“Cornwall is very primeval: great, black, jutting cliffs and rocks, like the original darkness, and a pale sea breaking in, like dawn. It is like the beginning of the world, wonderful…” – D H Lawrence, Letter 1916
I’ve lived in Cornwall, albeit a little further inland than the beginning of the world, all my life. However, it’s only in recent years, since moving barely an hour away to Devon for university and then back again after graduation, that I have really started to appreciate the beauty of the place. I guess I just took it for granted when I was growing up that my town was only a short drive away from the stormy seas and misty moors that have inspired so many writers and artists throughout history. I think at the time I was too busy being annoyed that most of my friends lived in neighbouring villages and valleys, too far to walk to, to really think about it.
From Geoffrey of Monmouth naming Tintagel as the place of King Arthur’s conception in the twelfth century, to Daphne du Maurier’s novels, John Betjeman’s poems, and, yes, Winston Graham’s Poldark, there is almost no end to the writing that has been inspired by this wild coastal county. Creativity doesn’t just seem to thrive here, it seems to be in the very dirt of the place. I’m positive that growing up here, between ocean and fields, is the reason writing and photography have always lived in my bones. Who could live in a place like this and not have a desire to capture it somehow?
I couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to share a little of it. If you’d like to see more you can find me, my photography, and my writing at stasialikescakes.
— — —
Thanks a bunch to Anastasia for the lovely post and gorgeous photos. I’ve never ventured down as far as Cornwall but these photos are utterly dreamy! Gotta love the good ol’ British coastline.
Ria Xx