Boscastle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boscastle (Cornish: Kastell Boterel) is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The name of the village derives from Bottreaux Castle, of which few remains survive. A flash flood on 16 August 2004, caused extensive damage to the village, but much of this was repaired by the following year.

1 Overview
2 National Trust property
3 Flooding in 2004
4 External links

Boscastle harbour and landscape

View from Boscastle harbour path leading to headland

Map sources for Boscastle at grid reference SX0990

[edit] Overview

The village has the only natural harbour for 20 miles along the coast, protected by two stone harbour walls built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville (of HMS Revenge). The oldest parts of the village surround the harbour, which once exported slate, and extend up the valleys of the Rivers Valency and Jordan. More modern buildings (principally residential) creep up the steep stone banks and hills surrounding the harbour and valleys.

Boscastle has one of the nearest youth hostels to the ruins of Tintagel Castle, particularly on foot along approximately five miles of the Cornwall coastal path, part of the much longer South West Coast Path long-distance footpath.

[edit] National Trust property

Much of the land in and around the village is owned by the National Trust, including both sides of the harbour, Forrabury Stitches, high above the Boscastle and divided into ancient "stitchmeal" cultivation plots, and large areas of the Valency Valley, known for its connections to Thomas Hardy.

The Trust runs a shop by and a visitor centre in the Old Smithy.