Truro

Truro, a city of Cornwall, of which it is considered the metropolis, though Bodmin is the county town, stands 12 miles NNE. of Falmouth and 54 W. of Plymouth, at the junction of the Allen and the Kenwyn, here met by a tidal inlet, the Truro River, whose banks present beautiful scenery, and which admits vessels of 100 tons to the quays of the town. Truro is the centre of a mining district, and largely exports tin and copper ore. The ancient Cornish bishopric of Truro was revived in 1876; and the foundation-stone of its cathedral was laid by the Prince of Wales on 20th May 1880, the building being consecrated on 3d November 1887. A granite Early English structure, designed by Mr L. C. Pearson, R.A., it incorporates a portion of the old parish church of St Mary's (1518), and will, when completed, measure 300 feet by 109 across the transepts, with a central tower 250, and two western towers 200 feet high. Other buildings are the Italian town-hall and market-house (1847); the Tudor public rooms (1868), with the county and Bishop Phillpott's libraries; the grammar-school (1546); and the Royal Cornwall Infirmary (1779). Foote, Bone, Martyn, and the Landers were natives, and Dr Wolcot practised here. A very ancient municipal borough, Truro returned two members to parliament from 1239 till 1885. Pop. (1851) 10,733; (1891) 11,131.