Port Isaac
Port Isaac (Cornish: Porthusek) is a small and picturesque fishing village on the Atlantic Coast of North Cornwall, United Kingdom. The nearest towns are Wadebridge and Camelford, both ten miles away in opposite directions. Port Gaverne,
commonly mistaken to be part of Port Isaac, is a hamlet that has its
own individual history. Since the 1980s the village has served as
backdrop to various TV productions, and most recently the ITV series Doc Martin.
The meaning of the name Porth Izzick (modified in English spelling) is
the "corn port," indicating a trade in corn from the arable inland
district.
The village is also home to the group Fisherman's Friends, sea shanty singers who perform every Friday evening in summer from around 8 PM on The Platt in the old harbour. The group signed an album deal in March 2010 for £1 million with Universal.[4]
The singers are made up of ten local residents, including the postmaster and author of the Gully books, Jon Cleave, and the crab and lobstermen of the village. The Fisherman's Friends have performed all over the UK including the Royal Albert Hall and have appeared on the popular television quiz show Eggheads. The Master of Ceremonies is usually either Jon Cleave or Jeremy Brown.
The village is also home to the group Fisherman's Friends, sea shanty singers who perform every Friday evening in summer from around 8 PM on The Platt in the old harbour. The group signed an album deal in March 2010 for £1 million with Universal.[4]
The singers are made up of ten local residents, including the postmaster and author of the Gully books, Jon Cleave, and the crab and lobstermen of the village. The Fisherman's Friends have performed all over the UK including the Royal Albert Hall and have appeared on the popular television quiz show Eggheads. The Master of Ceremonies is usually either Jon Cleave or Jeremy Brown.
History
The Port Isaac pier was constructed during the reign of Henry VIII.
The village's central precinct dates from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth
centuries, from a time when its prosperity was tied to local coastal
freight and fishing. The port handled cargoes such as coal, wood,
stone, ores, limestone, salt, pottery and heavy goods which were
conveyed down its narrow streets. Fishermen still work from the Platt,
landing their daily catch of fish, crab and lobsters.
The Port Isaac lifeboat station was established in 1869 following the delivery of two lifeboats called Richard and Sarah. The former boathouse is now the building called the Post Office. In the early 1960s the Royal National Lifeboat Institution introduced the Inshore Lifeboat, and in 1967 the Port Isaac Station reopened with a new class D inshore lifeboat. Since that time, the lifeboat has responded to more than 550 calls, in the process saving more than 140 lives. Today, Port Isaac's crew and shore helpers man the station twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, providing full coverage of Cornwall's north coast.[1]
The church of St. Peter was built as a chapel-of-ease in the parish of St Endellion in 1882-84; Port Isaac became a separate parish in 1913 though more recently it has returned to St. Endellion parish. The building materials were granite and stone and the style adopted was Early English.[2]
There have been three Nonconformist places of worship in the village: the oldest was a Quaker meeting house, 1806; from 1832 it was in use by the Baptists but was converted to a dwelling house in 1871. The United Methodist chapel (1946) and the Wesleyan Methodist chapel remain in use.[3]
The Port Isaac lifeboat station was established in 1869 following the delivery of two lifeboats called Richard and Sarah. The former boathouse is now the building called the Post Office. In the early 1960s the Royal National Lifeboat Institution introduced the Inshore Lifeboat, and in 1967 the Port Isaac Station reopened with a new class D inshore lifeboat. Since that time, the lifeboat has responded to more than 550 calls, in the process saving more than 140 lives. Today, Port Isaac's crew and shore helpers man the station twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, providing full coverage of Cornwall's north coast.[1]
The church of St. Peter was built as a chapel-of-ease in the parish of St Endellion in 1882-84; Port Isaac became a separate parish in 1913 though more recently it has returned to St. Endellion parish. The building materials were granite and stone and the style adopted was Early English.[2]
There have been three Nonconformist places of worship in the village: the oldest was a Quaker meeting house, 1806; from 1832 it was in use by the Baptists but was converted to a dwelling house in 1871. The United Methodist chapel (1946) and the Wesleyan Methodist chapel remain in use.[3]
Film Locations
Despite its isolation the village has had several visits from celebrities. The BBC series Poldark (1975-77) used locations in the area; the BBC drama serial The Nightmare Man (1981) was filmed in and around the village, which doubled for a Scottish island and it was a location for the film of Oscar and Lucinda (1997). The local village hall has been decorated by the team of DIY SOS, and to date, four seasons of the ITV series Doc Martin have been filmed there although the village has a fictional name of "Portwenn." Saving Grace, a successful comedy film, was filmed in and around the village.
In October 2005, the village was again used for the backdrop to the television production of Rosamunde Pilcher's The Shell Seekers. Filming took place in the village for a week with the production's star, Vanessa Redgrave, filming many of her scenes in the main street. The filming of the third series is currently taking place.[citation needed]
In October 2005, the village was again used for the backdrop to the television production of Rosamunde Pilcher's The Shell Seekers. Filming took place in the village for a week with the production's star, Vanessa Redgrave, filming many of her scenes in the main street. The filming of the third series is currently taking place.[citation needed]
The information on this page was extracted from Wikipedia.