Pentreath Collection

Hayle. St Ives in the distance, c1860. West Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR)
541097 Hayle. St Ives in the distance, c1860. West Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR). The boom time for the harbour

Kynance Cove, Cornwall, July 1924
A GWR publicity view of the coast at Kynance Cove in Cornwall, July 1924. The stretch of sand seen here is Pentreath Beach

Dolly Pentreaths memorial, St Pol de Leon churchyard, Paul, Cornwall. Early 1900s
A view of Dolly Pentreaths memorial set in the wall of Paul churchyard. Dolly Pentreaths main language was Cornish and she only learned a little English as an adult

The Lizard, Pentreath, Kynance Bay (photo)
5986845 The Lizard, Pentreath, Kynance Bay (photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Lizard, Pentreath, Kynance Bay)

DOROTHY JEFFREY / CORNISH
Dorothy Jeffrey (nee Pentreath) Allegedly the last speaker of Cornish. Date: 1685 - 1777

St Austell, 1860. A scene on the Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR) at St Austell, showing one of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) timber viaducts

Hayle St Ives in the distance, c1860. Scene on the West Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR). The boom time for the harbour

St Austell, 1860. Cornwall Railway, later Great Western Railway (GWR) at St Austell, showing one of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) timber viaducts

Hayle. St Ives in the distance, c1860. West Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR). The boom time for the harbour

Dorothy Jeffrey / Cornish
DOROTHY JEFFREY (nee Pentreath) Allegedly the last speaker of Cornish

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Amidst the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the land, lies the small fishing village of Pentreath. Once home to Dolly Pentreath, a legendary local figure who reportedly survived a storm in 1649 by clinging to a rock for hours. Her memorial stands proudly in St Pol de Leon churchyard, overlooking the sea in Paul. In the early 1900s, the landscape around Pentreath began to change with the arrival of the railway. The Cornish line, later known as the Great Western Railway (GWR), reached St Austell in 1860, bringing new opportunities and challenges. The West Cornwall Railway followed suit, connecting Hayle to St Ives, with Pentreath in between. Photographs from this era show Hayle and St Ives in the distance, their silhouettes framed by the railway tracks and the vast expanse of the sea. The Lizard, Pentreath's neighboring peninsula, is visible in one image, its jagged cliffs and rocky shores a testament to the raw power of nature. Another iconic image, taken in July 1924, captures Kynance Bay, a short distance from Pentreath. The bay's unique rock formations and turquoise waters are a sight to behold, a reminder of the natural beauty that continues to draw visitors to this part of Cornwall. As we stand at Dolly Pentreath's memorial today, we are reminded of the rich history and resilient spirit of this remarkable place. The sea may have shaped Pentreath's past, but it continues to inspire and captivate all who visit."