The small creak upriver of Bodinnick is Mixtow Pill (Mixtow is the riverside settlement).
Some of the most notorious privateers, and allegedly pirates, in Fowey were the family known as either Michaelstow or Mixstow. The first record of the family is in 1357 when Richard de Michaelstow hired his ship to the Black Prince for £20. The family gained their notoriety in the 14th and 15th Centuries when privateering was a major part of the port's commerce. The settlement of Mixtow, just upriver from Bodinnick, is thought to have been their family home.
The name Boddinick is thought to be a corruption of the Cornish Bosdinek, meaning "fortified dwelling".
The house by the water at the bottom of the hill, known as Ferryside, was Daphne du Maurier's first Cornish home. Her parents bought the cottage as a second home in 1926 and Daphne spent time in it whenever she could, writing her first novel "The Loving Spirit" during her stays here. One of her readers was so affected by the book that he sailed to Fowey to meet the author. They fell in love and were married in nearby Lanteglos Church. Before it was converted into a house, Ferryside was a shipbuilding yard and the figurehead mounted on it is from a schooner.
Hall Manor, just above Bodinnick, was built in the 13th century. An ornamental promenade was created which ran from the manor to Penleath Point and dates back to at least the 16th Century. It was described by Richard Carew in 1585 as:
cut out in the side of a steepe hill….evenly levelled, to serve for bowling, floored with sand, for soaking up the rayne, closed with two thorne hedges, and banked with sweete senting flowers: It wideneth to a sufficient breadth, for the march of five or sixe in front, and extendeth, to not much lesse, then halfe a London mile …..and is converted on the foreside, into platformes, for the planting of Ordinance, and the walkers sitting; and on the back part, into summer houses, for their more private retrait and recreation.
One of the summer houses remains on the point, containing a row of benches. Later, the path was extended to Polruan. The full length of this is now known as the "Hall Walk" but originally the name would have probably just referred to the promenade to Penleath Point.
The land for the walk was given to the National Trust as a joint memorial to Sir Arthur Quiller Couch and the men of Fowey and Polruan who had died during the Second World War.
In August 1644, during the English Civil War, King Charles I visited Cornwall, which was a Royalist stronghold. During his visit, Charles stayed with the Mohun family of Hall Manor. On a stroll along Hall Walk, he narrowly avoided being hit by a musket shot fired from parliamentary troops stationed in Fowey. The shot was reported to have killed a fisherman who was standing where the King had stood only moments before. Hall Manor itself was destroyed shortly afterwards during the Civil War.
The path from the other side of the memorial leads to the rocks of Penleath Point, from which there are some nice views of Fowey across the river. However the path is very steep and liable to be slippery in wet weather.
The memorial is dedicated to Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch (aka "Q") which is inscribed on the side facing Fowey.
The memorial stone on Penleath Point, opposite Fowey Harbour, is to Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch was born in Bodmin, lectured at Oxford and then lived in Fowey, working as a literary critic and author, publishing under the name Q. He is best known for the Oxford Book of English Verse. He was regarded by the Cambridge establishment as "rather eccentric", even by the university's standards, and is thought to be the inspiration for the character "Ratty" in Wind in the Willows. This is perhaps epitomised by Ratty's exclamation "there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats". His novel "Castle Dor" was left unfinished when he died and was completed by Daphne du Maurier "in memory of happy evenings long ago when 'Q' was host at Sunday supper". He is buried in Fowey churchyard.
The author Kenneth Grahame also spent a lot of time in Fowey and became a close friend of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.
When "The Wind in the Willows" was completed by Kenneth Grahame in 1907, it was met with critical disdain and rejected by publishers both in the UK and US. Fortunately Grahame had a stroke of luck: two years after the book was completed, US president Theodore Roosevelt wrote to Grahame to tell him that he had "read it and reread it, and have come to accept the characters as old friends". Roosevelt eventually persuaded US publisher Scribner to take it on. A.A. Milne was also a fan, stating: "The book is a test of character"... "The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and if she does not like it, asks her to return his letters. The older man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly".
The association of holly with winter celebrations predates Christianity: druids were known to use holly wreaths which, it is likely with some discomfort, they wore on their heads.
From Roman times, holly trees were planted near houses as it was believed to offer protection from witchcraft and lightning strikes. There is some scientific basis for the latter at least: the spines on the leaves can act as lightning conductors. The sharp points allow electrical charge to concentrate, increasing its potential to form a spark.
