Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Penzance
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Penzance
Quizzes
English language school promotion illustration. Silhouette of a man advertises or sells shouts in a megaphone and emerging from the flag of the United Kingdom (Union Jack).
Another Great British Vocabulary Quiz, Innit?
Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.
Guess the City by Its River Quiz
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Penzance
Penzance Penzance, Cornwall, Eng.

Penzance

England, United Kingdom
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

Penzance, town (parish), Cornwall unitary authority, southwestern England. It overlooks Mount’s Bay, where the English Channel meets the Atlantic Ocean.

The area’s remarkably equable climate allows many subtropical plants to flourish. Early vegetables and flowers are raised locally and on the offshore Isles of Scilly, with which Penzance is linked by sea and air services. Newlyn, nearby, is a small fishing port much frequented by artists. The occasional pirate raids Penzance experienced during the 17th century, because of its location on a sheltered bay at England’s southwest tip, made it the location for the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance. The chief modern functions of Penzance are as a tourist base for the region and as a local service centre. Pop. (2001) 21,168; (2011) 21,045.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.