St Ives Cornwall Tourist Information - Leisure and Tourism Guide
On this page you will find plenty of information on the towns history, public services and a handy large scale map to help you find your way around.
Town History

St. Ives probably began life as a tiny fishing community in prehistoric times. Its name is believed to derive from St. Ia, an Irish Christian missionary of the 5th or 6th century who is said to have sailed across the Irish sea on a 'leaf'. This is possibly a fanciful reference to the vessels of the time, which were often made of interleaved animal hides.

During the Medieval period St. Ives grew into the main port on St. Ives bay. The town prospered, mainly from pilchard fishing, an industry that has done much to shape the context of Old St. Ives and the enchanting area of 'Downlong', that clusters round the harbour.

When the railway reached St. Ives in 1877, the town became a magnet for early tourists, and for distinguished artists. As fishing declined during the early 20th century, Tourism, and the town's growing international reputation as an Art 'colony', transformed the old fishing port into one of Europe's most distinctive holiday resorts, within which the enduring character of a much older St. Ives still survives.

Public Services

DOCTORS SURGERY
Stennack Surgery, The Stennack, St. Ives.
Tel: (01736) 795237 / 793333 / 796413
Surgery Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm.

LOCAL HOSPITAL
Edward Hain Hospital, St. Ives
For MINOR casualty requirements.
Tel: (01736) 795044.

NEAREST CASUALTY
West Cornwall Hospital, Penzance.
Tel: (01736) 362382

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Dial 999 and ask for - Police, Fire, Ambulance
or Coastguard. The Coastguard service
co-ordinates Lifeboats and cliff-rescue.

POLICE STATION
Royal Square (behind Royal Cinema)
Tel: 0870 577 7444

DENTAL SERVICES
Pozansky and Franklin, Tregenna Hill, St. Ives.
Tel: (01736) 798665

VETINARY SERVICES
S. T. Putnam, Bindura, Trenwith Lane, St. Ives.
Tel: (01736) 798333 (by appointment)

POST OFFICE
Main Post Office: Tregenna Place, St. Ives.
Smaller offices can be found on The Stennack
and at the bottom of Fore Street.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
The Guildhall, Street-An-Poll, St. Ives.
Tel: (01736) 796297

PUBLIC TOILETS
Lifeboat-house, (rear of building)
Sloop Car Park (small charge applies)
Smeaton's Pier.
Dove Street - Off Tregenna Hill, (Men)
Gabriel Street - Royal Square, (Women)
All the main Beaches.

PARKING
Higher Trenwith CP (all day): The Burrows
Station CP (all day): Porthminster Beach.
Island CP (all day): Portgwidden Beach.
Barnoon CP (all day): Clodgy view/West Place.
Park Avenue CP (short stay): Park Avenue.
Sloop CP (short stay): Off Wharf Road.
Porthmeor Beach CP (short stay).
Smeaton's Pier CP (all day).
Dales CP (all day): The Stennack.

BUS SERVICES
From Malakoff Bus Station, Top of Tregenna Hill.
Regular daily services to Penzance, Truro etc.
Further details: First Western National.
Tel: (01209) 719988.

TRAIN STATION
Above Porthminster Beach.
A Park-and-Ride service operates from Lelant
Saltings Rail halt into St. Ives along the very
scenic, coastal St. Ives branchline.


Keep up with local events with 'The St Ives Times & Echo'






















 
St Ives Town Map
Click on Image to enlarge

A large, detailed map of St. Ives. Marked with street names
and many of the basic services such as car parks.

Please note: This map is quite large in size (123kb)
and could take 30 - 60 seconds to load

St Ives Cornwall Tourist Information - Leisure and Tourism Guide