a municipal and parliamentary borough and market town of England, county of Cornwall, on the left bank of the Loe or Cober, 15 miles S.W. of Truro, and 276 from London. It was made a borough by King John, and a coinage town by Edward I. Previous to the Reform Act it returned two members to parliament. Among its public buildings are the market-house, town-hall, and old coinage-hall. The church is surmounted by a tower 90 feet in height, forming a conspicuous object at sea. Helstone has a grammar, national, and other schools. It is important as being the centre of an extensive agricultural and mining district. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. At Portleven, about three miles distant, a considerable export and import trade is carried on. Shoes are extensively made in the town. It returns one member to parliament. Pop. (1851), of parliamentary borough, 7328; of municipal borough, 3355; registered electors, 400.