St Just is the most westerly town in mainland Britain, about 8 miles west of Penzance on the road that runs out towards the end of the land. In Kernewek it is Lannust, and its church was rebuilt and dedicated in 1336, above streets that were shaped by the mines.
Mining town
St Just was one of Cornwall's foremost copper and tin mining districts, and the 1861 census recorded 9,290 people living in the parish. The mines fell in the twentieth century and the population fell with them; Geevor Tin Mine closed in 1990 and is now a visitor attraction, with its surface buildings and winding houses kept as they were left. In July 2006 the town became part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.
Festivals
The town keeps its own calendar: the Lafrowda festival fills mid-July with music and art, and St Just Feast marks the church dedication of 1336. There is still a plain truth in the place: hard rock, hard weather, and a community that stayed.
Sources
Last checked: 2026-10-11