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St Ives

In Brief

Name: ST IVES
Classification: Town
Twinned with: Camaret-sur-Mer in Brittany, France, and has friendship agreements with Mashiko in Japan and Laguna Beach in California, USA
Population: 11,226 in 2011
Notable former resident: Artist Barbara Hepworth. Go see her sculpture garden!
Films shot in town: Parts of both ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011) and ‘Blue Juice’ (1995)
Interesting factoid: Elephant and hippo fossils have been found on St Ives’ shores

THE BEATING ART OF CORNWALL: ST IVES

Art is central to this famous seaside town’s success. Aside from this being a beautiful fishing harbour with cobbled streets to explore and incredible views to marvel at, the art history here is internationally famous. Painters have been drawn to this place since the early 19th century and in the early 20th century it was made all the more popular by artists Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, who were once married. Following the Second World War, the town became a centre for abstract and modern British art with Hepworth fully in the driving seat. These days, the wildly popular Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden highlight just how much modern and historic art is sewn into the fabric of this picture perfect fishing town’s heritage.