a port town of Cornwall in Eng- land, situated in W. Long. 5° 30' N. Lat. 50° 15' on a fine bay on the English channel. It is the richest and most trading town in the county, and larger than any three of its boroughs that send members to parlia- ment. It is so commodious a harbour, that ships of the greatest burden come up to its quay. It is guarded by the castle of St Mawes and Pendennis, on a high rock at the entrance: and there is such shelter in the many creeks belonging to it, that the whole royal navy may ride safe here in any wind, it being next to Plymouth and Milford-Haven, the best road for shipping in Great Britain. It is well built; and its trade is consid- erably increased since the establishment of the packet- boats here for Spain, Portugal, and the West Indies, which not only bring vast quantities of gold in specie and in bars, on account of the merchants in London; but the Falmouth merchants trade with the Portuguese in ships of their own, and they have a great share also in the gainful pilchard trade. The custom-house for most of the Cornish towns, as well as the head collec- tor, is settled here, where the duties, including those of the other ports, are very considerable. The num- ber of houses in 1664 amounted to 200; in 1801, they amounted to 468; in 1811, 478, and at this last period the number of inhabitants was 3933.