St Ives and its curious places names

Our hometown is steeped in Cornish heritage, from art and culture to fishing and more. In Cornish language St Ives is known as Porth Ia, taking its name from Saint Ia, a 5th century princess from Ireland who allegedly sailed to Cornwall on a leaf. Obviously. 

St Ives grew through fishing and the fishing industry, with the harbour becoming a significant fishing port and a centre too for both mining and tourism, even more so after the railway arrived in 1877.

The views, beaches, art, culture and heritage make St Ives a hugely popular holiday destination these days, with it's maze of narrow streets creating a perfect backdrop for a quintessential British (or more precisely Cornish) seaside sojourn. Those streets have some rather peculiar and quaint names, and we thought we'd share some stories of these place names. All a bit of local knowledge and fun.

The Digey, pronounced Dye-Gee rather than Diggy, comes from the old term “Dye House” because fishing nets were once dyed or treated there, or possibly from the Cornish dyji, meaning “small cottage.” This little cut through is a well-trodden path, taking you from the hustle and bustle of Fore Street across to the edge of Porthmeor Beach.

Next up is Teetotal Street, a left-over from the 19th-century temperance movement, when abstaining from alcohol was fashionable and even made its way onto street signs. Fear not though, clearly St Ives isn't totally Teetotal these days, which has made it possible for us to create St Ives Brewery. You'll also find plenty of amazing pubs and bars to enjoy a beer or two whilst here. Cornish pubs and Cornish craft beer make for a decent combination.

You'll find other street names that reflect religious or moral influences, places like Virgin Street, likely named for St Ia the Virgin or carrying the sense of “new” or “pure,” and Salubrious Terrace, with “salubrious” meaning health-giving or pleasant, likely a nod to the Victorian love of improvement and respectability.

St Ives’ working past also shows up in street names too. Fish Street was once lined with fish cellars, where families lived above and processed the day’s catch below. Wheal Dream harks back to the mining era, “wheal” being Cornish for “mine.” Even the oddly named Court Cocking might come from small fishing boats known as “cockyn” or from a local family surname.

St Ives in a town of stories, and the place names make a good start, exploring tales of fishermen and miners, saints and reformers, and the enjoyment of the intertwining history of Cornish language, industry and life by the sea