The tiny hamlet of Pont was once a busy quay where barges would unload coal and limestone. Lime kilns were built here in the early 19th Century on each side of the creek and Pont Pill Farmhouse was once an inn frequented by the crews of the barges. The name "Pont" refers to St Willow's bridge at the top of the creek: the Cornish word for bridge is pons but in Old Cornish it was pont.
Internally, a lime kiln consisted of a conical stone or brick-lined chamber which was loaded from the top with alternating layers of limestone and carbon-rich fuel such as charcoal, peat or coal. At the side of the kiln was an alcove known as an "eye" which was used to access the kiln and remove the quicklime from a hole at the bottom of the chamber. The kiln was often run continuously with more layers of fuel and limestone added to the top as the previous layers worked their way down through the kiln. Air was drawn in through the bottom of the kiln and heated up as it passed through the quicklime (also cooling the quicklime) before it reached the level where combustion was taking place.
From the signpost, you can take a diversion of just under a quarter of a mile up the hill to Lanteglos Church. To do so, follow the path ahead and bear left across the road to a path leading uphill from the opposite side. Follow this to reach a gate into the churchyard.
The church is dedicated to St Wyllow who according to legend was born in Ireland in the 6th Century, lived as a hermit in Cornwall and was beheaded by the locals. The current church was built in the 14th Century and altered in the 15th. The brass of Thomas de Mohun within the church dates from this period and the brasses depicting John Mohun and his wife date from the start of the 16th Century. The bench ends were also carved in the 16th Century and carefully preserved during an 18th Century restoration. Daphne du Maurier featured the church as "Lanoc Church" in her first novel, "The Loving Spirit" and she was married here herself in 1932.
Research suggests that sycamore was common in Britain up to Roman times but then died out due to the warming climate apart from some mountainous regions such as in Scotland. During the Tudor period it is thought to have been reintroduced from southern and central Europe by landowners looking for a rapid-growing tree for their estates and was found to be salt-tolerant - essential in Cornwall.
Primrose flowers provide an important nectar source for pollinators that hibernate over winter and emerge quite early like brimstone and small tortoiseshell butterflies - these are some of the first butterflies to be seen in spring. Primrose is also the food plant for the caterpillars of the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
During the late mediaeval period, piracy became a big problem and so merchant fleets began to include some heavily armed ships who were licensed to attack any pirate ships. This evolved into "privateering", where shipowners could obtain Letters of Marque from the Crown which allowed them to attack enemy shipping in a certain area and sell the cargo for profit. It was essentially legalised piracy but allowed the Crown to bolster its navy very cheaply. Partly due to the rapidly shifting allegiances of mediaeval wars and partly due to over-enthusiasm, some privateers were accused of piracy, i.e. attacking shipping without a licence.
When you reach the fork, you can optionally take the steeper (Pont Creek) route (with more wildlife) downhill to reach a bench where a small path leads down to a rocky beach, then continue from the bench uphill to rejoin the main path.
Otherwise, for the easier route: continue on the uphill (Polruan) path to reach a junction of paths with a signpost for Polruan or Lanteglos Church then continue a little further to a signpost for Pont Creek where the two paths rejoin.
Herons can often be seen along the edges of the creek.
In mediaeval Britain, roast heron was a prized dish reserved for aristocratic banquets. In Tudor and Elizabethan times, hunting herons with peregrine falcons was considered a royal sport which resulted in the population being protected from peasants who might otherwise have caught and roasted them.
In 1828, customs officers seized the Fowey sloop Lucy when they discovered that her sleek hull was not purely for hydrodynamic reasons. In a hidden compartment either side of a false keel, 100 small barrels were concealed below the waterline, each filled with spirits.
In the gaps between the trees, and as you enter Polruan, there are views across the estuary to Fowey. The large castellated building next to the church is Place House.
Place House was built around 1260 by the Priory as their headquarters within Fowey and soon after became the ancestral seat of the Treffry family. Sir John Treffry fought under the Black Prince at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and captured the Royal Banner of France. In 1457, French marauders besieged the house, but met with Dame Elizabeth Treffry who gathered men together and poured melted lead, stripped from the roof, upon the invaders. The house incorporated fortified elements designed to repel any attacks including what was described in Tudor times as "a right fair and strong embattled tower". The building still includes 15th and 16th century fabric but was largely rebuilt in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Polruan is located in the lee of the prevailing winds within the Fowey estuary and is therefore a very sheltered natural harbour. The settlement originated as a small fishing village and later became a centre for boat building. The name is associated with St Ruan, who is said to have settled on the hill above Polruan during early mediaeval times.
