Penryn's Historic Significance

The town of Penryn stands in a sheltered position at the head of the Penryn river that flows to Falmouth. Over the centuries the settlement grew and became an important shipping port for Cornwall’s tin and granite industries, so much so that it became known as the Granite Port.

Retaining much of its historic past, including many buildings dating back to the Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian periods, the area has been designated as an important conservation area.

Discovering Penryn’s Past

In Penryn From Old Photographs, local author Ernie Warmington reveals Penryn’s fascinating past through these carefully selected, rare old photographs, which illustrate how the residents lived and interacted with their surroundings, in one of Cornwall’s oldest market towns.