The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2021 - Issue 29

the home of the famous carved mermaid chair in St Senara’s Church. It’s a lovely walk for wildflowers in the spring and great for bird watching in the autumn, where you may also spot sea creatures with binoculars. If you’re into art, the inspiring and breathtaking sea- front Tate St Ives gallery overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. It showcases some of the best-loved British artworks of the 20th century, such as Barbara Hepworth, Peter Lanyon, Sandra Blow and Patrick Heron, with an ever-changing programme of modern and contempo- rary art exhibitions.They also feature works from the Tate Collection by Henri Matisse, Mark Rothko, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley, Pauline Boty and Lubaina Hamid. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden preserve the sculptor’s Trewyn studio and garden much the same way as she lived and worked there. After the creative moved to Cornwall with her husband Ben Nicholson and family in 1939, she later purchased the site in 1949. She lived and worked there for 26 years until her death in a fire on the premises in 1975.You will find her work of over 30 sculptures in bronze, stone and wood on display placed in the care of the Tate Gallery in 1980. Denis Mitchell’s sculpture ‘Turning Form’ at the Tate St Ives was sand-cast in solid bronze by Holman’s Foundry in St Just, Penwith, in an edition of three plus one for the artist.The artist told The Compiler in November 1977 that in executing ‘Turning Form’ he owed something to the painting by John Wells 1950 ‘Aspiring Forms’. He made the plaster at his home at that time, 2 Sea View Terrace, St Ives, and based it on a drawing, as with his other sculptures. For a historic part of the town, the Down-a-long is the old, lower part of St Ives built on the narrow ridge of land separating the island from the rest of the town. It’s the archetypal image of St Ives with cobbled streets lined with whitewashed cottages.The street names are interestedly evocative and unique, with favourites such as Salubrious Place,Teetotal Street and The Digey. Here you will find galleries, cafes and little shops you can browse in. The scenery is everything in Cornwall, so why not try the scenic route with the railway? The route between St Erth and St Ives opened in 1877 is regarded by many as one of Britain’s most scenic rail journeys.The railway follows the coast providing many spectacular views over St Ives Bay during the 20-minute ride. High- lights include the RSPB birdwatching haven of Lelant, the dunes overlooking Porthkidney Beach, Carbis Bay, and other St Ives’ views as the train rounds Porth- minster Point. For the ultimate sight-seeing holiday with sea beach views, authentic cuisines, sunshine and cobbled streets, visit St Ives. bitetravel