A wealth of historical evidence confirms the importance of the Cornish pasty as part of the county’s culinary heritage, with some of the first references appearing during the 13th century, during the reign of Henry III. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that a pasty was identified in around 1300. The pasty became more commonplace in the 16th and 17th centuries, and by the 18th century was firmly established as the staple diet of working men across Cornwall, and their families too. Mrs Polwhele’s recipe book, held in the Cornwall Record Office, includes a recipe for a pasty.

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Families who could only afford cheap ingredients made their pasties using potatoes, turnips (swede) and onion. Meat was added later. It was a convenient way of eating meat and gravy before knives and forks were widely used – a tradition continued by Cornish miners and farm workers hundreds of years later.

Miners and farm workers took this portable, easy to eat convenience food with them to work because it was so well suited to the purpose. Its size and shape made it easy to carry (usually in a pocket), its pastry case insulated the contents and was durable enough to survive, while its wholesome and nourishing ingredients provided enough sustenance to see the workers through their long and arduous working days.