Polperro

This old fishing community is many people’s ideal of the typical Cornish fishing village. Packed tightly into a steep valley on either side of the River Pol, the quaint colourwashed fishermen’s cottages and twisting streets offer surprises at every turn: the Saxon and Roman bridges, the famous House on the Props (a 16th century inn supported by wooden props, now a bed-and-breakfast, tearoom and restaurant), the fish quay, and Couch’s House, the 16th century house where Dr Jonathan Couch, the naturalist and grandfather of author Sir Arthur Quiller Couch, lived.

All routes in Polperro seem to lead down to its beautiful Harbour, make no mistake, this peaceful fishing cove, was once a thriving centre for the area’s smuggling. Generations of Polperro seafarers have brought contraband goods ashore, largely due to the presence of Zephaniah Job who acted as the smugglers’ banker for many years. Wagonloads of contraband left here, some heading across Bodmin Moor en route to London. To combat what was such a widespread problem, HM Customs and Excise established the first ‘preventive station’ in Cornwall at Polperro in the 1800s.

If you prefer a focused tour to a mere ramble through the village’s tidy lanes, join one of the guided walks that start from the Village Hall. Otherwise, you can get some good background on the village at the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing. A whole range of artefacts and memorabilia from around the 18th century are used to illustrate the myths, legends and larger-than-life characters that dodged the government taxes on luxury goods. Also on display is a model of HMS Recruit, onto which local lad Robert Jeffrey was press-ganged in 1807. He was subsequently cast ashore on a desert island in the West Indies for drinking the captain’s beer. He was eventually rescued and brought back to London in 1810 to a hero’s welcome. Questions were asked in Parliament about the incident, and the Recruit’s captain was dismissed from the service.

Just west of Polperro harbour lies Chapel Hill, from which there are superb panoramic views both inland and out to sea. At the bottom of the hill lies a cavern that is known as Willy Willcock’s Hole. Willy was a fisherman who, walking here one day, decided to explore the cave. Unfortunately he lost his way in the maze of underground tunnels and was never seen again and, so the story goes, his lost soul can still be heard crying out for help. A 2-mile clifftop walk eastwards from Polperro leads to Talland Bay, a sheltered shingle cove that is overlooked by the 13th century St Tallan Parish Church.

The Polperro Festival takes place for one week annually in June. Highlights include street theatre, live music, parades, arts and crafts, Morris Dancers and a treasure hunt.