Parish At War

Press release: 16 April 2009 (PDF version, 102KB)

On Wednesday 16th April a new exhibition ‘Parish at War’ will open at the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum.

Earmarked by Hitler as one of the main landing points for his planned invasion of Britain, St Levan, a relatively remote and peaceful parish in West Penwith, was to suffer the effects of World War II from the outset.

Parish at War is a new exhibition that looks at life in St Levan under the shadow of war. Discover the lengths taken to defend themselves against enemy invasion. See where the bombs fell, destroying lives and homes, and read diary extracts from a woman who witnessed the attacks. Learn about the London children evacuated to St Levan, and about the Land Girls who never left. Find out more about the members of the Home Guard, and about the men who went to war, but never returned home. Through objects, documents and photographs, the life of a unique wartime parish is revealed.

This exhibition has been the hard work of the museums very dedicated Local History volunteers.

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Notes for editors

Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
www.porthcurno.org.uk
01736 810966

Background
Porthcurno has a unique historic provenance: this is where the telegraph cables that linked Britain with its Empire and other nations came ashore. The valley was the hub of international cable communications from 1870-1970 and also training college for the communications industry until 1993. Porthcurno was the largest cable station in the world.

Our collection is unique in its completeness. We have the only working cable station (complete in all details except the actual cable) in the world. We also have all the supporting materials and associated ephemera that are rarely preserved with such collections. Porthcurno also had one of the earliest commercial wireless stations in 1902 so we are able to show the emerging competition between cable and wireless technology.

The ethos of the museum is to have as much as possible to be demonstrated in working order. To keep the collections working we rely on the knowledge and support of a dedicated team of volunteers.

The role of the cable station and the training school at Porthcurno has had a significant impact on the valley and local communities. The museum is now a focus for representing local history as well as communications technology.

History of the PK Trust
The Porthcurno Telegraph Museum is owned and operated by The Cable & Wireless Porthcurno and Collections Trust (The PK Trust) an independent educational charity and heritage trust. The PK Trust was created in 1997 by Cable & Wireless to hold the Company's historic buildings and collections at Porthcurno.

Its main activities are the operation of Porthcurno Telegraph Museum and the management of the Cable & Wireless historic archive. The museum and archive already provide access to an internationally recognised resource and have become a centre for the education of the public in the history of telegraph communications. As well as a successful museum a lot of work is carried out with local schools and community groups.

Porthcurno Telegraph Museum opening times
Hours of opening: 10am-5pm with last admission before 4pm.

Summer opening 2009
Open 5 April to 2 November 2009 every day from 10.00 - 17.00, except Wednesdays between 27 May and 16 September, open until 19.30.
Last admission time 1 hour before closing time.
For further details, including winter school holiday opening times, please call 01736 810966 or email caroline.seats@porthcurno.org.uk.

Group visits
Group visits can be arranged during normal opening hours and at other times by appointment:
Tel: 01736 810966 or email caroline.seats@porthcurno.org.uk.

Facilities

• Plenty of parking for cars and coaches (small charge in main season)
• Guide dogs welcome
• Ice-cream, snacks, cold drinks and tea/coffee/hot chocolate are available in the museum shop.
• The nearby Cable Station Inn and Beach Cafe also offer food and drinks.

Charges 2009

If you are a UK tax payer and you kindly make a donation of 10% above the entry charge, the government will grant the Charity an extra 28%.

FREE Admission:

• Child under 5
• Carer Accompanying Disabled Person
• Teachers and carers accompanying school groups: 1 free per 6 children

Discounts

• 10% discount is available on a pre-booked group of 10 people or more who pay as a group.

How to find us

View more detailed map
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By car
Porthcurno is situated just three miles away from Land's End, the most south-westerly point of Cornwall.

If you are driving from Penzance, follow the signs to Land's End on the A30. Turn left at the sign for St Buryan, "Wartime Telegraph Museum" (that's us!) and "Minack Theatre". Keep going straight through St Buryan village and after about 2 miles of narrow lanes, take the left turn to Porthcurno.

Non-disabled visitors park at the main car park at the bottom of the hill where there is a charge from Easter to September.

Public transport
Take bus number 1, 1a or 345 from Penzance bus station which is next to the train station. The buses stop at the main Porthcurno car park, 2 minutes walk from the museum which is clearly signposted.

For detailed information on bus times, accessibility and routes to Porthcurno, please contact Traveline on Tel: 0870 608 2 608 or via the website Traveline South West

Sample Images available

Porthcurno Limited is a company registered in England and Wales, no.3323350, registered office Eastern House, Porthcurno, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 6JX and is the trustee of the Cable & Wireless Porthcurno & Collections Trust (PK Trust) registered charity no.1062233. VAT registered no: 699455855.