A Brief History of Helston Cornwall

A small town in the county of Cornwall, England, UK, Helston has a history which stretches back into the mists of time, it was settled by the Saxons as far back as the 6th century and was listed in the Domesday Book as ‘Henliston’. The name of the town is derived from the ancient Cornish Hen Lis (“Old Court”), the ‘ton’ added because it was a Saxon manor. Standing on the banks of the River Cober, Helston was at one time tidal and was in fact an inland port, which received coal and exported tin, the river access was however cut off by a sand bar and the port fell into disuse. Helston has always been connected with mining, with tin and copper mines in the areas around the town. These days Helston is more of a tourist destination, being just a couple of miles from the coast, and an ideal base for touring the western areas of Cornwall. Helston Map.