Hotels in St Austell
The old market town of St Austell is just a few miles from the coast and is one of Cornwall's biggest towns. It was for centuries an important mining town but it was a discovery in the mid 18th century that really put the town on the map.
William Cookworthy, a chemist from Devon, discovered massive deposits of kaolin (a form of decomposed granite), or china clay in the area. The mineral is used in not only the production of porcelain but a whole host of industries including paper, pharmecuticals and textiles. The extraction of china clay became the mainstay of local industry and accelerated the growth of the town from the eighteenth century onwards. One estimate puts the value of the industry at the time at around £15 billion in today's money.
The china clay industry is now in decline with cheaper foreign sources now being used. However the industry not only changed the town itself but has left its mark on the landscape around St Austell. The Cornish Alps as they are sometimes referred to are the spoils from the clay pits which form large, originally white, conical mounds. Over recent years some of these have been lanscaped and flattened to from a less surreal landscape.
The nearby Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum is an interesting insight into china clay production with interactive displays based in a 19th century clay works.
Another long running industry in the town is St Austell Brewery. Founded in 1851 by Walter Hicks it has grown to become easily the biggest brewery in Cornwall with a string of pubs. The brewery is open to the public for tours.
65 hotels
HOTELS
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.07 miles
Rating: 4*
Prices From: £129.00
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.12 miles
Rating: 3*
Prices From: £69.00
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.19 miles
Rating: NOT CLASSIfIED
Prices From: £45.00
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.23 miles
Rating: 4*
Prices From: £60.00
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.23 miles
Rating: 4*
Prices From: £60.00
Location: St. Austell
Distance: 0.31 miles
Rating: NOT CLASSIfIED
Prices From: £Call for details.
Location: St Austell Cornwall
Distance: 0.36 miles
Rating: 4*
Prices From: £59.00
Location: St Austell
Distance: 0.41 miles
Rating: 4*
Prices From: £76.00
Locations near St Austell
Attractions near St Austell
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