FALMOUTH

town (parish), Carrick district, administrative and historic county of Cornwall, England, on the western shore of the Carrick Roads. Falmouth occupies a peninsular site and faces water on two sides. The old part of the town overlooks the inner harbour in Carrick Roads, whereas the newer residential area, with hotels, faces Falmouth Bay of the English Channel. Falmouth has long been important as a port. The complex of drowned river valleys that form Carrick Roads creates a sheltered refuge, accessible at all times and guarded by the Tudor fortresses of Pendennis (west) and Saint Mawes (east). The use of the port as a shipbuilding centre has been assisted by increased wharfage and dry-dock facilities. With its sandy beaches, equable climate, and spacious harbour, Falmouth is a favoured holiday resort and yachting centre. The Trelissick estate and Elizabethan farmhouse on the estuary of the River Fal were taken over by the National Trust in 1956. The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club has its headquarters in the town. Pop. (1991) 20,297. town (township), Barnstable county, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., on the southwestern end of Cape Cod. It includes the villages of Falmouth, East Falmouth, Hatchville, North Falmouth, Teaticket, Waquoit, West Falmouth, and Woods Hole. The site, called Succanessett by Algonquian-speaking Native Americans, was settled in 1661 by Quakers led by Isaac Robinson. It was incorporated in 1686 and named for Falmouth, England. The town was bombarded from the sea by the British during the American Revolution and again during the War of 1812. Shipbuilding, whaling, fishing, agriculture, and the manufacture of salt and glass were important during its early development. The birthplace of Katharine Lee Bates (author of the national hymn America the Beautiful) is preserved in the town. Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is located near Washburn Island, a popular recreational area. Other natural areas include Long Pond Watershed, Beebes Woods, and the Crane Wildlife Area. In Woods Hole are the renowned Marine Biological Laboratory (1888) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1930). Falmouth is a busy tourist centre in summer months; ferries connect it with Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island. Area 44 square miles (114 square km). Pop. (1990) 27,960; (1996 est.) 30,451.