Bodmin
Bodmin is situated between two of Cornwall's most attractive historic houses, Lanhydrock House which is set in wonderful gardens and parkland stretching along the River Fowey and Pencarrow House, an elegant Georgian mansion surrounded by 50 acres of woodland walks and formal gardens. Bodmin is just 30 minutes from the stunning north and south coast Cornish beaches and is at the gateway to the traffic-free, walking and cycling route - the Camel Trail and also a stone throw from the world-famous Eden Project. Not to mention it is at the south-western edge of the windswept, undiscovered landscape that is Bodmin Moor with its granite tors, panoramic views, walking opportunities and rugged moorland villages.
Bodmin is the former county town of Cornwall. It was the only Cornish town to be recorded in the Domesday Book, which was actually lodged in the town’s prison during the First World War. The name is derived from Bod-minachau, meaning the home of monks, suggesting that it was originally a religious settlement. The entry in the Domesday Book records that the town was held by St Petroc’s Church which was originally a Norman construction, although it was extensively rebuilt in the 15th century and restored again in the 19th century. The oldest part of the town is composed of mainly granite buildings clustered around the towering Bodmin Beacon at the top a windswept hill to the south of the town. The Beacon is a 144 feet tall obelisk in memory of Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert, a local town dignitory born in Priory House. It was erected in 1856 in recognition of his service in India. The area around the Beacon was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1994 with woodland and traditional hay meadow.
There two museums in the town; Bodmin Town Museum (situated on Mount Folly approximately 100 yards from the main car park) tells the story of Bodmin from earliest times to the end of WWII, while the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Museum are in the former regimental barracks. Bodmin Jail was once notorious for its grim treatment of prisoners, and it has been the scene of numerous public hangings since it was built in 1778. You can visit the jail cells where as many as 10 prisoners were confined in one cell (with no furniture or beds), and see where condemned prisoners were kept. It was the last County Jail in Cornwall, eventually closing in 1927. The Jail now sits at the start of the famous Camel Trail and is the perfect alternative day out. Exhibits show what life was like for those unfortunate enough to be confined at the jail.