Camelford, United Kingdom

Helstone (or Helston in Trigg) was in the Middle Ages one of the chief manors of the Hundred of Trigg and perhaps in Celtic times the seat of a chieftain. In the Domesday Book this manor was held by Earl Robert of Mortain: there were 2 hides, land for 15 ploughs; the lord had 4 ploughs & 18 serfs; 20 villagers & 18 smallholders had 8 ploughs; 10 acres (40,000 m2) of woodland; 6 square leagues of pasture; five kinds of livestock, in total 195 beasts. The manor of Penmayne was a dependency of this manor. It was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall.

In February 1837, protests against the New Poor Law and the workhouse system were held in Camelford. The protests were to prevent entry to William Gilbert, a Poor Law Commissioner, and to hinder the enforcement of the New Poor Law. Between 400 and 500 people attended the protests, with some playing drums and fifes. Many of the protestors were labourers from the neighbouring quarries. In response to the protest, sixty soldiers from the 99th Regiment and six police from London were sent to Camelford. While The West Briton claimed the protestors held "riotous intentions", there were no reports of violence. Only one man was arrested, James Silbey, a miller from St Teath who had spoken publicly multiple times promoting opposition to the New Poor Law and particularly against the workhouse system. James Sibley was arrested and sent to Bodmin Jail. He was granted bail and sent to a trial at a following Assizes court. Despite the protests, a workhouse was eventually built in Camelford. By the 1841 census the population of the town was 705.

The seal of the borough shows: Arg. a camel passing through a ford of water all proper with legend "Sigillum Vill: de Camelford".

Reskammel / Camelford was the venue for Gorsedh Kernow in 2012.

In July 1988, the water supply to the town and the surrounding area was contaminated when 20 tons of aluminium sulphate was accidentally poured into the wrong tank at the Lowermoor Water Treatment Works on Bodmin Moor. An independent inquiry into the incident, the worst of its kind in British history, started in 2002, and a draft report was issued in January 2005, but questions remain as to the long-term effects on the health of residents. Michael Meacher, who visited Camelford as environment minister, called the incident and its aftermath, "A most unbelievable scandal."