Hidden treasures along a forgotten coastline of rugged bays and tranquil harbours
Once a smugglers’ haven, the dramatic coast of South East Cornwall is dotted with timeless fishing villages
SHAPED BY AEONS of tide and weather, the coastline of South East Cornwall is spectacular. Towering rock faces plummet dramatically to the sea, foamy with white horses in windy weather. Seabirds mourn overhead. Tiny villages, redolent of times past, are linked by narrow, winding ways and footpaths. There is a sense of detachment from the 21st century.
This is a place of sequestered beaches, high cliffs and darkly historic fortifications that are a reminder of past turmoils. A place of big skies, seascapes and windswept headlands, its sense of remoteness is made all the more surprising by its proximity to the hubbub of the city of Plymouth, just across the water to the east, in Devon.
The most bustling part of this stretch of coast is the historic fishing town of Looe; divided by the river into East and West Looe. The river itself also divides just north of the town, into the East Looe River and the West Looe River.
Archaeological evidence suggests that humans inhabited the Looe area as early as 1000BC. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the manor of Pendrym, which encompassed much of modern-day East Looe, was held by William the Conqueror.
By the middle ages, Looe was thriving. The port had become one of Cornwall’s largest and exported local tin, arsenic and granite, as well as being home to a busy boatbuilding industry. Records show that the town provided 20 ships for the Siege of Calais in 1347.
The town’s heritage as a prolific fishing port goes back to pre-medieval times. This history is celebrated in the Sardine Factory, a heritage centre for the fishing industry, which has been built on the site of an old pilchard cellar, where the fish, Sardina pilchardus, was once processed. Situated on the west bank of the River Looe, this contemporary stone edifice blends well with vernacular buildings, as materials from the original cellar were salvaged and used in its construction.
Just around the corner from the centre in West Looe is the church of St Nicholas, built during the early 14th century. Stone steps, edged by the tiny green leaves of the lush plant known as baby’s tears, lead up to its door. Inside, the walls are cream-washed, though the interior is quite dark, with wooden roof timbers and pews. In one corner, a colourful prayer net is displayed. A delightful nod to the fishing heritage of the area, its strands of red, blue and white wool are tied on as a votive offering, instead of the candles found in many churches.
During the building’s long life, it has functioned as a guildhall and a prison, as well as a church. Successive restorations have taken place over the centuries. The 18th century clock, having been removed in 1922, was replaced by today’s replica as a millennium project.
Ancient inn
Just over 100yds (91m) from the church, set back from the river on Princes Square, is one of the oldest inns in the UK. The Jolly Sailor is known affectionately as the Jolly, and although its present custodians, Zoe and Garry Seymour, have carried out sensitive refurbishments, its sense of history is beautifully maintained, with old dark beams and irregular flagstones on the floor. Boats could moor alongside the inn until the 19th century, but the land was then reclaimed from the sea, with cottages built on the site.
“The Jolly was first established as a public house in 1516,” says Zoe. “Many of the present beams were salvaged from wreckage of the Spanish Armada; much of this wood was used in buildings around Looe.
“The main beam above the bar comes from a ship of the line at the Battle of Trafalgar. A French ship was captured in 1805 and renamed HMS Indefatigable. In 1816, that ship
was broken down, and the landlord claimed the beam to prop up the existing ones.”
There are many quirky features, including a small trapdoor in the floor of the main bar. “This drops down approximately 6in,” says Zoe. “The reason for this is that the ceilings are so low, the darts players used to hit the beams. They used the trapdoor to stand in so they could lower the dartboard, allowing them to play without hitting the ceiling.”
The bed and breakfast part of the building was added at a later date. It was originally two storeys and was used as a grocery shop and living quarters for a local family. An
extra storey was added, and in the 1930s, a brewery bought the building. It then became part of the Jolly Sailor and provided accommodation for the owners for many years before being turned into bed and breakfast rooms.
Inevitably, for a place of such great age, the Jolly is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. “We often have strange activities,” says Zoe. “We might both be looking at the key hooks for a set of keys which aren’t there. We search for them, only to return and find them hanging up. We also hear the chairs in the family room scraping, as if someone was getting out of their seat, but no one is there.
“As well as three spirits in the family room, we have a former landlady, a man who sits at the end of the bar and another who roams the corridors day and night, coughing as he goes.”
