A Trip to Falmouth - Cornwall's Premier Port

Falmouth is a busy town of 30,000 inhabitants and features a selection of individual and up-market shops that would grace the West End of London. The town has grown relatively wealthy on two fronts; firstly, its tourist trade. Falmouth boasts four fine beaches and is situated close to many of Cornwall’s premier attractions. Secondly, Falmouth’s importance as a harbour has grown steadily since the early 16th century. It has one of the finest, deep-water anchorages in the world and its repair yards can accommodate freighters in excess of 100,000 tonnes.

There are many recommended sights within the town including the National Maritime Museum (NMM) which was only completed a couple of years ago. The old harbour-side is still a working fishing port and plays host to the last oyster boats left in the UK. On Custom House Quay is the old “King’s Pipe”, a brick-built chimney that was used to dispose of all contraband tobacco that had been seized by the revenue men as well as several, charming water-side pubs including the “Chain Locker”, one of Cornwall’s most famous.

The town has its own castle at Pendennis that stands guard over one side of the Fal Estuary or Carrick Roads, to give it its Cornish name. This was built by Henry VIII to thwart perceived French and Spanish invasions although the castle’s cannons never fired a shot in anger.

The town is also an important sailing centre and hosts several major regattas during the summer months. A purpose built marina close to the NMM provides berths for luxury yachts and ocean-going cruisers.

The town square is known as “The Moor” and occupies a reclaimed tidal creek. The Moor has several distinctive buildings as well as the obelisk that lays tribute to the men of the Post Office Packet Service, the old Fountain and what is known as Jacob’s Ladder, 111 stone steps that lead to the top of the old town. At the western end of the Moor in Killigrew Street is the beautiful church of St Mary which is undergoing extensive exterior renovation. Its light stone, rounded turrets are in sharp contrast to most of Cornwall’s ubiquitous stark, granite churches.

Finally, on the south side of the town are the rows of Victorian hotels, built when the railway arrived in 1863, bringing with it the first summer travellers, keen to experience the warmest climate in Britain.

Quick Tips:

Falmouth is one of the premier tourist traps in Cornwall and is very busy between May and September. The narrow streets will be jammed solid with motorists looking to get that bit closer to the beaches or shops. There are several large car parks signposted around the town and it’s best to avail yourself of one of these and explore the town on foot.

The beaches all have ample, pay and display parking although this will be at a premium in July and August. Arwenack Street, which houses most of the best shops is very narrow with no vehicular restrictions and roughly paved sidewalks making window shopping a chore in high season in all the bustle.

There are many pubs and restaurants to choose from although prices tend to escalate in summer. As always, it’s best to concentrate your efforts on the establishments slightly off the beaten track.

Best Way To Get Around:

Falmouth sits at the western end of the A39, a major arterial route that runs from Bath into Cornwall. Much of the road has been improved in recent years although long stretches of it are still single carriageway. Train services run to the town on the branch line from Truro which itself sits on the mainline from London.

There are no major airports in Cornwall although the Naval station at St Mawgan, near Newquay provides facilities for Ryanair, a budget airline that flies into the county from London. Bus routes to Cornwall are sparse with National Express providing the only realistic service as far as Truro.

A car is therefore a must to explore the area. St Austell and Truro have hire agencies but you obviously still need a car to get here in the first place.

Falmouth sits directly opposite the lush, Roseland Peninsula across the expanse of water known as Carrick Roads. There are two foot passenger ferry services that depart from Prince of Wales pier, one to Flushing, the other to St Mawes, both on the Roseland.

The area is undulating making cycling a realistic choice for those fitter individuals. Boats can be hired within the marina.

Having walked from the car down through the town into Arwenack Street, my grumbling stomach reminded me that lunch-time was well and truly upon me. I didn’t want to sit in one of the several cafes chewing through a bacon sandwich so decided to give “de Wynn’s” tea and coffee shop a go.

This is a charming 19th century double fronted building, glazed with small panes of glass and looking like something from Dickensian London. All it needed was some snow on the sills. Perusing the menu in the window convinced me to go in.

The place specialises in coffee from around the globe and had dozens of varieties on offer. All the beans are freshly ground to order ensuring a cracking cup full. The menu arrived but I already knew what I wanted from the menu in the window. This was to be the Colcannon, an Irish dish consisting of potato, leeks and Cheddar cheese all in a mash, topped with a poached egg and served with crusty granary bread. It arrived swiftly and was delicious. I polished the lot off inside ten minutes, coming up for air occasionally and for a swig of my dark Columbian coffee.

The place was busy with diners all tucking into what looked like similarly appetising food. I finished the food and ordered a refill for the coffee. As I sat and digested my meal, I watched the locals going about their business in the busy Arwenack Street, the town’s shopping area, glad that I was in here in the warm, with the incredible aromas of 50 different coffees wafting around the tables.

