St. Austell
OS Grid Ref:- SX011524
A pleasant town in the heart of the Cornish 'mountains', St. Austell boasts many interesting old buildings. The panoramic sweep of St. Austell Bay offers outstanding cliff scenery and some superb beaches.
The china clay industry was the mainstay of the area's economy. The harbour was built and the local economy boomed until china clay slurry caused the silting which lead to St. Austell's closure as a port.
St Austell's characterful narrow streets and pedestrianised precincts offer a wide range of shops. The highly interesting Wheal Martyn Heritage Museum covers the development of the china clay industry in the area and is well worth a visit.
The Polkyth Recreation Centre, near St. Austell Station offers squash, badminton, tennis, sauna, pool and has a cafe and bar and the Eden Project, one of England's most popular visitor attractions, is located nearby.
Caerhays Castle Garden, near St. Austell, lies by the coast and surrounds an early nineteenth century Gothic Revival castle built by John Nash, the architect of London's marble arch. The gardens are justly famous for their spectacular Magnolias and wide range of shrubs. The gardens and castle are open to the public only in the spring.