The Jolly Sailor has been a hub of the community for centuries. In the 18 months that the Seymours have been there,
they have won a regional award for Best Community Pub and Best Newcomer in Plymouth and Cornwall.
Bridging east and west
A third of a mile upriver from the Jolly, a bridge links East and West Looe. At high tide, many boats bob along the river, sitting on the mud when the tide recedes. Both parts of the town rise steeply on either side of the water, some of the houses colourfully painted. By night, the studded sparkle of lights climbing higher and higher gives the town a picturesque, fairy tale quality.
The first bridge to span the river was constructed in 1411 and made of wood. It was replaced by a stone bridge in 1436, and today’s Victorian bridge sits slightly further upstream.
East and West Looe were once two separate administrations, but in the late 19th century, they merged
to be under the jurisdiction of one governing body. Looe Town Council has two wards: East Looe and West Looe.
Approaching the bustling centre of East Looe from the bridge, the streets grow narrower, and some of the upper storeys are overhanging. Venerable buildings house modern shops. East Looe was something akin to an early new town, being built on a grid layout, which is evident as one explores deeper into its network of streets.
Many of East Looe’s buildings date back to the 15th century, including the Old Guildhall Museum and Gaol, situated a third of a mile from the bridge, on Higher Market Street. As its name suggests, this stone building has seen service as a jail, magistrates’ court and guildhall. It boasts many original features and is Grade ll* listed.
Life by the sea
The seafront is just a few minutes’ walk from the museum. Here, the Banjo Pier, named for its distinctive shape, stretches out to sea, separating the estuary from the beach. Designed by Joseph Thomas in 1897, the structure acts as a sea wall and prevents the river from silting up.
Nearby are both the modern-day lifeboat station and the old one; the latter now serving as a gallery for the work of local artists. Boats and fishing are, and always have been, an integral part of life in Looe.
Terry Morris is the skipper of Out of the Blue, a charter boat operating from East Looe. With her large deck space, the boat is licensed to take up to 10 people. At the front is the cabin, which Terry regards as his office. Here is stowed all the equipment needed for trips; if conditions are right, Terry may take his passengers more than 20 miles from the coast.
“Out of the Blue is a traditional deep-keeled boat, with exceptional sea-keeping capabilities,” says Terry, who has been taking charter trips from Looe for more than a decade. “She is ideal for deep sea fishing and sightseeing alike.
“She’s a very dependable boat. She’s 30 years old, and I’ve owned her for approximately seven years.”
The boat’s deck is an excellent vantage point for wildlife watching. “This stretch of coast towards the Rame Peninsula is particularly beautiful in spring, with magnificent wildlife,” says Terry. “We see large amounts of porpoises, different species of whales, seals and shoals of big Bluefin tuna.”
Looe sits right on the South West Coast Path (SWCP). At 630 miles, this is England’s longest waymarked national trail. From East Looe, the SWCP climbs up Castle Street, heading generally east towards the Rame Peninsula. Once walkers are up on the clifftop path, the views are tremendous. Looe Island sits to the south: a place that has seen human presence since the iron age, but which is now a rich wildlife reserve in the care of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Although the SWCP is a splendid way to explore the region, it does require a reasonable level of fitness. The coastline can also be travelled by car; often along steep, tortuous roads that add to the area’s sense of remoteness. Occasionally, the SWCP follows these quiet roads.
This is a coast populated by tiny villages, such as Seaton, less than two miles on from Murrayton and home to the
Seaton Valley Countryside Park. The beach at Seaton is noticeably dark in colour, being created by erosion of the coastline. The debris is carried by the currents and deposited at the beach, so its darker hue is determined by the surrounding geology. Rock pools are at either end.
Continuing east, delightfully named villages are encountered, such as Downderry and Portwrinkle, all with the backdrop of the coastline along Whitsand Bay. Away to the south-east, the Rame Peninsula juts darkly out to sea, the pimple of St Michael’s Chapel distinctive on the headland, tiny, at this distance. The peninsula is well-named: Rame is thought to mean ‘ram’s head’ or ‘protruding cliff’.
Victorian fort
Just over a mile beyond Portwrinkle, the arresting sight of Tregantle Fort comes into view. This imposing and extensive fort is constructed of irregular, grey stone blocks, with recessed slit apertures interspersed among two rows of more regular sized windows. It was built between 1854-1858 at a cost of £136,505 and accommodated 1,000 officers and men.
