awards |url=http://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1991.682 |website=[[Penlee House]] |access-date=30 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820035108/http://www.penleehouse.org.uk/collections/item/PEZPH:1991.682 |archive-date=20 August 2017}}</ref>

===Military units=== 
* [[HMS Penzance (M106)|HMS Penzance]], [[Royal Navy|RN]]: 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/24585069.royal-navy-returned-freedom-town-penzance/ |title=Royal Navy has returned the Freedom of the Town to Penzance |last=Ferguson |first=Emma |date=14 September 2024 |website=The Falmouth Packet |access-date=30 September 2024 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
* [[HMS Penzance|HMS ''Penzance'']]
* ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]''
* [[Listed buildings in Penzance]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Penzance}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Penzance}}
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* [http://www.penzancetowncouncil.co.uk/ Penzance Town Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429021739/http://www.penzancetowncouncil.co.uk/ |date=29 April 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151018121312/http://crocat.cornwall.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Overview.tcl&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29%3D%27penzance%27%29 Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Penzance]

{{Cornwall|state=collapsed}}
{{St Ives CP navigation box}}

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[[Category:Penzance| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in South West England]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Cornwall]]
[[Category:Cornish Killas]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Cornwall]]
[[Category:1614 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Coinage Towns]]