Camelford
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| Camelford | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Population: | 2,256 (Civil Parish, 2001) |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | SX101831 |
| Administration | |
| Parish: | Camelford |
| District: | North Cornwall |
| Shire county: | Cornwall |
| Region: | South West England |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Cornwall |
| Historic county: | Cornwall |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Devon and Cornwall Constabulary |
| Fire and rescue: | {{{Fire}}} |
| Ambulance: | South Western |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | CAMELFORD |
| Postal district: | PL32 |
| Dialling code: | 01840 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | North Cornwall |
| European Parliament: | South West England |
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Camelford (Cornish: Ryskammel) is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The town lies on the River Camel, and its main industry was slate. It is the home of the North Cornwall Museum.
In July 1988, the water supply to the town and the surrounding area was contaminated when 20 tons of aluminium sulphate were poured into the wrong tank at the nearby Lowermoor water works in Bodmin. An independent inquiry into the incident (the worst of its kind in British history) was started in 2002, and a draft report issued in January 2005, but questions still remain as to the long-term effects on the health of local residents. Michael Meacher, who visited Camelford in his post as environment minister, was said to have called the incident and its aftermath, "A most unbelievable scandal."[1]
The town elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons. It was considered a rotten borough and its franchise was abolished in 1832. It is now a part of the North Cornwall parliamentary constituency, and also North Cornwall District Council, which has offices in the town.
Due to its name, it has been linked to the legendary Camelot, and even Camlann, but historians have been quick to refute these suggestions.
[edit] External links
- Camelford Town Council
- Camelford town website
- AboutCamelford
- Government Inquiry website
- Government Inquiry Report, 2005
- Camelford Association of Residents
[edit] References
- ^ The Independent, 16 April 2006, Poisoned: The Camelford scandal
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