One of the things I love about writing a blog are the comments and emails I get. I’m always amazed by people who have found this blog for some unexpected reason. Not so unexpectedly I’ve received a number of emails since the US election, from people asking about moving to England. And the other day I received this email from someone thinking of moving from Ireland to Cornwall. Here is her email and my response back to her:
Hi,
Just stumbled across your website and found it really interesting re your move to Cornwall.
I used to live in the UK till I was 13 and then my parents took me to Australia to live where I lived for the last 19 years so I used to be a Brit (well, still am really!). Anyway, my husband is Irish and Feb last year we moved to Ireland to live. I like it here but prefer to live back in the UK and have many fond memories of Cornwall from my holidays there as a child. My husband is about 60% convinced by me that it would be nice to live there but we obviously need to plan/think about it some more as we are starting to get set up in Ireland.
My question to you is: I’ve heard that the Cornish community is a bit insular and that it’s hard to meet people - is this true? I know it helps if you have children and we have just had a baby so that would help but he isn’t anywhere near school age. Also, I’m curious re meeting people our own age (we are both 33 this year) as I’ve found this a bit of a problem where we live in Ireland (everybody seems to be either under 13 or over 50!) - how is Cornwall for this? Also, are there any areas in Cornwall you would recommend/not recommend to live? In Australia we lived near an artsy community that was into health shops and easy living etc.. and I’ve always thought of Cornwall as that sort of place.
Any advice you can give me would be great.
thanks
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Let’s just say it’s not like California where everyone wanted to know where you were from, what you did, and did you want to take a hike next weekend. No, it’s quite a bit more insular.
We had an unfortunate experience when we first moved down where we invited a Cornish couple over for dinner, and the response was a very clear “no thank you". But since then we have made some good friends, and we’ve made them through our son’s school. They’ve been almost exclusively transplants like ourselves who have moved down from London looking for a different lifestyle. Nathaniel’s five, and I can’t imagine how we would have met anyone if he hadn’t been at a school where we dropped him off in the classroom, and waited outside with the other parents in the afternoon. If he’d been in high school for example, it would have been much harder to meet anyone.
If we’d been near Truro or Penzance or St. Ives, we might have met people through going to the theater or music, but there isn’t much of that near us here, unless you play the violin or guitar and sit in on music nights at places like The Trewarmett Inn up near Tintagel. I got involved with the St. Minver Parish Plan planning group, but had to drop out when we moved up to Leatherhead (though now that we’re back down I will get involved again).
In terms of easy living and health food shops, you might find some of that in the larger cities – again Truro, Penzance, St. Ives. There is one health food shop in Wadebridge, and a couple of funky-ish cafes in Bodmin, but I wouldn’t characterize either of them as centers of easy living. In the villages you’re lucky to have a Spar or a CostCutter (neither of which is known for its health food selection or alternative lifestyle patrons), and maybe a local farmer who sells seasonal vegetables.
Rachel got involved with a group interested in starting a Waldorf school in Cornwall, but the parents were so spread out they couldn’t agree on where it could be built so that most of them wouldn’t have to drive 40 minutes each way (amongst other issues). And I keep threatening to play my violin more, but haven’t had the chance since we’ve been back down.
I don’t mean to turn you off of Cornwall, because it is an amazing place. But for those considering being here fulltime – who aren’t retired and looking for nothing more than peace and quiet – a lot of internal fortitude is required to wait out the gray days of winter until the flowers of spring arrive, followed by the warm winds of summer.
All the best with your decision,
– Frank
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:) So how long do you plan to stay in Cornwall? I stumbled on your site trying to see if anyone had what I want as a mission statement… I typed…making life simple, one day at a time..and wala.. here I am… you probably get a lot of that.- Maggie Fallbrook , San Diego, CA 92028
Comment by Maggie Minnamon — February 21, 2005 @ 7:39 am
This site is great; I have wanted to move to England since the 80’s, but I was still working. No I am retired and still want to move. I am very glad I found this site. Now the serious research begins!
