Padstow, Cornwall: Ghosts, Cornish Pasties, Fish & Chips And More

Following on from my Padstow Post - of the 24th of February  - a few random photos as I walked round the town.

The photo above is Abbey House on Padstow's North Quay. It is described by some as the oldest house in Cornwall. As far back as the days of Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) it was being described as old! So, of course, it has a ghost ...

... the ghost who haunts Abbey House is said to be an Elizabethan lady. She is sad and alone and is often seen ascending the 15th century granite stairway from the cellar, as she silently makes her way along a passage which forms the oldest part of the house.

On a more cheerful note: a fish and chips shop below ...

... and, if you are in Cornwall, there also has to be a Cornish Pasty shop.

The next photo is the Golden Lion pub and it "dates back to the 14th century and is the oldest inn in Padstow."

Now we have Anchor Cottage, which is very difficult to miss - because of its bright colour.

The houses below face each other so you wouldn't want to fall out with the neighbours opposite. But there is somewhere to dry the washing.

Houses in Church Street:

And that's about the end. These gravestones date from the early. 1830s.

Charlestown Harbour On A Sunshine Morning

A Sunday walk yesterday included Charlestown, Cornwall, as per the photos. A pleasant sunny day for February, though a little hazy first thing. Photo above is looking across to the Pier House (restaurant, bar and accommodation).

And now, in the photo above, looking eastwards. The building with the pointed top, to the right of the picture, is often shown in the Poldark television series.

A few of the tall ships, often in dock at Charlestown, can be seen below.

The old harbour wall has steps leading down to the water, which had a greenish tint.

Two more photos. First the Coast Path sign and finally the small bridge across the harbour. This photo was taken prior to the others. As can be seen, there was still a haze prior to the sun breaking through. 

More posts & info on Charlestown:
Walking the Beach at Charlestown, Cornwall
Charlestown Built To Export Copper Ore
The Cave On Charlestown Beach, Cornwall

Padstow, Cornwall on a Sunshine Winter's Day

We were in Padstow on Thursday and what a lovely day it was: blue sky and sunshine.

Padstow, a small town and fishing port, is on Cornwall's north coast. It's history stretches way back. It is said that the Vikings raided the area in  981. Padstow is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1068.

Today it's a busy place for tourism. Some of this comes from the restaurateur Rick Stein - visitors seem to want to travel great distances to have a meal in his restaurant or cafes.

We walked around the harbour and then on to the coastal path. Lots of people about - partly because it was half term in Cornish schools. The coastal path though had lots of elbow room!

Padstow is situated on the west bank of the River Camel Estuary. When the tide is out there are huge stretches of naturally occurring granular material - sand in other words. 

The name of the River Camel is derived from the Cornish Language Dowr Kammel, which means a crooked river.

The coast path winds its way alongside the estuary, with lovely views.

On the hillside there's a farm - what a great position.

The path goes on and on for miles and miles but we only walked for about an hour - and then retraced our steps back to Padstow.

Truro Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today's photos, taken at different times, are of Truro Cathedral, which dominates the Truro skyline. 

The photo above was a lucky shot. I was hoping that the rainbow would settle on the cathedral, but it wasn't to be.

The cathedral is, by cathedral standards quite recent. Building started in 1880 and was completed by 1910. The building is quoted as being a triumph of Gothic Revival Architecture.

For the full cathedral story go to Cathedral's website.

The cathedral is one of only three cathedrals in the UK with three spires.

The narrow roads by the cathedral make photos a little difficult, but the magnificent interior more than makes up for this.

Unlike many cathedrals nowadays entry is still free which, of course, is as it should be.

Wonderful carvings abound on the walls.

If you are ever visiting Truro pop into the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You won't be disappointed!

The Village of Mousehole In Cornwall

On Wednesday I mentioned a visit to Mousehole prior to heading for the Minack Theatre. Here are a few photos I took at the time.

The first mention of the village was around 1280. Old records show that pilchards were exported from Mousehole to France in the early 1300s. The village, by the way, is pronounced as 'Mowzel'.

It is said that the last native speaker of the Cornish language,  Dolly Pentreath, lived in Mousehole. She died in 1777.

The harbour and village, with its narrow cobbled lanes, are a delight to visit. Dylan Thomas  described Mousehole as "the loveliest village in England."  

History shows that Mousehole was invaded by the Spanish in 1595, when all but one of the houses was burnt to the ground. But it's quite safe to visit now!

The Cornish Holy Well at St. Cleer - and a Cure for Madness

While near the village of St.Cleer I looked in on their Holy Well. It is said to go back to the 15th century. It was then used as a magic 'bowsening' pool. So called because 'mad people' would be dunked into the waters to cure their insanity!

I say the well is 15th century, but it was knocked down during the English Civil War - 1642 to 1651. The Cornish granite stones though remained in place. It was said that if any of them were ever moved or stolen they would find their own way back ... creepy!

In the 1800s the jigsaw that was the Holy Well was put together again - as it remains today.

Next to the well is an ancient 7 foot tall cross. There are several variations as to whom the St. Cleer well is dedicated. One version is St.Clarus, a 12th century Benedictine monk. He landed himself in  bit of bother when a noblewoman made romantic advances to him - which, of course, he turned down.  But the result of this was that he was beheaded - though some versions of the story say he fled to France.

It's not known who the monk like figure is in the niche at the front of the well.

The Minack Theatre, Cornwall - A Place of Happiness!

The Minack Theatre, Cornwall - as the sun sets.

Cornwall's Minack Theatre is quoted as being one of the world's most famous outdoor theatres.  It is a bit special, to say the least, perched on the cliffs high above the Atlantic Ocean.

The last time we went to see a play we popped into the small village of Mousehole first and then onto the Minack. It was a glorious day and when we arrived the sky was full of subtle colours - as shown in the first photo.

The play we saw was based on Zorba the Greek. The words of the author Nikos Kazantzakis have stayed with me:

"We stayed silent by the brazier until far into the night. I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else. And all that is required to feel that happiness here and now is a simple frugal heart"

Anyway, whatever happiness is, the photos were taken on a happy night! I'd recommend the Minack Theatre to those visiting Cornwall.

Characters on the cliffs at the Minack Theatre