Place Name

Indian Queens, Cornwall, England

Where the Past Meets the Royal and Peculiar!

Introduction:

Indian Queens. Say it out loud and you can almost hear a Cornish local mutter, “yer, it’s the name of the pub.” It is one of those names that sounds exotic, regal and a bit like someone got carried away with a map quill, until you realise it’s a perfectly normal Cornish village with a perfectly extraordinary title.

Folk hear it and imagine queens from distant lands, royal processions or a historical epic.

Whatever the truth, the name has been sparkin curiosity for centuries, watchin visitors grin at the sign, locals grin knowingly and the occasional tourist ask whether they’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere around Bodmin.

Toponymy

Let’s break down this name:

Indian – Likely tied to the old inn that once stood here, named after the Dutch port of Vlissingen (sometimes called “Flushing”), or possibly after a traveller from the West Indies. Nothing to do with curry, elephants or colonial confusion, just a historical quirk that stuck harder than clotted cream on a scone.

Queens – A nod to royalty, grandeur and the sort of pomp that Cornwall usually reserves for May Day parades. Whether any actual queens visited is debatable, but the name certainly gives the place a crown.

Together, they form a name that makes visitors pause before sayin it aloud, then laugh because it sounds like a royal title that wandered off and settled in a lay‑by.

Historical Context

The name Indian Queens is believed to come from the Indian Queen Inn, a coaching stop on the old turnpike road. Some say it was named after a portrait of a Native American woman. Others reckon it referred to Queen Victoria, who was Empress of India.

And if you ask an old lad in St Columb, he’ll tell you it was named after a queen who passed through once, though he can’t remember which one and suspects she might have been a travelling performer.

Whatever the truth, Indian Queens has survived travellers, coaches, storytellers, mapmakers, folklore, misinterpretations and generations of Cornish folk who know exactly how to embrace a name with royal eccentricity.

Points of Interest

If you are wanderin about, have a nose at:

• Roche Rock – Dramatic granite and medieval mystery.

• The Eden Project – Biomes, rainforest and futuristic greenery.

• St Austell Brewery – Ales, stories and proper Cornish hospitality.

• The Lost Gardens of Heligan – Magic, history and hidden sculptures.

• Wheal Martyn – Clay pits, industry and Cornish heritage.

Notable Figures

Folk tied to Cornwall include:

• Sir John Betjeman – Poet with a love for Cornish quirks.

• J. K. Rowling – Visitor inspired by coastal magic.

• Richard Trevithick – Steam pioneer and Cornish legend.

• Doc Martin (fictional, but spiritually present) – Embodiment of Cornish eccentricity.

• Charles Causley – Poet who brought Cornwall to life.

Conclusion

So next time you find yourself wanderin around Indian Queens, take a moment to breathe in the countryside air, admire the cottages and enjoy the glorious absurdity of a place that sounds like a royal procession but feels like a warm Cornish welcome.

For more strange place names, take a gander at www.strangeplacenames.com because the UK and Ireland are teemin with places that make you wonder if the mapmakers had a sense of humour or just a penchant for drink.

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