St Anthony Head facts for kids
St Anthony Head is a beautiful place in Cornwall, England, which is part of the United Kingdom. It's a piece of land that sticks out into the sea, right at the very end of the Roseland Peninsula. This special spot is looked after by the National Trust, a charity that helps protect important places.
From St Anthony Head, you can see the entrance to one of the world's biggest natural harbours, called Carrick Roads. This is where the River Fal meets the sea. Long ago, a fort called the St Anthony Battery was built here between 1895 and 1897. Its job was to protect the entrance to the River Fal.
Contents
Protecting Nature at St Anthony Head
St Anthony Head is a very important place for nature. It is part of two special areas called Carricknath Point to Porthbean Beach and Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal. These areas are known as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). This means they have unique plants, animals, or geology that need to be protected.
The Lighthouse
At the very tip of St Anthony Head, you will find St Anthony's Lighthouse. This lighthouse helps guide ships safely into and out of the harbour, especially at night or in bad weather. It's a famous landmark in the area.
A Shipwreck Story
Sometimes, even with lighthouses, accidents can happen at sea. One such event involved a ship called the Empire Tavistock.
The Empire Tavistock
The Empire Tavistock was a coastal tanker, which means it was a ship designed to carry liquids like oil along the coast. It was built in 1945. After the war, the ship was sold and renamed Sobat in 1946. Later, in 1951, it was sold again and renamed Allegrity.
What Happened
On December 13, 1961, the Allegrity ran aground near Greeb Point, which is part of St Anthony Head in Cornwall. This means it hit the bottom and got stuck. The tide later lifted the ship, but it then drifted and got stuck again at Veryan Beach. Sadly, the ship capsized, or turned over, on December 22. It was declared a total loss, meaning it was too damaged to be repaired.
