It consisted of a single division at the eleventh overall tier of the English football league system, the seventh and lowest "Step" of the official National League System.

Champions of the South Western League, whose last principal sponsor was the Carlsberg beer brand via St. Austell Brewery, were eligible for promotion to the lower division of the Western League, but the difficulties Cornish teams have travelling further afield have discouraged applications for promotion.

Among them were St. Blazey, whose record for longest unbeaten streak in league football anywhere in the United Kingdom (75 games) stood until it was broken by AFC Wimbledon in 2004.

The league was formed in 1951 but foundation dates of the member clubs range from the 1880s to 1980s.

The League ran a representative team; it played a match against a Football Association Amateur XI on 1954-10-16, losing 7–3 at Home Park, Plymouth.