Gunnislake

Gunnislake
The Cornish Inn
Gunnislake is located in Cornwall
Gunnislake
Gunnislake
Location within Cornwall
OS grid referenceSX432717
Civil parish
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townGUNNISLAKE
Postcode districtPL18
Dialling code01822
PoliceDevon and Cornwall
FireCornwall
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Cornwall
50°31′27″N 4°12′48″W / 50.5242°N 4.2133°W / 50.5242; -4.2133

Gunnislake (Cornish: Dowrgonna[1]) is a large village in east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the Tamar Valley approximately ten miles (16 km) north of Plymouth[2] The first woman cabinet minister in the British Empire, Mary Ellen Smith, was born here in 1863.[3]

Gunnislake is in the civil parish of Calstock and is close to Cornwall's border with Devon which follows the course of the River Tamar. It has an electoral ward in its own name which includes much of Calstock and the surrounding area. The population at the 2011 census was 4,574.[4] According to an OCSI report, of the total population, 562 (18.2%) are children, making up a larger proportion of the population than across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (17.3%). 685 (22.2%) are people of pensionable age, making up a smaller proportion of the population than across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (24.3%).[5]

The village has a history of mining although this industry is no longer active in the area. During the mining boom in Victorian times more than 7000 people were employed in the mines of the Tamar Valley.[citation needed] During this period Gunnislake was held in equal standing amongst the richest mining areas in Europe.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "The Cornish Language - Cornwall Council". Magakernow.org.uk. 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  2. ^ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 201 Plymouth & Launceston ISBN 978-0-319-23146-3
  3. ^ Messamore, Barbara J. (8 February 2024), "Smith [née Spear], Mary Ellen (1863–1933), suffrage activist, politician in British Columbia, and first female cabinet minister in the British empire", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000382467, ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8, retrieved 25 February 2024
  4. ^ "Gunnislake electoral ward 2011 census". Ukcensusdata.com. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Rural deprivation in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: Profile report for Gunnislake" (PDF). cornwallrcc.org.uk/. Retrieved 6 January 2019.