Cornwall is best known for its sandy beaches, fantastic coves, and picturesque attractions. But did you know that this county of the UK is actually home to some of the quirkiest, weirdest, and most unusual things you can find on the planet? Well, you’ve got to check these out for you to really believe it.
Victorian Murder Mystery
Have you ever wondered what it felt like to be a jury in a 19th century Bodmin courthouse? Well, the Victorian Murder Mystery gives you the chance to serve as one of the juries in the famous Matthew Weeks trial for the killing of Charlotte Dymond. Was it in a fit of jealousy? Or did the police simply take advantage of Weeks’ poor cognitive capabilities? It’s a re-enactment of the 1844 trial that includes a tour of the prison cells where Weeks awaited his judgment.
Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
Forget Hogwarts in the meantime and focus your sights on the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. You won’t see Harry Potter and the other kid wizards, but you’ll surely be feasting your eyes on the widest collection of artefacts related to witchcraft, sorcery, and magic. You’ll also get a lesson on the history of witchcraft including famous trials and modern-day witches. Be careful, you might be sitting next to one.
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station
Home to some 60 or so satellite dishes, Goonyhilly doesn’t really come with a quirky nature until you ask locals about the names of the different dishes. Named after the many greats and legends of Cornish folklore, these satellite dishes provide a remarkable contrast to the sea of green in Goonhilly near Helston. It remains the planet’s most expansive satellite earth station, although only 25 of the dishes are left fully operational. See if you can identify Merlin, Tristan, and Guinevere.
Bag O Rags
Fancy an authentic pirate bag? How about a quirky pirate’s hat? Well, whatever your pirate desires is you’ll most likely find them in the Bag O Rags. It is a shop that specialises in anything and everything about a pirate’s life. It’s quite unique in that the only pirates that we hear of today are those that roam the waters off Somalia. Bag O Rags is found inside the Ben Bones Locker, a boat that is moored in the Harbour of Penzance and is only open from April to September.
Halliggye-Fogou
Located in Trelowarren a few kilometres from Helston, the Halliggye Fogou is not really a weird place, except that it houses a dry stone defence platform underground. The really peculiar thing about it is that these defensive structures were built during the Iron Age. A long and claustrophobia-inducing tunnel leads to three underground chambers believed to have been dug and used by treasure hunters of the Victoria era. What is even more interesting is that there are a series of mysterious underground tunnels that are believed to have been built by the earliest settlers of Cornwall.
Who says Cornwall is all beaches and scenic countryside? It can have its quirky side, too.