The location of Fowey close to the mouth of the estuary made it vulnerable to attack by sea. The town was destroyed by fire during invasions by French, Spanish and other pirate ships in 1330, 1380 and 1457. Following the 1380 raid, blockhouses were built on either side of the estuary mouth. A chain spanned between them that could be raised to close the channel in times of need. The chain was later confiscated by the King after boats from Fowey and Polruan were convicted of Piracy.
The Polruan blockhouse can be reached along the small lane which continues ahead from the junction, past the Russell Inn.
There has been a ferry link between Fowey and Polruan for centuries. The road journey, via Lostwithiel, is still a long, winding one and takes the best part of an hour. For most of the period that the ferry has been running, the ferry itself was a rowing boat. Passengers could save the one penny return fare and travel for free if they did the rowing!
The King of Prussia Inn, on the town quay in Fowey, is thought to have been converted from a 17th Century merchant's house or market building which was only 2 storeys high. The Inn is named after the smuggler and privateer John Carter, nicknamed "The King of Prussia", who is said to have resided at the Inn in the 1780s. It was demolished and rebuilt as a 3 storey building in 1886, but retains the original 17th century granite columns which form the undercroft area.
Despite the illegality of their "free trade", the Carters had a reputation for being honest and godly men. Swearing and vulgar conversation were banned on their ships and Harry Carter held church services for fellow smugglers and eventually retired to become a full-time preacher. John Carter's reputation is epitomised by a story of him breaking into the Penzance Custom House to liberate a confiscated consignment of tea which was due for delivery to his customer. The Customs officers are reported to have said "John Carter has been here, and we know it because he is an upright man, and has taken away nothing which was not his own."
The Ship Inn is the oldest surviving pub in Fowey, dating back to Tudor times. It was built by the Rashleigh Family in 1570 and some of the 16th Century interiors are still present. It was once linked by a first-floor bridge above the road to 1 Lostwithiel Street and this formed the tollgate to the town.
The Lugger was a type of sailing boat widely used for fishing until the 20th Century, and was the principal vessel of the Cornish fishing industry. The type of sails it used were known as "lugsails", and were positioned asymmetrically with respect to the mast so more of the sail was behind than in front of the mast. The origin of the name is uncertain, but one suggestion is that it might be from "ear-shaped-sail", which a French name for the class of boats ("aurique") also points to.
In the early 20th Century, small petrol-paraffin engines became available which allowed the boats to enter a harbour more easily. At this point, the boats also began to last longer because oil spills from the engine soaked into the timber, both preventing rot and also killing off woodworm and woodlice that, formerly, had gradually devoured wooden vessels. Some of the vessels from this period have survived, converted to pleasure craft.
During the 6th century AD, an enclosed settlement was established at Fowey by a small religious community containing a small church and dwellings. Fowey developed its fishing and sea trading industries during the Middle Ages and by 1260, was the most important port in Cornwall, taking over from Lostwithiel when the river silted up as a result of streaming for tin in the river valleys. Fowey was a busy port even during the 20th Century with china clay taking over from the ore exports after the tin and copper prices collapsed in the late 19th century, and china clay exports continue although on a smaller scale than previously.
On the seaward side of the wall on Peak Point is the base of a gun battery, which may have been in use as early as the 17th Century. By 1860 there were four guns installed here with a further two on the Fowey side of the estuary to cover the entrance to the harbour. The area was also used for naval training and a drill hut was located where Hoe Cottage is situated now. The wall behind the battery was originally three times its current height and was used as a firing range for rifle practice.
Around 400 million years ago, green algae made its way from the sea to the land and the first liverworts appeared. These ancient, very simple plants are still around today. DNA studies suggest that all land plants and mosses may have originally evolved from early liverworts.
Liverworts are found in damp, shady places but form flat structures that almost resemble soft corals. Their name is based on the appearance of the leaves which was thought to resemble an animal liver. Like mosses, liverworts don't produce flowers but instead reproduce via spores.
Daphne du Maurier was born in London in 1907 and began writing from an early age. Her parents were in the theatre, which helped her to launch her literary career. The family visited Cornwall for holidays and bought a second home at Bodinnick in 1926. In 1943 Daphne moved to Cornwall full-time where she spent the majority of her life.
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