Welcome to Newquay

Newquay is located on the far south-west coast of England overlooking Newquay Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, in the county of Cornwall, approximately 257 miles west-south-west of London and 16 miles north of Truro.

The town has a population of around 16,000. Administratively it is within the Borough of Restormel which covers an area of approximately 452 sq kms and which has a population of around 99,000.

With ten fine sandy beaches, tall cliffs inset with magnificent caves, and numerous other attractions it is the primary holiday resort in Cornwall and the Atlantic breakers attract surfers from all over the world. One of its most notable historic buildings is the Huer's House on the headland west of the harbour. The huer's job was to watch the sea for shoals of pilchard and then alert the town's fishermen with a great shout.

The town's history as Newquay really dates from the 15th century when the 'new quay' was built, however a fishing port, called Towan Blistra, had already been long established here. Prior to that Newquay's original Iron Age settlement, still visible, was on Porth Island to the north-east end of the present town. There are also several Bronze Age sites locally showing settlement in the area dating back over 3000 years.

Historically the town's economy depended for centuries upon the pilchard industry and later as a mining centre producing silver, lead and copper. It also developed as a thriving cargo port during the 19th century. Today tourism and its related industries are pre-eminent employing a significant percentage of the local workforce.

The name Newquay simply derives from the new quay which was built for the fishing port in the 15th century.