Trelawnys Cornwall, Petroc Trelawny
Trelawnys Cornwall, Petroc Trelawny
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Trelawny's Cornwall
A Journey through Western Lands

Author: Petroc Trelawny

Narrator: Petroc Trelawny

Unabridged: 11 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/15/2024

Synopsis

It would be hard to think of a more thoroughly Cornish name than Petroc Trelawny. His first name is shared with one of Cornwall's most celebrated saints, his second is the name of its unofficial national anthem. But when a stranger challenges the Radio 3 presenter on his ancestry, he is inspired to return to the lands of his boyhood to rediscover the place where he grew up, and attempt to confirm if he still belongs there.

Part history, part memoir, this is a deeply felt exploration of Cornwall - past, present and future. Petroc embarks on a slow journey that sees him visit old mine workings, ancient churches, sites where new technology was forged, and places where poets, musicians, architects and film makers have worked to shape Cornwall's cultural identity. He explores the Tamar, the river that marks out the Cornish frontier, and holds a finger up to winds of change, exploring the collapse of Methodism, the decline of the Cornish language, and the complex , sometimes lucrative, sometimes destructive, relationship with tourism.

As he travels by road, rail and foot, he conjures marvellously vivid figures and scenes from memory, telling the stories of a loving family full of mysteries and a landscape still redolent of 'Cornish otherness'.

About Petroc Trelawny

Petroc Trelawny presents the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 3. Last summer saw his twentieth consecutive season introducing BBC Proms on radio and television. He presents the live BBC broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Day Concert, and in June 2019 hosted BBC Television's 'Cardiff Singer of the World' for the eleventh time. He has presented the international telecast of Eurovision Young Musician to more than two dozen countries from Edinburgh and hosted Eurovision Choir live from Gothenburg. Petroc has introduced TV profiles of arts figures including Dame Fanny Waterman, Julian Bream and Yehudi Menuhin. He has presented performances by the Royal Ballet shown in cinemas around the world, and last September anchored note-by-note coverage of the Leeds Piano Competition for Medici.tv. He is a regular contributor to 'From Our Own Correspondent' (BBC Radio 4/World Service) and has written extensively for publications including the Observer, Sunday Telegraph, London Evening Standard, The Spectator and Irish Times.

Reviews

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Quotes

I can't think of a more enjoyable or more illuminating guide to Cornwall than Petroc Trelawny, who knows it intimately, loves it deeply, and shares it generously

Utterly engaging and full of sly pleasures . . . an authoritative, insider's survey of all the high achieving men and women who made Cornwall the fascinating place it is today but also a deeply personal memoir which manages elegantly to sidestep all the usual pitfalls of autobiographies of household names

An absolute jewel of a book Telegraph

Anyone who loves Cornwall and understands its charm will become a complete fan of this. I thoroughly enjoyed Petroc's gentle humour and acute observations. Plus there is so much wonderful information about Cornish life and history here

The broad knowledge, fluency and personal passions that Petroc Trelawny brings to classical music find a very special voice for Cornwall in all its diverse incarnations. I loved this book

Trelawny's Cornwall sits perfectly balanced between personal remembrance and the historical celebration of a nation. I loved it!

A delightful book, beautifully written, in which the author interweaves his Cornish background with subjects that fascinate him - from music and Methodism to shipwrecks, mining and the role of Cornwall in long-distance communications, all bedded in a love for the people and culture of the south-west. This book will be a huge pleasure to those who share his passion for this part of the world and a revelation to others. I cannot recommend it too highly

Petroc Trelawny's meditative book on Cornwall . . . mixes travel writing, memoir and social history and it considers the particular question of regional identity. What is lost with a local language vanishes? What is gained by an influx of tourists with money to burn? What does the idea of 'Cornish otherness' actually mean? Unseen Histories

Lively and informative . . . This is a richly rewarding book . . . I can't think of a better guide to Cornwall than Trelawny. He's the real deal, and short of being able to catch trains and wander around churches with the man himself, having his erudite, engaging and enjoyable book to hand makes an excellent close second Sunday Times

Part charming memoir . . . part lyrical paean to a county that is often typecast. Instead of presenting Cornwall as entirely reliant on cream, pasties and Poldark, Mr Trelawny promotes it as a place of innovation and foresight, citing the potential . . . The two strands are beautifully balanced and resist aggressive nationalism, the autobiographical details gracefully revealed with a light touch and an endearing sense of hireth (a Cornish word suggesting an elusive homesickness triggered by memories) Country Life

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