HOW IT RATES Cornwall’s cathedral city has long been as close as Cornish life gets to a bustling metropolis. With its relaxed community atmosphere, Truro is at the centre of England’s most tropical county, where vegetation benefits from the Gulf Stream and a spirit of independence remains. Truro is home to numerous craft shops, some excellent schools and the delicious Cornish Yarg cheese.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS The cathedral and the Georgian houses of Walsingham Place, Boscawen Street and Lemon Street. Neville Northey Burnard’s sculpture of Truro’s famous explorer Richard Lander was erected 150 years ago. St Mawes Castle was built by Henry VIII in 1539 and has lovely views out to Manacle Point.

WHAT’S NEW Local developer Porthia is proposing a new multi-use complex by Lemon Quay that includes ten flats (01736 798557). Boscawen Woods in Truro comprises 53 luxury townhouses and maisonettes set in a park (Knight Frank, 01392 848844).

QUALITY OF LIFE Supremely lovely. Recently awarded the Best Small City in Britain by the British Cleaning Council, it is a very clean and well-kept place. In March it was also awarded “FairTrade City” status, which recognises that many local businesses sell FairTrade products.

TRAVEL The M5 takes you from Bristol to Exeter, then the A30 to Truro. From London it’s pretty much cross-country: the M3 then the A303 and A30. Trains to London Paddington take about five hours.

POPULATION Estimated at about 21,000 people; 13,600 of whom are of voting age, meaning that 35 per cent of the population are children.

SMARTEST STREETS Kenwyn Church Road, Falmouth Road and The Avenue are tipped by local agents as the best places to live, while houses on Pencarrick Close and Trewinnard Grove have sold for over £500,000 in the past two years.

BEST RESTAURANTS Tabb’s on Kenwyn Street does modern British cooking to a very high standard. The New Inn, in the nearby village of Veryan, offers excellent hearty food. The Rising Sun in St Mawes does nice seafood and a good breakfast, best taken on the terrace. NIGHTLIFE The Eden Project near St Austell is an original venue for the widely acclaimed Eden sessions, which feature the likes of Goldfrapp and Amy Winehouse. The cathedral sometimes has evening classical concerts and music festivals: its summer concert is next Wednesday, The Taming of the Shrew next Saturday and Elvis Lives! on August 19. The Hall for Cornwall theatre is celebrating its tenth anniversary.

EDUCATION Truro has four secondary schools: two state (Penair School and Richard Lander) and two private (Truro High School and Truro School). Treliske School is the only private primary school.

WORKING LIFE Truro is at present developing its Business Improvement District to attract and encourage business to the area. Cornwall has the largest percentage of workers of any South West county employed part-time (36 per cent). Unemployment is high in winter; in January 2001 the rate was 4.8 per cent. UPSIDE Cornwall is a dream for nature lovers, with an abundance of beautiful gardens. The Lost Gardens of Heligan are near by at Mevagissey, not far from the innovative Eden Project, with its tropical biomes. The Port Eliot LitFest takes place from July 20 to 22 and has become a mainstay of the summer season.

DOWNSIDE It may be Cornwall’s version of an urban throng, but Truro is as provincial in attitude as it is in aesthetic. The Piazza shopping development at Lemon Quay has upset some locals, who feel that it compromises the character of the city. £229,000 The average property price in Truro Source: Hometrack

13% The increase in property prices in Truro over the past three months Source: Halifax

321% The increase in property prices in Truro over the past ten years Source: Halifax

1877 The year that Queen Victoria granted Truro city status Source: Truro City Council

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