Callington - An Introduction

CALLINGTON is a small ancient market town with a population of just over 5000 situated in the beautiful area of south east Cornwall, England’s most westerly county. It lies 6 miles from the River Tamar, which forms the boundary between the counties of Devon and Cornwall, this area is now classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The market town of Launceston lies a short distance to the north, Liskeard is to the west and Tavistock in Devon is to the east. The city of Plymouth, also in Devon is 14 miles to the south east. Callington is within the Caradon District Council area.
	Although Callington's history goes back many centuries the nineteenth century had a significant effect on the town and it's development due to the mining boom in the adjacent areas. Miners from the Callington area emigrated to many parts of the world when the mining boom collapsed. The industrial heritage from this era still remains as part of the landscape. Today its main employment opportunities are connected to farming and
tourism and the development of small businesses. Probably the largest employer in the town is the Ginsters factory which manufactures, among other foods, Cornish pasties which are widely distributed around the UK
CALLINGTON AT THE CENTRE. Callington enjoys a central position in East Cornwall, tucked away between the busy A30 to the north and the A38 to the south it is home to many who work in busier places and is only discovered by the more discerning tourist who is interested in the wealth of heritage and environmental beauty that extends beyond the Cornish coast. There is a free car park in the town and the town itself and the surrounding countryside can easily be enjoyed on foot. Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland	Click for larger image
	It is within easy reach of the beautiful Tamar Valley and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty extends to the edges of the parish. The south east corner of Bodmin Moor is within easy reach and the town itself is dominated by Kit Hill, a natural feature that has played a significant part in the history of the town, the picture on the left looks down to the town from Kit Hill and shows Bodmin Moor in the distance. The market towns of
Tavistock, Liskeard & Launceston are within easy reach as is the city of Plymouth. The town is surrounded by a wealth of walking trails.