Having drunk up, the bill arrived. The Colcannon was just £5 (what a bargain) and the two coffees £1.50 each, truly great value for such quick service, lovely surroundings and great food. I paid my bill, left the young waitress a good tip and wandered off back into the depths of the town.

This relatively new addition to Falmouth’s attraction opened a couple of years ago on Discovery Quay at the far end of Arwenack St, close to the docks. It has been built in a traditional maritime style with it’s footings actually in the water and has a watch tower that provides an unrivalled view over the town, docks and Carrick Roads.

Being an October day it was relatively quiet so I decided to go in for a look around. The museum essentially deals with the history of boats and shipping as well as having displays of famous craft and everything from the story of Pilchard fishing in Cornwall to a huge display of nautical knot work. Most of the major exhibits are suspended by wire from the vaulted ceiling, everything from dinghies, fishing boats, row boats, kayaks and canoes to yachts, lifeboats and ocean going catamarans.

Side displays feature the events that are relevant to Cornwall and below ground level is the Tidal Room where you can actually watch the water ebb and flow with the resulting drop or rise in sea level.

There are many interactive displays where you may steer a yacht or co-ordinate a rescue mission as well as a huge, waist high tank where you can practise your manoeuvring with model craft. The stairs or lift will take you to the top of the watch tower where you can observe the comings and goings of this busy harbour. A local “jolly jack tar” acts as an impromptu guide up there and his knowledge was astounding, regarding the ships, the yards, the marina and so on, worth the entrance fee alone.

I have to quite honest and say that I saw all that was of interest inside of an hour. Most, if not all of the displays are given over to “small” craft and, given Falmouth’s tradition of repairs, boat building, salvage, oil and gas rig flotation, oyster fishing and of course, it’s Coast Guard links, I was surprised that there weren’t at least some audio/visual presentations of this “larger” side of the subject.

The museum is open year-round, and a ticket will cost £6.50. Binoculars are provided at the top of the tower and are free to use.

Although this 16th-century fortress featured in my Roseland Peninsula journal a while ago, no journal for Falmouth would be complete without at least a quick mention of this castle.

Pendennis was constructed under the supervision of Henry VIII, as was its “twin”, across Carrick Roads at St Mawes. The purpose was to protect the Roads from a threat of a Spanish or French invasion. Huge cannons were installed on either side that were capable of firing a ball more than half a mile, thus protecting the entire width of the Roads.

The invasions never materialised and the castle saw its first and only real action in the Civil War when it was under the command of Sir John Arundell of Trerice and Lanherne. Pendennis withstood a five month Roundhead siege under his leadership whereas St Mawes castle, across the Roads capitulated without firing a shot. Pendennis eventually surrendered due to the impending starvation of its defenders in August 1646 after mounting a fierce and brave defence.

In the mid-18th century, Queen Henrieta Maria sought sanctuary at Pendennis prior to fleeing to France after Exeter’s fall to Cromwell’s army, as did Prince Charles (later to be Charles II), who also fled to France via the Scilly Islands.

Major fortifications were added to Pendennis in 1795 with a gun platform being built below the south curtain wall; this is now part of the Coast Guard station.

The castle still features its original wooden portcullis emblazoned with the Royal Coat of Arms.

Today, Pendennis castle can be approached by way of Castle Drive which circles the headland on which it stands at the far east of the town, overlooking Gyllyngvase beach. It is open to the public who may access the ramparts by way of a twisting staircase.

Like most seaside towns, Falmouth has its share of decent pubs to cater for the swarms of tourists that visit in summer and for the locals who like to huddle around a roaring log fire in the depths of winter. I took a stroll around the town, picked out what looked like three good ones, and had a swift half in each of them.

The first I tried was the Mason’s Arms at the lower end of Killigrew Street. This is an old fashioned pub with a roaring fire, low ceilings and a high proportion of locals sat around the wooden tables, seeking refuge from the cold outside. The pub is a St Austell house with a good range of beautifully kept ales on draught. Indeed, the pub has the “Casque Marque” award displayed proudly outside the front door, indicating its excellence of beer. The place had a good atmosphere and the landlord seemed to know most of the folk in there. They serve a limited range of food, although this is pretty much standard pub fare.

Next stop was the Grapes in Church Street, close to the fish quay. This corner pub is a free house and again had a good range of ales on tap. The views from the back bar windows were superb, looking out across the harbour, fish quay and boat yards. Not surprisingly, fish features predominantly on the menu here with all types available as well as crab and prawn specialities. This place certainly caters for everyone with its “open mike” evenings and other regular events to keep the punters entertained. It was warm and cosy inside and everyone I saw looked very happy with their situation.

