GERMOE PARISH COUNCIL

The Parish Council has been serving the community of Germoe since the 1890s, when the first Local Government Act established secular parish councils and rural and urban district councils to represent the interests of local residents. A record of the first meeting of the Council, held on December 28th 1894, is available on this website, together with many of the subsequent meetings. 

Today, Germoe Parish Council serves the needs of parish residents through the following 5 key aims:

Parish History

Germoe’s history dates back to the Bronze Age. Tregonning Hill holds the remains of a Celtic stronghold – Castle Pencaire – which dates from c.250 BC and offers visitors some of the finest views of West Cornwall.  Those braving the 194m summit will see the war memorial, which was erected by the Parish Council in recognition of the sacrifice of those men and women from the Parish who gave their lives in the two World Wars. A service of remembrance is held here every year on Armistice Day.

In 1746 William Cookworthy discovered china clay on the Hill, an event which marked the beginning of the English porcelain industry.  Tregonning Hill china clay was derived from decomposed granite, and offered a superior material to that found thousands of years earlier in China.  By early 19th Century, the china clay deposits were the largest known in the world, and by 1910 Cornwall was producing 50% of the world’s china clay; this brought great prosperity to the region and provided work for locals for many years to come. 

Germoe sits within a UNESCO-recognised site designated as a ‘place of significance to the whole of humanity’. This puts the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site on a par with international treasures such as the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids, Stonehenge, and the Great Wall of China. Harm to any attributes of Outstanding Universal Value (international significance) within the World Heritage Site risks the loss of this status for the entire designated property across Cornwall and west Devon.

Christianity came to Germoe and the surrounding area in 460 AD with the arrival from Ireland of Saint Germochus. This event is now recognised both in the name of the village and in the dedication of the church (parts of which date from the twelfth century) to St. Germoe.  In times gone by, probably even in prehistoric times, mining was a very important aspect of the local economy. The exploitation of minerals in the area was the source of the wealth of several important Cornish families who, in their day, influenced the history of England itself.  The community from in and around Germoe was visited on several occasions by John Wesley, and a Methodist Church was established at Balwest in the mid-eighteenth century. It is believed that Wesley may have preached on more than one occasion in the pit on Tregonning Hill where an ecumenical service is held annually on Whit Sunday.

Social and Economic Profile

Today, due to its unique location, Germoe makes its living mainly from agriculture and tourism. Since the end of the region’s mining in the 1940s, there has been no specific local industry profile, although nearby regions have seen growth from technology, aerospace and new mining opportunities.

Facilities & Services

The parish itself is widely dispersed with a mix of residential properties and farms.  Germoe Churchtown is the centre of the parish, featuring its 12th-century church and church hall, which serve as a vital community hub. Just a short walk from the centre, the village school provides a rich indoor and outdoor learning environment for local children. Additionally, Balwest Chapel plays a significant role in parish life, offering a welcoming space for worship and community activities. The chapel's schoolroom activities further enrich the local community, ensuring that residents from all areas feel connected and included in the vibrant life of the parish.  

Nearby local facilities, including bars, cafes and restaurants, can be found in neighbouring Praa Sands.  Here you will find one of Cornwall’s hidden gem beaches, which offers water sports and family leisure facilities. Further afield, local towns include Penzance and Helston, where a wider array of shopping and leisure facilities can be found.  However, the entire region of West Cornwall is within a short commute from the parish, which offers a gateway to a myriad of excellent tourist venues and world-leading beaches.

School

Germoe Community Primary School attracts children from a wide area and benefits from a very active and supportive association of parents and friends. In the parish, a pre-school, a scout group and a heritage society are well supported.