Padstow (Cornish: Lannwedhenek) is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately five miles northwest of Wadebridge, ten miles northwest of Bodmin and ten miles northeast of Newquay. The population of Padstow civil parish was 3,162 in the 2001 census.
Padstow was originally named Petroc-stow, after the Welsh missionary Saint Petroc, who landed at nearby Trebetherick around AD 500. After his death a monastery was established here which was of great importance until the town was raided by the Vikings (the monks moved inland to Bodmin).
In the medieval period Padstow was commonly called Aldestowe (as the ‘old place’ in contrast to Bodmin the ‘new place’).
Padstow
