NanpeanSt. Stephen-in-Brannel

Nanpean at a glance

Nanpean and Foxhole: two china clay villages on the B3279 north west of St Austell

Nanpean and Foxhole are neighbouring villages in the china clay country of mid Cornwall, in the civil parish of St Stephen-in-Brannel. Nanpean is about four miles north west of St Austell, and both villages stand on the B3279 road between St Austell and Newquay. Nanpean's name comes from the Cornish Nansbian, meaning little valley, and Foxhole takes its name from the Fox Hole tin mine.

Tin lodes on the surrounding moors were first worked in the Middle Ages. In 1748 William Cookworthy found fine china stone and clay near St Stephen's Beacon, and he patented hard paste porcelain, which started the local china clay industry. Josiah Wedgwood visited in 1775 and took leases on clay-bearing land. Imerys owns most of the clay pits today, and runs a refinery called Goverseth on the edge of Nanpean.

Nanpean was once a major centre for administration, processing, transport and supply in the clay industry. The Newquay and Cornwall Junction Railway reached it in 1869, and its southern section still carries clay trains. St George the Martyr church was built in 1879, and the village school dates from 1898. Nanpean Rovers football club was formed in 1901.

Foxhole adjoins the village of Carpalla, where there is a china clay pit. Watch Hill, with four ancient tumuli, lies to the east, and St Stephen's Beacon, once known as King Pippin's Mount, lies to the west.

Both villages have a strong Cornish wrestling history. Fred Richards of Nanpean was heavyweight champion in 1924 and 1925, and Thomas Bragg, born in Foxhole, won the English title in 1887.