Tregantle Fort was part of a series of fortifications constructed to defend Plymouth Sound. These forts were
commissioned by Prime Minister Lord Palmerston in the 1850s and 1860s, part of the ‘Ring of Fire’ which surrounded Plymouth in Victorian times and protected the Royal Dockyard at Devonport from potential French attack.
Tregantle’s guns were positioned to aim inland, as it was thought the French were more likely to approach from that direction. By the time construction was finished, armament technology had progressed, and the site was at far more threat from the seaward side.
Although mothballed in the inter-war years, the site has remained in military ownership and is still used as a training establishment for all three of the armed services. When troops are not active, walkers can pass right in front of the fort on the SWCP. During operations, red flags are flown, and access is strictly prohibited, meaning walkers have to pass the fort by road. From here, there is a superb vantage point looking across the water into Devon and the sprawling conurbation of Plymouth. The contrast with this quiet and rural Cornish spot is striking.
Along the coast
Beyond Tregantle, the SWCP continues through Whitsand Bay. The beaches in this area are often accessed by steep paths and are rarely over-populated.
Their difficulty of access can make these beaches even more appealing. Half a mile from Tregantle, the path reaches the cliffside village of Freathy and, just to the west of the village, a path and steps lead down to Sharrow Beach, tucked beneath towering cliffs.
Some of the coastline here belongs to the National Trust, and Andy Simmons is the ranger for the area.
“Sharrow is a lovely beach, which is lifeguarded at times,” he says. “Although it has a steep path down, it is one of the Trust’s most accessible beaches in the area, but there are issues with the cliffs, which have been stabilised, and care needs to be taken, as you can get cut off by incoming tides.”
Above the beach, at the east end, set high in the craggy cliffs, is Sharrow Grot, also known as Lugger’s Cave, after the ex-Naval purser who excavated it in 1784. The grotto was dug into the cliff from the terrace of another former pilchard processing shed. Into its roof, Lugger inscribed lines of verse, some of which have been lost due to roof collapses. The Trust has restored the entrance in recent years, but access down to it from the path is tricky and not for fainthearted, requiring a sure-footed approach down very rough-hewn steps.
Andy relishes caring for the coastal habitats. “It is, of course, all about the coastline, the sea, nature and farming,” he says. “In springtime, the flowers are at their most wonderful: bluebells, primroses, pink campion, bird’s foot trefoils, stitchwort, thrift and oxeye daisies are abundant. If you are lucky, you may see a Peregrine falcon swooping.”
As the peninsula grows closer, the pointy, broached spire of St Germanus Church in Rame is distinctive. The road passes Polhawn Fort, down on the cliffs; the village of Rame is set just behind the coast.
To visit this village is to step back out of the 21st century. Well off the beaten track and exposed to the elements, the
“But, as thou walk’st should sudden storms arise, Red lightnings flash, or thunder shake the skies, To Sharrows friendly grot in haste retreat, And find safe shelter and a rocky seat”
James Lugger, inscribed on the walls of Sharrow Grot
area feels extremely remote. The church is extraordinary. It was enlarged and rebuilt in the 13th century on the site of an earlier Norman church. Walled with dark stone inside and out, it takes a moment for eyes to adjust to the dim light, for St Germanus has no electricity. Partly melted candle stubs sit in candelabra hanging from the roof; tall candlesticks stand at the pew ends, and the organ has to be hand-pumped.
Despite its seemingly primitive nature, the church is well-loved, well-used and wonderfully atmospheric. An inviting ‘Church Open’ sign hangs outside and, if the timing is right, home-made apple juice is available within.
Back out on the coast path, just over half a mile from the church, as the Cornish crow flies, St Michael’s Chapel is perched high on the summit of Rame Head, on the south-west tip of the peninsula, where once stood an iron age promontory fort. From the coastguard station, a grassy path leads between thickets of gorse across a narrow isthmus out to the chapel. Stone steps lead up to the exposed building; the first riser engraved in memorial to a lady called Sally: “Embrace life, embrace love, embrace this view...”
The headland is conservation-grazed by Dartmoor ponies to keep the sward short and can be beyond wild in windy weather. With no glazing in the chapel, it can be as wind-whipping outside as it is in.
