King’s last stand: 542 AD
Legendary King Arthur, hero, swashbuckler and all round good egg, who it is said was born at Tintagel castle on Cornwall’s north coast, meets a sticky end at the hands of his evil nephew Mordred at gruesomely named Slaughterbridge near Camelford. A 9th century inscribed stone commemorating the event lies in the slow moving waters of the river Camel. See where: sat nav PL32 9TT Slaughterbridge
Cornwall contacts America
December 12 1901 the age of mass communication starts right here in Cornwall when Italian genius Guglielmo Marconi sends the first radio signal across the Atlantic to Newfoundland changing the world forever. And the first message? Dot dot dot, for the morsecode letter S, meaning success. See where: sat nav TR12 7JB Marconi centre, Poldu Cove
Armada sighted off the coast: 29 July 1588
Queen Elizabeth I is on the throne and England is embroiled in a religious war with Spain and sailing up the channel King Philip of Spain’s fighting fleet of ships prepare to attack. Eagle eyed locals at Halzephron cliff on the Lizard raise the alarm and a string of beacons is lit to warn the English fleet, saving the country from invasion. See where: sat nav TR12 7QB Halzephron cliffs
Napoleon defeated: October 1805
Revellers at the Union Hotel in Penzance are stopped in their tracks when they become the first people in the country to hear of Nelson’s victory and unfortunate death at Trafalgar. The message was relayed from a passing ship on its way back to Portsmouth and was announced in the hotel by the mayor, Thomas Giddy. See where: sat nav. TR18 4AE Union Hotel
Overseas mail service begins: January 1689
Falmouth harbour becomes a flurry of activity as the first sailing ships Spanish Allyance and Spanish Expedition loaded with documents, goods and bullion destined for Spain set off. The service is quickly extended to cover Halifax, the West Indies, the east coast of South America, Gibraltar, Malta and Corfu with over 3,000 ships passing through the port every year. See where: sat nav TR11 3JT Falmouth, Custom House Quay.