This illustrated history portrays one of England's finest counties. It provides a nostalgic look at Cornwall's past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites.

The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England's archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts.

Cornwall lies at the lies at the end of the South West Peninsula, with the Atlantic Sea on its north coast the English Channel on the south. Nowhere in the county is more than 20 miles from the sea but the landscape varies from moorland to lush valleys away from the magnificent cliffs, stunning beaches and picturesque coves along the coast. Many prehistoric sites of human habitation still exist on Cornwall's moors, and evidence of ancient mining can also be seen. Truro is the county's only city but there are numerous towns and villages around the coast and inland, sustained over the centuries by local industries such as fishing, agriculture, china clay production and mining as well as tourism today. One of the most popular attractions to visitors to Cornwall today is the Eden Project built out of an old china clay pit. For all those who know and love Cornwall, this book will enable them to discover its remarkable history and variety of places through a fascinating collection of historical photographs.