The town now known as Newquay began its life as a tiny fishing village. The curved headland acted as protection for the fishermen against the bad weather the north coast was renowned for.
By the 15th Century this settlement had grown and was given the name ‘Towan Blystra’. In the Cornish Language (Kernowek), Towan Blystra has a specific meaning – Towan translates to ‘hill’ or ‘dune’, and Blystra means ‘blown’. Towan Blystra earned this name because of the strong winds from the North East that the village was fully exposed to.
It is thought that there was already an existing harbour here, perhaps badly damaged by the severe weather, but in 1439 the local applied to the Bishop of Exeter for funding and permission to build a new quay. Their application was successful, and a new quay was built, from which the town derives its current name – Newquay.