Gunwalloe

Gunwalloe is a tiny fishing hamlet with a charming cove, and 76 wrecks littered along its coast between 1526 and 1931. This place is one of the unsung delights of Cornwall, and though not well known by visitors, is a favourite Sunday haunt for locals out walking, even on a winter’s day. Local stories of smuggling, looted wrecks and buried treasure abound. In 1526 a treasure ship belonging to the King of Portugal sank off Church Cove. Many attempts were made to recover the booty on board, but no one ever succeeded. In 1785 a ship carrying a consignment of gold coins ran aground, making this place still popular with treasure hunters who comb the sands with metal detectors hoping to unearth more coins from the two ships.

The 15th century St Winwaloe’s Parish Church is dedicated to the Breton missionary St Winwaloe, and lies protected in the sand dunes behind the rounded cliffs of Castle Mound, with the sea pounding away outside (the church is often called the Church of the Storms). Its bell tower was, unusually, built separately right into the rock.

Available Guidebooks for this region:

Digital Editions by county of the Hidden Places Guides are available Free of Charge. To download please Click Here