Porthcurno beach and Telegraph Museum

The natural landscape of Porthcurno is striking, with its dramatic granite rock formations, white sand, turquoise sea and exotic plant life. The sand is made up almost entirely of tiny shell fragments and extends well below the water line, giving the sea a translucent turquoise colour, even on a cloudy day. The beach and cliffs were donated to the National Trust by Cable & Wireless in May 1994. The climate in the west of Cornwall is one of the mildest in Great Britain and many sub-tropical plants flourish in sheltered valleys and gardens. Perhaps the most conspicuous and unusual plant in Porthcurno is the Giant Rhubarb (Gunnera) which has leaves up to six feet across.

In 1870, Porthcurno began its life as an important centre of international communications. It was in this year that a chain of telegraph cables linking Britain with India was completed. Porthcurno was chosen as the landing point for the British end of this cable link. The company that laid the cable into Porthcurno was the Falmouth Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph Company, founded by John Pender in 1869 and one of four companies established to lay the cables in the 'chain' linking Britain and India. The name of the company indicates that the cable was to land at Falmouth and this was indeed the original intention.

However, late in the planning, it was decided to land the cable at Porthcurno rather than Falmouth and hence this remote Cornish cove became the site of Britain's first major Empire communications link in 1870. In 1872 the four small companies that had laid the Porthcurno to Bombay cable were merged to form the Eastern Telegraph Company. This company went on to develop a world-wide telegraph cable network and Porthcurno was its major station.

Porthcurno's telegraphic code name was 'PK'. In 1929 the company also began to operate world radio communications through a merger with Marconi's radio network and it was renamed 'Imperial and International Communications'. In 1934 the name changed once again to 'Cable & Wireless'. At its height, Porthcurno was the world's largest cable station, with 14 telegraph cables in operation.

Address:

The PK Trust and the Museum's postal address is:

Eastern House

Porthcurno

Cornwall

TR19 6JX

England, UK

Opening Times:

10.00am - 5.00pm with last admission at 4.00pm

Late night opening Wednesday 10.00am - 7.30pm, 23rd May - 12th September

Summer opening

1st April to 5th November: open every day 10am-5pm.

Late night opening until 7.30pm on Wednesdays from 23rd May-12th September 

Winter opening 

11th November to 10th March - Sundays and Mondays only

Last admission time 1 hour before closing time

Admission:

With Gift Aid         

Adults  £5.50           

Family  £13.20           

Children  £3.10        

Senior  £4.90       

Student  £3.90  

         

Without Gift aid          

Child under 5  Free

Carer accompanying disabled person  Free

Teachers and carers accompanying school groups: 1 free per 6 children

Discounts

10% discount is available on a pre-booked group of 10 people or more who pay as a group.

T  +44 (0)1736 810966

F  +44 (0)1736 811914

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W  Porthcurno

Museum and Shop Enquiries and Group Bookings:

T  +44 (0)1736 810966

F  +44 (0)1736 811914

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Educational Bookings and Workshops:

Contact our Education Officer This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

T  +44 (0)1736 810592

The PK Trust and Cable & Wireless Archive enquiries:

please contact Alan Renton at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Friends of The PK Trust and Fundraising Enquiries:

e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mercury Holiday Flats enquiries:

contact First and Last Cottages on +44 (0)1736 871284, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.firstandlastcottages.co.uk