Bodmin

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About Bodmin

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Rules
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Welcome to Bodmin Group. There are no rules involved in this group for as long as all the photographs are taken in Bodmin or in any area around it.
It would be also very appretiated if everyone would respect each others work and cause no arguements and enjoy this group
Thank You for joining in and let's hope this group will grow big and have many unique photographs to reflect the beauty of our little town called Bodmin.
Regards from Steady Neddy
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Post an Award
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You can use this ''Post an Award'' to admire other photographers work and invite them and their photographs of Bodmin to this group.

<b>Brilliant Photograph, You’re More Than Welcome To Include It To Bodmin Group
<a href=http://www.flickr.com/groups/bodmin><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerijus_vingevicius/6654283789/" title="6298862891_c0709c9975_b by Steady Neddy, on Flickr">
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6654283789_b3bf3f544a_m.jpg" width="240" height="159" alt="6298862891_c0709c9975_b"></a></b>

This is how this ''Post an Award'' will show up on as your comment:

Brilliant Photograph, You’re More Than Welcome To Include It To Bodmin Group


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History of Bodmin
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CELTIC AND MEDIEVAL BODMIN

Bodmin is an ancient trading place. It lies on a route that crosses Cornwall North to South called the Saint's Way. In the past it was sometimes called the Mariner's Way because merchants from Wales, Ireland and Northern France often crossed Cornwall overland from the Camel to the Fowey rather than pass Lands End by sea.

During the Iron Age the Celts built a hill fort, which is now known as Canyke Castle. Later the Romans built a fort to defend a strategic river crossing.

In the 6th century St Petroc, the patron saint of Cornwall, established a monastery at Padstow. In the 10th century it moved to Bodmin. In the 12th century it was changed to an Augustinian priory. The name of the town 'Bodmin' may mean 'house of monks'. Certainly, for centuries the priory dominated the town. Henry VIII closed the priory in 1538 but the monk's fishpond survives as Priory Pond.

However at the time of the Domesday Book (1086) Bodmin was the only market town in Cornwall. During the Middle Ages Bodmin was an important market for wool and tin.

In the 13th century Franciscan friars arrived in Bodmin. (They were called grey friars because of the colour of their costumes). Friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach.

The black death reached Bodmin in 1349 and devastated the population but the town soon recovered.

The Church of St Petroc was built in the years 1469-1472 with donations given by the townspeople. However it was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. St Petroc's is the largest parish church in Cornwall. Berry Tower is all that remains of a chapel which was erected in the 15th century.

BODMIN 1497-1800

Bodmin was at the centre of 3 Cornish rebellions. The first was the Cornish tax rebellion in the Summer of 1497. The rebels almost reached London before they were crushed. Then, in the Autumn of 1497, a man named Perkin Warbeck tried to usurp the throne from Henry VII. Warbeck was proclaimed King Richard IV in Bodmin. However Henry Tudor had little difficulty crushing the uprising. Finally in 1549 Cornishmen rose in rebellion when the staunchly Protestant Edward VI tried to impose a new prayer book. Cornish people were still strongly attached to the old Catholic religion and rose in rebellion but, once again, the king prevailed.

Following the failure of that rebellion Bodmin returned to being a busy little market town.

Bodmin goal was built in 1776. A number of executions were carried out there between the late 18th century and the early 20th century. The last hanging happened in 1909. Bodmin goal finally closed in 1922.

MODERN BODMIN

At the time of the first census in 1801 Bodmin was a little town with a population of less than 2,000 people. However the population grew rapidly in the first half of the 19th century. By 1851 it had more than doubled to over 4,300. Growth then slowed and it was only a little over 5,300 in 1901. Bodmin became less important once Truro was made a cathedral city.

St Lawrence's Hospital was built as a Lunatic Asylum in 1820. The Shire Hall was built in 1837. Bodmin Market House was built in 1839 and a workhouse was built in Bodmin in 1842. Life inside was made as unpleasant as possible to discourage 'idlers'.

A railway from Bodmin to Wadebridge opened in 1834. A railway from Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin opened in 1887.

In 1856 an obelisk was erected for a soldier, Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert.

Lanhydrock was first built in the mid-17th century. However most of the building was destroyed by fire in 1881 and had to be rebuilt.

The Public Rooms were built in 1891. The library in Bodmin was built in 1897. Meanwhile Turret Clock was erected in 1845. Asylum clock was built in 1925.

H C McNeil the writer who created Bulldog Drummond was born in Bodmin in 1888 and East Cornwall Hospital was built in 1910.

Bodmin was a key town in the run-up to the D-Day landings in June 1944. Many servicemen (mostly from the USA) were stationed in the town.

St Mary's Catholic Church opened in 1965.

During the 20th century Bodmin became a thriving tourist destination. It is famous for its wells. These include Eye Well, whose waters were supposed to be good for diseases of the eye. Bodmin also has a military museum, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum, which dates from 1925. Shire Gallery opened in 2000.

During the 20th century the population of Bodmin grew much larger. By 1951 the population of Bodmin was 6,000. In the second half of the 20th century the population doubled.

Today Bodmin has a modern Industrial estate, Callywith Gate. Today the population of Bodmin is about 13,000.
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