Penzance (Cornish: Pennsans) is the most westerly major town in Cornwall. Situated in the shelter of Mount's Bay, the town faces south-east onto the English Channel, is bordered to the west by the fishing port of Newlyn, to the north by the civil parish of Madron and to the east by the civil parish of Ludgvan.

The civil parish includes the town of Newlyn and the villages of Mousehole, Paul, Gulval and Heamoor. Granted various royal charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated in 1614, it has a population of 21,200 (2011 census)