FALMOUTH, a seaport, market town and municipal bor ough in the Penryn and Falmouth parliamentary division of Cornwall, England, 2914 m. W.S.W. of London on a branch from Truro of the G.W. railway. Pop. Falmouth is finely situated on the west shore of Carrick roads, the largest of the many estuaries which open on the south coast of Cornwall. Several streams empty into the estuary, opening to inland navi gation by river steamer; the largest is the Fal, near the head of the estuary on the east shore, by which Truro is reached ; while the Penryn river and creek joins Falmouth with Penryn on the west, and the picturesque inlet of the Porthcuel river opens out from St. Mawes near the entrance opposite Falmouth. Car rick roads form one of the best refuges for shipping on the south coast, being accessible at all times by the largest vessels. The shores are beautifully wooded, and slope sharply up to about 25o ft. The entrance from the more open Falmouth bay is I m. across between St. Anthony Head (with its powerful light) and Zoze point, on the east, and Pendennis point, the promontory of Falmouth, on the west. Pendennis and St. Mawes' castles are Tudor fortresses; the former is celebrated for its gallant defence in the Civil War, when Cornwall was a centre of the royalist cause—another memorial being the church of King Charles the Martyr, built in 1662-63 during the Restoration. Arwenack house is the ancient seat of the Killigrews, who were lords of the manor. Owing to its situation on the neck of a peninsula, Falmouth faces the water on both sides, and considerable improvements have been effected by the corporation in laying out a marine drive and pleasure grounds, etc. Among the principal buildings and institu tions are the town-hall and market-house, the Royal Cornwall Sailors' home and hospital, a meteorological and magnetic ob servatory, and a submarine mining establishment. The Royal Cornwall Yacht club has its headquarters here; the principal prize in the annual regatta is a cup given by the prince of Wales as duke of Cornwall. Engineering, shipbuilding, brewing and the manufacture of manure are carried on, and there are oyster and mussel fisheries controlled by the corporation, and trawl fisheries, especially for pilchard. The growing importance of Falmouth as a ship repairing centre has been met by increased wharfage and the installation of modern workshops, as well as the addition of two new graving docks in 1926 and 1928, respectively 75o ft. and 611 ft. long, the latter being especially intended for the con venience of oil tank steamers. The area of the tidal harbour within the docks is c. 42 ac. Grain, timber, coal and manures are imported, and granite, china clay, copper ore, ropes and fish exported. Falmouth is also in favour as a watering-place. The municipal borough is under a mayor, four aldermen and 12 councillors, and has a separate commission of the peace. Area, Q91 ac.
Falmouth (Falemuth) as a haven and port has had a place in the maritime history of Cornwall from early times. The site of the town, formerly known as Smithick and Pennycomequick, f ormed • part of the manor of Arwenack held by the family of Killigrew, the last of whom died in the 18th century. In 1652 the Commonwealth parliament granted a market to Smithick. This market was confirmed to Sir Peter Killigrew in 166o to gether with two fairs and a ferry between Smithick and Flushing, on the opposite shore of Penryn creek. By the charter of incor poration granted in the following year the name was changed to Falmouth. In 1664, an act creating the borough a separate ecclesiastical parish empowered the mayor and aldermen to assess all buildings within the town for the support of the rector. This rector's rate occasioned much ill-feeling in modern times, and by act of parliament in 1896 was taken over by the corpora tion, and provision made for its eventual amortization. In 1832 Penryn was united with Falmouth for parliamentary purposes, two members being assigned to the united boroughs. By the Redistribution act 1885, the number of members was reduced to one. In 1918 the borough was merged in the present county division.