History
Penmallow is a small town located on the coast of Cornwall in England. At the time when it was visited by Doctor Strange, its population was listed (on a road sign) as being 2,687.
Penmallow was the closest town to Witch House, an old manor house that was feared and shunned by the villagers. Part of the reason for this fear and hatred was (presumably) its proximity to another old structure, the Tower of Dagoth, that was named after Dagoth, a sea demon to whom living sacrifices were once made.
As the time for the awakening of Shuma-Gorath approached, the long-lost mystical jewel known as the Starstone was found by Henry Gordon on the beach near the Tower of Dagoth after being uncovered by torrential rains. A day later, Dagoth, who had freed himself after being imprisoned by Doctor Strange only hours earlier, was able to command the sleeping mind of Blondine and compel her to activate the Starstone, thereby releasing a dark shadow that had been trapped within the jewel. This darkness quickly spread throughout the area, casting an ebon enchantment on the occupants of Witch House and the residents of Penmallow that compelled them all to obey a call to walk into the sea to the sunken city of Kalumesh where they were to offer themselves as living sacrifices to Shuma-Gorath. However, before any of the villagers died, Clea arrived and was able to awaken Doctor Strange from his demon-induced stupor. Strange then used the Vapors of Valtorr to gather in the evil shadow from the villagers who were still on land, freeing them from its control. Strange also rescued those villagers who were already below the sea by sending a mental call that freed them and enabled them to swim up to the surface to safety.[1]Points of Interest
- Witch House (Destroyed)
- Tower of Dagoth
- Kalumesh - a sunken land located on the seafloor seven miles off the coast[2]
Residents
- Henry Gordon
- Jedediah Gordon (Deceased)
- Blondine
Notes
- Penmallow was possibly inspired by Innsmouth (created by H.P. Lovecraft), as a coastal city of people influenced by an ancient slumbering evil deity.
- Although Kalumesh has always been described as being off the coast of Cornwall, exactly which coast has never been specified. This is significant because, aside from its connection to the rest of the island of Great Britain to the east, Cornwall is otherwise entirely surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, with the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the west and north. So, until the location of Kalumesh is specified, Penmallow could be located anywhere on Cornwall's extensive coastline.