Godrevy is an area of west Cornwall, United Kingdom, found on the north coast within St. Ives Bay and is popular with both the surfing community and walkers. It is home also to some areas administered by the National Trust, and a lighthouse maintained by Trinity House.
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The headland (grid reference SW580430) is on the Atlantic coast in Cornwall. It is on the eastern side of St Ives Bay, about three miles (5 km) north-east of the town of Hayle. The nearest village is Gwithian, half-a-mile west beyond Godrevy Bridge across the Red River.
The promontory is roughly square in shape, faces north into the Atlantic and occupies an area of approx 1-square-mile (2.6 km2). The coastline around the headland and two inland areas of maritime heathland are owned by the National Trust.
Godrevy Head has some of the best coastal heathland in the county, with many species of plant, animal and insect life. Areas of Godrevy Head are designated as part of Godrevy Head to St Agnes SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).[1]
Much of the headland is open to the public and the area is popular with walkers. The South West Coast Path runs around the whole promontory and there are several public car parks on the western side where the National Trust owns and operates a cafe. There is also easy access to the coast path from the B3301 road at Hell's Mouth, south-east of Godrevy Head.
The western side of the Godrevy Head is bounded by rocks to the north and a wide sandy beach to the south which is popular for surfing. At the north-western corner of the headland is Godrevy Point; at the north-eastern corner is Navax Point. The cliffs between the two points are approx 220 feet (70 metres) above sea level.
On the northern side of the headland are two coves named Mutton Cove and Kynance Cove beyond which the Nathaga Rocks lie off Navax Point. On the eastern side of the headland are Castle Giver Cove and Fishing Cove.
South of Navax Point is an area of heath named The Knavocks which is managed by The National Trust. The grassland and gorse scrub is criss-crossed with footpaths and is home to many species of butterflies and birds, notably nesting stonechats. The Knavocks, like other coastal heathlands in Cornwall, is managed by regularly cutting back the gorse and by grazing, the National Trust having introduced a herd of ponies for the purpose.
Beyond Fishing Cove, the coast swings to the east towards Hell's Mouth and North Cliffs. The land here rises to approx 290 feet (90 metres), the highest point on this section of clifftop.
The cliffs, offshore rocks and coast around Godrevy Head form a renowned habitat for seabirds including cormorants, fulmar, guillemot, and razorbills and several species of gull. There is also a substantial population of grey seals throughout the year. Occasionally, bottlenose dolphins can be seen in the area.
Godrevy Island lies approx three hundred yards off Godrevy Point. The uninhabited island is the site of an operational Trinity House lighthouse (see below).
Seaward of Godrevy Island is a submerged reef known as the Stones which extends for approx one mile (1.6 km) across the eastern approach to St Ives Bay. Godrevy lighthouse was built to warn shipping of the danger posed by the reef.
Godrevy Lighthouse was built in 1858–1859. The Stones reef had always been a hazard to shipping and a lighthouse had been considered many times prior to 1858 but nothing came of plans until the SS Nile was wrecked in 1854 with the loss of all on board. The lighthouse is a white octagonal tower, 86 feet (26 m) high and made of rubble-stone and mortar. The original light was a revolving white one, with a fixed red light below the main light, which could be seen over a 45-degree arc when a ship was in danger of the reef. This was later replaced by a red sector on the main light itself. Originally, the light was manned by three men at a time, but in 1934 the lighthouse was automated. The light flashes white/red every 10 seconds, with the red sector only being visible in the arc of danger from the reef. The range of the light is around 12 miles (19 km).Godrevy Light by Charles Thomas and Jessica Mann describes the history of this lighthouse and shows the many works of art it inspired.
The lighthouse is said to have inspired Virginia Woolf to write To the Lighthouse - though in the book, she locates the lighthouse in the Hebrides. The lighthouse's visitor book, containing the signature of Virginia Stephen (Woolfe), is to go on sale at Bonhams on 22 November 2011. She first visited on 12 September 1892. Pre–Raphaelite painter William Holman Hunt also signed the book on the same day.[2]
British singer Patrick Wolf has written a song called Godrevy Point, which released as a B-side on the single Wind in the Wires in 2005.
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