I live in Cornwall, but I could visit Mevagissey a hundred times and still get excited about it.
Located on the south coast of Cornwall, just a short distance from St Austell, lies the harbour village, Mevagissey. I’ve walked through the harbour a few times on my longer coastal walks, but I love to visit Mevagissey to stay a while and learn more about this oh-so-Cornish village.
Mevagissey History
Mevagissey is home to around 2,000 people. It has always been a fishing settlement, emerging into a village with quaint narrow streets, lined with cottages up and down the steep hills on either side of the harbour. It was originally named Porthhilly. No guesses what that means!
It gets its modern name from St Meva and St Issey. Although the first recording using its previous name, Porthhilly, was in 1313, life in this area dates back to at least Bronze Age times. Two burial urns from this era were found nearby at Portmellon. During the 17th century, Porthhilly merged with the hamlet Lamoreck, which gave rise to the first rendition of its current name, Meva hag Ysi (hag being Cornish for ‘and’). Over the years the spelling changed to how the Cornish locals would have pronounced it, Mevagissey.
Trivia fact: Andrew Pears, the founder of Pears Soap, was born in the village. He set up a barbershop and ran it until he moved to London in 1789.
Fishing has been the main income for the village for countless years. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Mevagissey prospered from being a major centre for pilchards, a staple diet of the Cornish back then. Today, there are still many fishing boats to be seen coming in and out of the harbour, earning a crust from the fishing industry.
Tourism is the main breadwinner today. Thousands of visitors come to Mevagissey throughout the year.
When to Visit Mevagissey
Mevagissey is such a magnet for tourists that it can get very busy. Especially during the main holiday periods. During the winter months, things are much quieter, but you may find that shops will be closed because that’s often when shopkeepers take their well-deserved holiday.
If you planning to visit in the summer months, try to arrive earlier in the day – maybe around 10am. A good trick during the busiest periods, if you are able, is to visit on a Saturday morning. That’s usually a change-over day, and many tourists will be packing up for home in the morning. Doing it this way, you’ll see the village start to fill with new visitors during the afternoon.
Feast Week is an annual event that takes place at the end of June. There is much merriment with dancing in the streets and, of course, plenty on offer to eat.
There is a large car park, Willow Car & Coach Park, that is not far from the centre of the village and harbour. Arriving earlier should reward you with a parking space. It is an attended private car park and you pay on entry. At the time of writing it was £7 for the day. There is also an evening and hourly tariff. They accept cards and cash.
If you are staying in the area, check out the local bus services to see if this would be more economical and fit your needs.
What to See and Do at Mevagissey
As an idyllic Cornish fishing village, you will see all that you imagine it will look like. I’ve mentioned the narrow winding lanes lined with beautiful cob and slate-stone-built cottages. Wander along the streets on either side of the harbour to ascend up into the SW Cost Path. You will see amazing views over Mevagissey and beyond, along the coast.
This is an fantastic walking area. I have written a guided walk that passes through Mevagissey on the way to Gorran Haven. You could do the whole walk or just a part of it with a little planning of public transport. Read my guide: Walk St Austell – Porthpean – Pentewan – Mevagissey – Gorran Haven
Mevagissey Harbour
The harbour comprises an inner and outer harbour. The inner was built from 1714 on what was a medieval construction. The first attempt at building the outer section was completed in 1888 but lasted just 3 years when it was badly damaged by a blizzard. We don’t get many of those in Cornwall. It was rebuilt by 1897.
Much of the harbour is open to the public, so you can walk its walls right out to the lighthouse on the right side (looking out to see). There are steps leading up to the coast path here as well.
The lefthand side doesn’t stretch out so far but is a nice stroll with much to see along the way. When I last visited there were two men painting their fishing boat on the slipway. There are lots of photo opportunities.
Safety note: There are few or no fences along the harbour walls. So keep an eye on the young ones and take care of yourself when trying to snap photos. Especially if Sammy the Seal pops up near the lighthouse section of the harbour!
If you fancy a fishing trip or a sightseeing trip in a boat, this is the place to be. There are several operators nearer the village at the head of the harbour.
Shops, Crafts and Museums
The village streets have plenty of souvenir, gallery and craft shops, as well as shops that cater to the villagers. So this is the place to get gifts and things to adorn your home. There is something for all tastes.
The old RNLI station can be seen along the right-hand side of the harbour. It is now an aquarium. Although not big, it is nonetheless fascinating for young children. Entry is by donation and is well worth a visit. When I was there last, the visiting children were captivated, if only for 30 minutes. Hey, 30 minutes of peace and quiet? I’m a dad and it’s blissful.
There are other museums around the village, including a folk museum. There is also a model railway, which is a little difficult to find but there are signs. It was being upgraded when I was there last.
Pubs, Cafes and Restaurants
There are plenty of eateries in and around Mevagissey, catering to many dietary and foody needs.
If it’s an olde-worlde pub you want there are a few to choose from. I’ve eaten in the Fountain Inn (built in the 1500s) and can recommend it as great value for money with a warm reception and good, wholesome pub food. I had fish and it was lovely. So was the beer!
The Ship Inn also gets good reviews. This is also an old building serving great food and refreshments.
I also had a coffee in the Sharksfin. It’s a refurbished bar and restaurant in an old building on the harbourfront. Again, a warm welcome and good service. I would like to eat there on the next visit. The food coming out looked wonderful.
There are a few good restaurants around the narrow streets. I was drawn to the Salamander which has 5-star reviews, but it opens in the evenings. I was looking for lunch.
There are lots of choices for cafes and take-out food. Some of the cafes look very inviting. Of course, there is the favourite for a Cornish harbour village: fish and chips. Beware though, if you are eating outside, the gulls love fish and chips too. They also adore ice cream and just about anything else that’s edible. The trick is to stare them out. They tend not to come too near if you keep an eye on them.
Where to Stay Around Mevagissey
As you would expect, there are lots of places to stay to extend a visit to Mevagissey. Hotels, guest houses, holiday parks and AirBnBs are plentiful, but they fill up quickly during the school holidays and summer months. Better deals can be found in the spring, autumn and winter.
I stayed at this fabulous annexe in Trethurgy, which is about 5 or 6 miles from Mevagissey. The beauty of staying a few miles out of town is that it opens up the ability to easily visit other nearby places. For example, Par, St Austell, Charlestown and Polkerris are a similar distance from somewhere central like Trethurgy. Also, parking is often free where it can be limited or chargeable in the heart of Mevagissey.
Here is a list of hotels and holiday properties in and around Mevagissey.
Why not soak up the atmosphere while you are on holiday and grab a book about Mevagissey and its surroundings?
If you have visited or live in Mevagissey, comment below.
