Boscastle
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Boscastle harbour and landscape |
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Boscastle shown within Cornwall | |
OS grid reference | SX098906 |
Civil parish | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | BOSCASTLE |
Postcode district | PL35 |
Dialling code | 01840 |
Police | Devon and Cornwall |
Fire | Cornwall |
Ambulance | South Western |
EU Parliament | South West England |
UK Parliament | |
Boscastle (Cornish: Kastel Boterel) is a village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, UK, in the civil parish of Forrabury and Minster (where the 2011 Census population was incuded) . It is 14 miles (23 km) south of Bude and 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Tintagel. The harbour is a natural inlet protected by two stone harbour walls built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville (of HMS Revenge) and is the only significant harbour for 20 miles (32 km) along the coast. The village extends up the valleys of the River Valency and River Jordan. Heavy rainfall on 16 August 2004 caused extensive damage to the village.
Boscastle lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third of Cornwall has AONB designation, with the same status and protection as a National Park and the South West Coast Path passes through the village.
The name of the village comes from Botreaux Castle (pronounced "But'ry"), a 12th-century motte-and-bailey fortress, of which few remains survive. The castle was anciently in the possession of the de Botreaux family, which became under William de Botereaux (1337–91) the Barons Botreaux.
The antiquary, John Leland in the mid 16th-century described the village ″... it is a very filthy town and il kept.″ Boscastle harbour is a natural inlet protected by two stone harbour walls built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville (of HMS Revenge). It is the only significant harbour for 20 miles (32 km) along the coast. Boscastle was once a small port (similar to many others on the north coast of Cornwall), importing limestone and coal, and exporting slate and other local produce.