Truro (Cornwall’s Only Very Small City)
Truro is a Georgian city, just 9 miles from the sea. Its name means ‘three rivers’ (named after the rivers Truro, Kenwyn and Allen). Known back in the day as the ‘London’ of Cornwall, wealthy mine owners built grand houses here, and there was once a now-lost castle, built in the 12th century.
One local raised here was Roger Taylor (the drummer from Queen)
Mostly Run by the Lemon Family!
Many places in Truro are named after the Lemon family, who had great political clout. Sir William Lemon and his family were wealthy landowners.
This family were Cornish mining magnates and MPs who shaped the city, and you’ll find Lemon Street to Lemon Quay even today. William Lemon rose from humble beginnings to become ‘The Great Mr Lemon’, making his fortune from tin mines.
At one time, the city had ‘the richest square mile in the world’. Sir Charles Lemon (2nd baronet) was a keen botanist who even bred a rhododendron called Sir Charles Lemon.
Did you know that rhododendrons are toxic to rabbits and many other animals?
Despite their wealth, the Lemon family had great tragedy. Sir Charles’ sons both died young (one at 13 months, the other age 12 by accidentally drowning while bathing near Harrow school). And their daughter died of illness, age 10. And the family home was mostly destroyed in a fire in 1934.