Final and best stop was the well-known Chain Locker, sat on the fish quay but with an entrance on Church Street as well as the one by the harbour. This is a rambling, antiquated building that has been a pub since the 1740’s. It serves Skinner’s beers and a good range was available here today. The place was busy with locals as well as very late holidaymakers , sheltering from the icy blasts from the water-side. This is what a pub is all about; low beams, lots of nautical paraphernalia, fishing nets and buoys, superb “Cornish” atmosphere and a good set of bar staff.

I settled into a window seat with a great view of the harbour. With the wind whistling outside, the fire roaring away inside, a glass of best Skinner’s beer, a pasty the size of a dustbin lid and a rapidly struck conversation with a couple from Canada, I really wished that I was staying tonight, and didn’t have to drive back to Polperro in an hour’s time. Such is life…

Falmouth has so much worthy of mention that it’s difficult to decide what should be featured and what shouldn’t, given the available wordage. Although many of the principal landmarks are either on or close to The Moor, there is still much more around this town.

Starting close to Gyllyngvase beach, you will find beautifully laid out formal gardens. These have been planted with all manner of exotic trees, shrubs, flowers, ferns and cacti that thrive in Falmouth’s sub tropical climate. Although close to the hubbub of the beach, the gardens remain a tranquil backwater in this otherwise busy town. Behind the gardens, to the western end of the beach is a row of Victorian hotels, built to provide holiday accommodation to the hordes of visitors who descended upon the town with the advent of the railway that reached Falmouth in 1863.

Moving into the town proper now and into Market St at the bottom of The Moor. A maze of narrow alleys lead down to the quayside, one of which is occupied by a map-makers and a chandlers stores. Two original ships’ figureheads are on display, one above the chandlers entrance, the other on the ground. Market St runs into Church St and on the kink in the road to the right is the church of King Charles the Martyr, the only such dedicated church in Britain.

Shortly after Charles I escaped from Falmouth to the Scilly Islands, Sir Ralph Hopton surrendered Cornwall to the Parliamentarians, thereby essentially bringing an end to the Civil War. At the Restoration, Charles II granted Falmouth its Charter in 1661 and sponsored the building of a church to commemorate his martyred father.

Further along is St Georges Arcade, an old cinema that is now home to various book-sellers and bric-a-brac stalls. It would be quite easy to spend a couple of hours in here perusing the thousands of books for sale.

Church St now becomes Arwenack St and the first notable building is the old Custom House to the left. This was probably the busiest building in the town a century ago but is now unfortunately decaying. Its white façade still retains a colourful Lion and Unicorn coat of arms above the entrance although its six columns are crumbling. Turn right down towards the Custom House Quay and you will find to your right what is known as the King’s Pipe. This brick built chimney was installed on the quayside in the 18th century to dispose of all the contraband tobacco confiscated by the revenue men. Falmouth was too busy a place to smuggle in liquor, but tobacco was light and could hopefully be concealed inside other cargo. It’s estimated that the officers found less than 5% of all that was brought into the port here.

Finally, at the far end of Arwenack St sits the imposing, new National Maritime Museum, which is featured in its own entry.

As the main inbound route to the town, Killigrew St drops down into the centre, it widens out into a broad square called The Moor. All the major municipal buildings are situated here along with car parking, bus stops, taxi ranks, the memorial to the Packet Service, the fountain and Jacobs Ladder.

At the lower end of Killigrew St is the lovely church of St Mary’s. Dating to the 15th century, this catholic church is currently undergoing massive restoration. The exterior is being renovated now with masons and other local artisans restoring the stonework to pristine condition. The church is of an unusual shape with its rounded towers and nave, completely different from most Cornish churches that tend to be of basic design and with a square tower.

Entering The Moor, to the left is the old fountain. This was relocated several years ago when the area was redesigned. It features a large bowl atop of a plinth, all of which shelters beneath a beautifully decorated canopy featuring animals, fruit and fish inscribed around its edges. Although no-one I asked was certain, it would seem to me that at one time, this would have been situated in the local market where it would have given refreshment to man and beast. The underside of the canopy is painted brilliant blue and features the outline of the Great Bear or Plough and its seven principal stars. Strangely enough, the fountain now resides immediately in front of the pub of the same name.

To the right of the fountain is the memorial dedicated to the Steam Packet Service. This service started in 1688 when the town was appointed as the most westerly Mail Packet Station in Britain. By 1827, almost forty ships regularly sailed from the port delivering post as far afield as the West Indies, the Mediterranean and America.