The chapel was first licensed for Mass in 1397 and is on the site of a much earlier Celtic hermitage. The stone shell of the building is intact and was once limewashed to make it more visible on the headland. The spot commands one of the most superb views: east into Devon; west into Cornwall.
On the eastern corner of the Rame Peninsula, at Penlee Point, lies another Cornwall Wildlife Trust site. Penlee
Battery Reserve has been in its custodianship since 1992. It covers 16.3 acres and was once part of the Victorian and Edwardian defences of the area. Its guns were installed between 1899-1911 and removed in 1956, when the site was decommissioned. Today, some defences are still visible, although most features have been demolished or covered to make the site safe.
The reserve is mainly on south-east facing slopes, with views across Plymouth Sound, and it lies within part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site supports diverse vegetation, ranging from woodland, which is home to Tawny owls, to scrub and grassland, with some bare ground and seasonal pools. Its ‘unimproved’ grassland is important for its range of species, which includes the rare bee orchid. Historic manmade aspects of the site, tucked among vegetation, such as exposed stone and concrete, provide ideal habitats for basking lizards. Old underground chambers offer homes to bats. In spring, Penlee is a good place from which to observe migrating birds.
The reserve can be reached by lane from Rame Church, and a boardwalk has been installed so that those using wheelchairs can access a viewing platform.
Near Penlee Point, on the seaward side of the SWCP, is another treat: Queen Adelaide’s Grotto. During the 18th century, a cave at the site was used as a lookout post, but in 1827, Princess Adelaide visited with her husband, who was to become King William IV. After this Royal visitation, archways were constructed, and the grotto dedicated to her. It is now a place where proposals of marriage are often made.
The coast path heads north from Penlee Point to reach the twinned fishing villages of Cawsand and Kingsand in just over a mile. Steep streets of stone and colour-washed houses drop to the seafront, and the old fort at Cawsand has been converted into residential apartments.
Shifting boundaries
Although now twinned and blending one into the other, the villages were once on different sides of the county boundary, with Cawsand in Cornwall and Kingsand in Devon. In 1844, the boundary shifted east to the River Tamar. A sign on a blue-painted cottage in Garrett Street shows where the division occurred, with ‘Devon-Corn’ displayed on the wall.
As with other locations visited, these villages have a strong smuggling and fishing heritage, and remains of more
old pilchard cellars, from the late 16th century, are visible on the shoreline just beyond Kingsand. When smuggling was rife in the 18th and 19th centuries, thousands of casks of spirits were landed here every year.
Above Girt Beach at Kingsand, the Maker with Rame Institute, with its clock tower, stands proud. The tower was added to commemorate the coronation of King George V: the building today serves as a village hall. Its exposed position renders it somewhat vulnerable, and in 2014, it was undermined by crashing waves during a violent storm.
“That storm really hit the village hard, and it knocked out a hole big enough to walk through in the foundations beneath the clock tower,” recalls Jan Ferguson, who owns
the Panache Gallery in Kingsand. “The structure was hanging on by a thread as the water got underneath. Luckily, it was saved before it collapsed.”
The Panache Gallery & Gifts is vibrantly well-stocked with the art and crafts of local creatives. Jan has owned it for 10 years. “I wanted a gallery and shop space that was warm and welcoming, not stuffy and pretentious,” she says. “I’m really proud to sell local art and Cornish goods.”
Jan recognises the influence of the region on artists. “The area is so unspoiled and peaceful. It allows quiet contemplation and being at one with the beauty of the world around us. There is time to just stop and think. It inspires people to be artistic, to enjoy and value arts and crafts, and be open to new ideas, without being clogged up with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.”
Jan also restores old pieces of furniture. “When I was 16, I had a Saturday job in an antiques shop,” she says. “The owner was a fantastic furniture restorer and inspired me to have a love of antiques and collectables, and he also taught me, as he sympathetically restored items. Now, my pleasure is to restore items for sale as well as for our home and family. I love to return pieces to their original beauty, imagining those who may have come into contact with that item over the years and what story it would tell me if it had the chance.”
The gallery’s works of art encapsulate beautifully the glorious panorama of the Rame Peninsula. This is a timeless place of vast seascapes and roads less travelled; a breathing space in a corner of Cornwall.