Comment by Susan — April 10, 2005 @ 7:50 pm
Hi Frank, just read the bit about your interest in starting a wardolf school. We have a daughter who is nine and has been going to wardolf schools in different countries. We have just moved down here in Newlyn and looking for a similar school for Joy. Though I heard that there were some parents who wanted to start the school a while back…anyway, I wonder if you have any advice for somebody like me who is looking for alternative educational system here close to us for our daughter. Preferably obviously we want wardolf, failing that, is there a monterssori? Or radically we will even consider home schooling if there are other parents who have some sort of network here doing that?
I look forward to your advice and thank you for your time!
Love and Gratitude,
Julia
Comment by Julia — February 16, 2006 @ 12:43 pm
Hello!
My name is Bettina.I am currently doing an Ma in Contemporary Visual Arts at Falmouth College of Arts.
I have been studying sculpture for three years at Emerson College which is a Steiner Education Centre in Sussex.It is a community as well hosting as well teacher training course and a three year couse in biodynamic agriculture.
Part of my cource was being trained how sculpture and painting can be used for creativ and personal development of children.
I am very interested in alternative education systems I would like to be an art teacher in a Steiner school.
I am also interested in the way how learning in
young ages can be done more creativly and based on practical expierence particulartly to do with expierence of nature.
I have not much experience jet but I am eager to meet people who are interested in differend ways of schooling for children.My course is finishing in September and I am considering wether to stay in Cornwall to help starting up something like a community or a steiner school.
Regards Bettina
Comment by bettina — April 18, 2006 @ 4:16 pm
My granddaughter, 14, and I are considering moving to Cornwall for her 1st year of high school. She has been in a small private middle school here in Durango, Colorado for the past 3 years. She is a good student with strength in drama and writing. She is fun-loving, creative, and curious and not much into the negative American teen age pursuits. Her parents think a time abroad would be great for her! Do you have any suggestions for us to research schools and Cornwall areas of interest? How would a new teenaged girl from the U. S southwest be received? Could we both make friends? I would appreciate any suggestions you could give us. Enjoyed your site and all the photos. Your rental house looks lovely. Mary Lou
Comment by Mary Lou Falkenstein — May 10, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
hi hello my name is rosina from Peru.
I have heard that cornwall its a great place to life as I have finished my studies in cambridge I would love to fine a job for six months overthere as i love the beach!! check surfing in peru as well(chicama,mancora,pico alto,cerro azul,san bartolo,huanchaco,etc) you might like to go next week.
Comment by rosina Velit — July 22, 2006 @ 12:01 pm
hi my husband and i are wanting to live in st ives we live in wirral i am retired and my husband is wanting to work in cornwall hopefully transfere have you any tips on where is the best place to live and what the lifestyle is like thankyou
Comment by Diana — September 5, 2006 @ 10:47 am
I’m sorry you feel we Cornish are ‘insular’. We just enjoy our own company and don’t feel the need for lots of friends. We’re very friendly but don’t feel the need to entertain a lot. Don’t forget we are almost separated from the rest of England, we are on a peninsula and that is probably why we don’t mix readily. We can always be relied upon to help, and are a very giving community. We welcome people from all walks of life and treat everyone the same, from lords and ladies to the most humble person. Besides which, we think we live in God’s own country and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Unfortunately we are a poor county and salaries are very low, house prices, council tax and water rates are among the highest in the country. There is a wide variety of countryside from the hills and valley in the south to the wilder areas of the west and wonderful beaches on the north. I could go on about Cornwall for ever and ever. Hope this helps.
Comment by Patricia Liverod — October 31, 2006 @ 4:04 pm
I read this with dread. I am an incomer having married my wife who has lived in Cornwall since she was 6. I know nobody except my wife’s family and despite having kids we have never managed to make friends with other parents because she was not interested. Now we are having marital problems and separated in the same house, and I have got to try and find some roots and friends here and quickly, and I have to say I am finding it very very difficult. Any suggestions gratefully received.
Comment by Julian — November 22, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
We are thinking of moving to north cornwall and the only thing stopping us at the moment is primary schools. We just can’t find any that are anywhere near the standard of our surburban primary school here in Bristol. Is the exchange of a more free lifestyle with a big garden and clean air good enough to swop for a lesser primary education? If anyone can give me advice, I would be so grateful, we can’t make up our minds, and desperately need to come to a decision one way or another soon.