Crossing the road here and walking down towards the bottom of The Moor you will see Jacob’s Ladder on your right. This is a flight of 111 stone steps that leads steeply up to the old part of the town and is still in use today. Opposite here is the Passmore Edwards Free Library, dating from 1894, an imposing double fronted building accessed by a flight of steps. It was built as the municipal offices along with a school of art and science but today fulfils the role of town museum and art gallery.

John Passmore Edwards (1823-1911) was a late Victorian philanthropist who was born in Cornwall. He became a pamphleteer, publisher and newspaper owner as well as MP for Salisbury. During a 14-year period, he bequeathed over 70 building to towns and cities across the UK, many of them in the south west.

Finally, at the very bottom of The Moor, on the right is the Town Hall, built to a similar design to the Library. A grander, more richly varied town square you won’t find anywhere else in Cornwall.

Falmouth has an indelible link to the sea. It all began in the early 16th century when Henry VIII oversaw the construction of a castle at the mouth of Carrick Roads to defend against French attack. At this time there were no more than a hundred or so buildings within the town. When the town quay was finished in 1670, the population grew rapidly and Falmouth was born as a seafaring community.

In 1688, the Packet Service was instigated here and several boat-building yards were inaugurated. The town grew famous for its maritime links and its harbour is reputedly the third largest natural facility in the world. Fishing thrived and a large local fleet regularly plumbed the waters for pilchards, cod, haddock and sole. When steam power replaced sail, the port waned somewhat and most of its boat-building became overpriced compared to the huge new yards springing up in Liverpool, Tyneside, Glasgow, Hull and London that competed fiercely for any available contracts.

Its wealth has therefore developed with the growth of its ship-repairing facilities as well as its capacity to accommodate tankers and freighters in excess of 100,000 tonnes. The yards here are always busy and include dry docks where ships can undergo repairs to their keels and hulls. The Coast Guard have facilities here and their massive oceangoing tug was in port during my visit, providing as it does a replenishment service to oil and gas rigs as well as salvage operations.

Also in port today is the Sir Galahad, a Royal Navy Reserve ship that was the replacement for the similarly named vessel that was attacked and damaged beyond repair during the Falklands conflict in 1982. Massive freighters are being coaxed and nudged into repair docks by impatient tugs, giving the place has an air of bustle and activity about it.

Of course, the fishing “fleet” still remains in its own little part of the harbour close to the Chain Locker pub but as with everywhere else in Cornwall, is struggling to cover its costs due to restrictions and EEC imposed quotas. But this little area is still the essential Falmouth as the light craft bob on the swell whilst their masters mend the nets and prepare for their next foray into the Atlantic.

Falmouth is blessed with the warmest climate in the UK, sitting as it does on the western side of Carrick Roads. This climate is aided and abetted by three superb beaches, making the town a haven for the sun-loving fraternity during the summer months.

The biggest and busiest beach is to the south of the town and is overlooked by impressive Victorian hotels, built to accommodate the first holidaymakers arriving by train in the 1860’s, and rejoices in the very Cornish name of Gyllyngvase (pronounced Gilling-Vays). Its broad expanse of golden sand is full to bursting on summer days, and is backed by formal gardens full of palms, cacti and Mediterranean foliage, courtesy of its equable climate. There is plenty of parking around, some of it free but this will fill quickly in high season.

At low tide, the eastern end of the beach becomes a maze of rock-pools, full of small fish, shrimps and crabs, marooned by the receding waters.

Follow the coast road west from here for a mile to find Swanpool beach. This is a compact beach, maybe 150 yards wide and relatively shallow at low tide with no more than 50-60 yards of beach to the water’s edge. It is not so popular as Gyllyngvase, the downside being that the sea-view consists predominantly of tankers awaiting high tide in order to enter Falmouth Docks and is not the most aesthetic to be had. But the sand is clean and regularly inspected. To the rear of the beach is a large pond that acts as a sanctuary for local swans to breed, hence the beach’s name. Parking here is awkward with only a few spaces available but it is within 20 minutes walk of the town centre.

Another mile or so and we arrive at Maenporth beach. At low tide, the water recedes for several hundred yards to reveal flat, golden sands, protected by cliffs on either side. To the rear of the beach is a small car park with a coffee shop. The beach is popular with dog-owners but they are only allowed to use the beach after October 1st.

The cliffs on either side are full of rock-pools at beach level. At low tide, the waves roll ashore gently and for me, this is the best one of the three. It is beyond walking distance from the town with limited parking so I tend to get here early on a sunny day and stake my claim.

Of course in winter, storms and high tides deposit large amounts of seaweed and debris onto all three beaches. This would be cleared away on a daily basis in summer but at this time of year, it seems to add a certain charm and natural feeling to them. A sheer delight is scrambling across the sands at low tide looking for driftwood and other flotsam. Cold it might be in winter, but it has just as much the charm of a day spent soaking up the sun.