History of the Cornish Bara

A brief history of the Cornish Bara

The Cornish language originated in the Iron Age and was widely spoken in Cornwall until the late 18th century. Although the number of speakers declined significantly since then, the early 20th century brought about a process to revive the language which has continued into the present day!

Despite the use of the language subsiding, there are a number of Cornish words that are recognised and still used locally. One of these is ‘bara’ – the Cornish word for ‘bread’.

As well as the iconic Cornish pasty, bread was a food commonly associated with the region and a great deal of the hearty cuisine originating from Cornwall often involved bread, whether in sweet or savoury form. For instance, a traditional breakfast was ‘gerty bread’ – a dish of bread and milk eaten with tea or cocoa, while fish dish ‘Cornish smokies’ and crusty bread was a regularly eaten supper.