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The fishing village of Mevagissey and the still-smaller haven of Gorran are the very essence of a Cornwall which has remained true to its roots and
embraced change only slowly. Both names belong to 6th Century Irish missionaries. Mevagissey's labyrinth of tiny streets twist and turn past ancient dwarf dwellings of cob and slate but head inexorably for the twin
harbours which are its nerve-centre. A place to watch the fishermen land their catch and mend their nets as they have since John Trewollas built the first pier in 1430. |
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Meva-ag-issey, means "Meva and Issey". The town of St Meva and St Issey was first recorded as a hamlet in 1313, however there
were settlements in the locality long before that date as is shown by the uncovering of two Bronze Age Burial Urns at Portmellon.Mevagissey is the largest fishing village in St Austell Bay. It's working
harbour has an unbroken tradition of boat building since 1745. Fishermen still repair nets on the quayside, using ancient skills and modern materials. The fishermen are happy to take visitors out on angling
or pleasure trips and small motor boats can be hired for self-drive. |
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In the narrow streets leading off the harbour, craft workshops sit side-by-side with shops, art galleries, cafes, restaurants and pubs which were
once the haunts of Cornish Smugglers! Mevagissey is the home of the World of Model Railways Exhibition, an impressive collection of 2,000 models and a layout alive with 50 working trains, while across on the quayside
there's an Aquarium (in the old lifeboat house) and a treasured Folk Museum.Climbing up through the backdrop of Mevagissey's terraced houses and away from the activity of the quayside the pastoral peace of Cornwall
takes over. Many people visit Mevagissey outside the normal holiday season in order to enjoy the heritage and natural wildlife of Cornwall without the usual crowds and to capture the awesome beauty of the precipitous
cliffs and the sea in all its moods. Mevagissey is renowned for the soaring, switchback walks that whet the appetite for its seafood or help to work it off. From Polkirt Hill you can look out over the higgledy Mediaeval
street plan, the fishing boats in the harbour and the yachts in the pool, to the golden sweep of Polstreath Beach and St Austell Bay or south to the inlet that shelters Portmellon Beach and the scenic coast path over
Chapel Point to Gorran Haven. At the end of June Mevagissey celebrates Feast Week with local events and dancing in the streets. During the pre-Christmas period Mevagissey has a wonderful display of Christmas Lights
and the New Year is celebrated in the Cornish tradition in which almost everybody wears fancy dress. |
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Less than three miles separate Mevagissey and Gorran Haven but the contrast is sharp. Mevagissey is a working harbour, Gorran Haven is a
small picturesque anchorage, dozing on its sandy beach in the lee of the spectacular 400 foot high Dodman Point. Good swimming and snorkelling are its assets with, for sailors, a protective hard. Visit the
distinctive landmark of its 15th century church with 110-foot tower or simply enjoy the quiet and privacy. |
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