Thank you,
Vicki,
Bristol
Comment by vicki — January 12, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
I have been reading some of your comments and although it was rather a long while ago, I am living in the hope that Frank who mentioned the idea of starting a Waldorf (Steiner) type school has really caught my eye. Iwas walking through Falmouth about a month ago and read a small poster about a group of parents that afre trying to establish that type of school here in the South West of Cornwall. Unfortunately I lost the number that I scribbled down and am anxious to know whether there is a chance that this might happen. I have lived in Cornwall all my life, apart from travelling to see the world in my late teens where I felt that Cornwall was literally the end of the earth!!I have an 18 mth old daughter myself and dread to think of bringing my child up somewhere that is not (in my mind) the ideal place to be. A Waldorf Type School would be the icing on the cake! If you have any news on this please let me know.
Gillian
Falmouth
Comment by Gillian — March 3, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
Hello,
I work in the Development Department of a Television Company who is looking for develop a series about families who up sticks and move to Cornwall. I am very interested to speak to anyone who is currently contemplating such a move - whether their mind is made up or they have the date already set. I am also interested in hearing about the experiences of those who have already made that move.
This blog has been tremendously useful in providing me with lots of this information so thank you and please do contact me with any further insights.
Thanks
Lynsey
Assistant Producer
Please contact me on lynsey.kent@walltowall.co.uk or call me on 0207 241 9226.
Comment by Lynsey Kent — May 3, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
Hi
Was just wondering if anyone could offer me some much appreciated advice??? My husband and I, along with our 4yr old daughter are really wanting to relocate to Cornwall from Birmingham. We know Cornwall can be isolated in areas but we are wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, poluted air, concrete and crime! So long as it’s close to a good primary school and not too far from a hospital (you never know!) We just wanted to know where the absolute ‘no go’ areas to live are, especially with a child. Any advice much appreciated, thanks. Nicole
Comment by Nicole — August 6, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Hello
We are Canadian and living in Indonesia. My husband was born in Cornwall. We would like to live in Cornwall for a year and would appreciate any advice about housing such as how to find houses for rent and approximate cost . Thank you very much
Comment by Catherine Thompson — November 20, 2007 @ 3:59 am
any body know of any steiner education group being considered for wadebridge area in cornwall for @9 -11 year olds ,would be easy to find students, I have two ,contact r.budd@yahoo.co.uk
Comment by rachel — December 1, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
hello,
I am student currently living in London and as I am reaching the end of my final year at school i have been wandering what to do next. After applying for an art foundation in London and being rejected i decided to think of what i really wanted to do. I still now have my heart set on doing an art foundation, but in Cornwall -I am willing to reapply for the foundation course next year so i go somewhere i really want to and consider places away from home. After doing some research I found that Camborne Poole Redruth College, Cornwall College, Truro College all offer foundation courses and i am very keen on applying -but this is at a risk as i will have to wait a year for this opportunity an i don’t actually know what any of these are like, whether they have a good reputation or anything!! i was just wondering whether you know anything about student and social activities for young people around these areas or at these colleges or know anyone who would be able to tell me about them. im afraid of going and just being totally left out!
your help would be very much appreciated! thank you,
Georgina
Comment by Georgina — February 18, 2008 @ 8:06 pm
Georgina,
Thought I would advise Truro as it is okayish and near Falmouth which at least has a little (tiny) nightlife. Avoid Pool between Camborne (very poverty stricken and run down with violent pockets) and Redruth (seen much better days, but probably won’t again). Have you looked at Falmouth Art College? I don’t know if they offer what you want, but their reputation is okay and longfounded. Might be worth a look. Students come from all over not just locals.
Good luck!
Comment by jane — February 27, 2008 @ 7:21 pm
hi georgina,
i am kind of in the same boat as u as i am moving down to cornwall to live with my boyfriend whilst starting a first dip in business! Just wondering have you made any decisions yet? x
Comment by Kirsty — February 27, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
Hi we are thinking of moving from newbury to liskeard to start a buisness plumbing & Htg any advice would be great regards
John
Comment by john — March 3, 2008 @ 4:34 pm
Hey, If your thinking of moving to Cornwall I can help you out with a good price moving firm down there check it out.
www.cornwall-mini-moves.com
Comment by judith howells — April 6, 2008 @ 3:35 pm