Porkellis

{{Short description|Village in Cornwall, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |country = England |static_image = Porkellis - geograph.org.uk - 193106.jpg |static_image_width = 250px |static_image_caption=A street in Porkellis |coordinates = {{coord|50.15573|-5.23097|display=inline,title}} |official_name =Porkellis |cornish_name=Porthkellys |population = |shire_district= |shire_county= Cornwall |metropolitan_borough= | metropolitan_county = |region=South West England |constituency_westminster= |post_town= |postcode_district = |postcode_area= |dial_code= |os_grid_reference= SW695335 }}

'''Porkellis''' ({{langx|kw|Porthkellys}})<ref>[http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 Place-names in the Standard Written Form (SWF)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515091028/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 |date=15 May 2013 }} : [http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=79ba408d-7c02-499e-8cd6-b18dd48de58d&version=-1 '''List of place-names agreed by the MAGA Signage Panel'''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515071635/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=79ba408d-7c02-499e-8cd6-b18dd48de58d&version=-1 |date=15 May 2013 }}. Cornish Language Partnership.</ref> is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is approximately three and a half miles north-east of Helston, and is in the heart of the old Wendron mining district.

The village has a pub (The Star Inn), Methodist chapel, village hall and primary school.

The name ''Porkellis'' comes from the Cornish language words ''porth'', meaning 'cove' or 'gate', and ''kellys'', meaning 'lost'.<ref>[https://www.akademikernewek.org.uk/place-names/content/porkellis Akademi Kernewek place names - Porthkellys]</ref>

==Chapels== thumb|left|200px|The old church - now the village hall Porkellis has two chapels, both of which are Grade II listed. The original chapel was built in 1814, whereas the later Wesleyan chapel was bigger and built in 1866 alongside the older one. When the latter chapel was built the original was converted into a schoolroom.<ref name="PorkellisChapels">{{cite web | url = http://www.cornish-mining.org.uk/sites/wndrnmns.htm | title = Wendron mines and sites | publisher = Cornwall & Scilly Historic Environment Service | accessdate = April 6, 2011 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20070504141639/http://www.cornish-mining.org.uk/sites/wndrnmns.htm | archive-date = 4 May 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Services now take place in the earlier 1814 Chapel, sympathetically refurbished as the 1866 building has been sold and is currently under renovation.

The building of a church (dedicated to St Christopher) and intended to seat 120 people started in January 1882, at an estimated cost of £700 and was completed by the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Commencement of Porkellis Church |work=The Cornishman |issue=182 |date=5 January 1882 |page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The new Church at Porkellis |work=The Cornishman |issue=226 |date=9 November 1882 |page=7}}</ref> It was a chapel of ease in the parish of Carnmenellis, closing in the 1970s and is now used as the village hall.<ref name="PorkellisChurch">{{cite web | url = http://wendronparishcouncil.org.uk | title = Wendron Parish Council | publisher = Wendron Parish Council | accessdate = April 6, 2011 }}</ref>

==Porkellis Moor== Porkellis Moor is an extensive area of marsh near the village, which was once used for mining, mainly for tin, and engine houses and other industrial buildings remain.<ref name="PorkellisChapels"/> The Porkellis China Clay Works attempted to extract china clay, over a period of three years, spending approximately £3,000. The High Sheriff of Cornwall issued a Fi fa and the goods of the company was sold, by auction for a small amount on 28 April 1879.<ref>{{cite news|title=Porkellis China Clay Works|work=The Cornishman|issue=42|date=1 May 1879|page=5}}</ref>

The moor forms part of West Cornwall Bryophytes Site of Special Scientific Interest.<ref name=SSSI>{{cite web|title=West Cornwall Bryophytes|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/2000365.pdf|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=31 January 2012|year=1999}}</ref>

==Cornish wrestling== Cornish wrestling tournaments, for prizes, were held in Porkellis in the 1800s<ref name="RCG140851885">Royal Cornwall Gazette, 14 August 1885.</ref> and 1900s.<ref name="LFP03101903">Lake's Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser, 3 October 1903.</ref>

==References== {{Portal|Cornwall}} {{Reflist}}

Category:Villages in Cornwall