author
William Bentinck Forfar
1810–1895
A Cornish solicitor who turned local history, dialect, and folklore into lively Victorian storytelling, he wrote tales rooted in the landscape and traditions of western Cornwall. His work helped preserve regional voices as well as entertain readers with smugglers, legends, and coastal adventure.
1 Audiobook
The Wizard of West Penwith: A Tale of the Land's-End
by William Bentinck Forfar
About the author
Born in Cornwall in 1810, William Bentinck Forfar is described in reliable literary records as a Cornish author and solicitor. He is closely associated with Helston and the wider west Cornwall region, and his writing draws strongly on local speech, customs, and places.
Forfar wrote fiction as well as verse and local-interest works. Surviving bibliographic records link him to books including The Wizard of West Penwith, Kynance Cove; or, The Cornish Smugglers, Pentowan, Pengersick Castle, Cornish Poems, and The Helston Furry Day. Across these works, he seems to have blended regional history and legend with a strong sense of atmosphere, making Cornwall itself feel like one of his main characters.
That local focus is a big part of his appeal today. His books offer more than plot: they preserve dialect, customs, and a distinctly Cornish view of place during the Victorian period. He died in 1895.