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| History of Mevagissey |
| The inner harbour dates back to 1774, and the
outer harbour to 1888. However the outer harbour walls were washed
away in the storms of the great blizzard in March 1891. They were
rebuilt and completed in 1897. Much expensive work has been carried
out over the years to maintain the structures, culminating in £1.25
million spent in 1998 to strengthen the outer pier. Mevagissey harbour
is a Trust Port, and is also registered as a Charity. |
| Prior to the original Mevagissey Harbour Act of
1774, a thriving fishing industry had been built up around the village
of Mevagissey. At this time a medieval quay existed in the region
of the present East Quay. However this did not offer much protection
against the onslaught of easterly gales. With this in mind a group
of businessmen, land owners and local clergy brought together the
necessary requirements to set in motion the Act of Parliament to enable
the construction of East and West Quays. |
| Thus, Mevagissey Harbour was set up as a Trust
Harbour. Over the years subsequent Harbour Acts were passed in 1865,1888,
and 1892. The construction of the harbour to its present state was
taken in various stages, which culminated in the construction of the
outer harbour walls in 1888. These were virtually destroyed in the
great blizzard of 1891, and were rebuilt and completed by 1897. Over
the years much damage was done to the outer piers in particular, and
large amounts of capital and grant aid were used for repairs and strengthening
works. Over the passage of time the fishing industry has tended to
follow "boom and bust" cycles. However the industry has seemed to
recover, albeit through different types and trends of fishing. |
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| At present there are 63 registered fishing vessels
in the harbour which employs approximately 57 full-time fishermen
and 12 part-time fishermen. Most of the boats are under 10 metres
in length, the different types of fishing carried out being trawling,
wreck netting, sole netting, ray netting, shellfish with pots, long
lining, and hand lining for mackerel. In the summer months several
of the boats offer angling trips and sight seeing trips around the
bay. |
| In 1988 Mevagissey Harbour was given charity status,
and along with Looe it is one of the only two Trust Harbours that
are registered charities. The charity status means a great deal to
the harbour, and the financial benefits are very important. |
| As the nucleus of the village, it is therefore
important that the harbour area is given the chance to redress the
balance, and by radical ideas, not only protect the village from the
probable effects of global warming, but bring in extra trade, create
sustainable local skilled jobs, and change the visitors' views in
wanting to visit Mevagissey all the year round and not just in the
Summer months. |
| About Mevagissey |
| Mevagissey is very much a traditional Cornish
fishing village, the largest in St. Austell Bay. The name originates
in the old Cornish dialect for "Meva-ag-issey", which means "the towns
of Meva and Issey". Meva and Issey were two 6th century Irish missionaries
who came to convert the area to Christianity. |
| The streets of this unspoilt town are a delightful
twisting hodge-podge of whitewashed buildings lining narrow passageways.
Mevagissey is situated on the southern riviera coast making it an
ideal base from which to explore this beautiful county. It is a small,
unspoilt fishing village with a colourful history of boat building
and smuggling. which still retains its traditional character and nowadays
has a selection of top quality pubs, restaurants and shops. |
| Mevagissey is a working fishing port, though visitors
can hire boats for trips around the bay. For a bit more active adventure,
book a shark fishing outing or deep sea fishing trip at the pier.
If you prefer to stay on dry land there is excellent walking on the
clifftops above the town (and the views of town and sea are superb!).
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IMPORTANT DATES IN THE HISTORY OF MEVAGISSEY
1086 - 88 Land at Mevagissey divided between four Manors - Bodrugan,
Penwarne, Porthilly and Treleaven
1150 First Chapel at Porthilly, on site of present Church
1259 First proper Church built dedicated to St Peter
1313 First recording of Mevagissey as a hamlet
1329 Advowson of Mevagissey granted to Glasney by Otto de Bodnigan
to establish a Bodrugan chantry
1430 John Trewollas of Treleaven funded building of first stone pier
at Stuccome (site of present harbour)
1470 Construction of first quay at Mevagissey by Trewolla family,
Lords Of the Manor of Treleaven
1487 Henry de Bodrugan deprived of his estates in Cornwall. Flees
abroad.
1588 Beacon lit at Beacon Cross, two miles from Mevagissey, at the
sight of the Spanish Armada
1626 Mevagissey independents, now the United Reform Church , founded
1642 - 45 English Civil War divided the villagers loyalist. During
the Fairfax campaign Roundhead soldiers were billeted at Mevagissey,
Tregony and Pentewan
1655 Puritans pulled down the church tower
1700 Fishing port busy and smuggling was rife
1740 Survey of harbour showed that if the pilchard trade grew the
harbour would need to be enlarged
1745 Boat builders shop erected - the site of the present museum
1753 John Wesley came to preach
1754 Frances Lelean (daughter of Mary) founded the first Methodists
Sunday School
1774 Mevagissey quays repaired and enlarged
1775 Act of Parliament obtained for the building of a new pier, boatyard,
pilchard cellars and packing shed
1800s Peak of smuggling trade in Mevagissey.
1809, population of Mevagissey around 2500
1806 Water Guard established
1815 Preventive Service established at Mevagissey
1824 Collapse of Mevagissey bank. Many local people suffered financially
1830 Riots on Mevagissey quay over Corn exports
1830 - 1870 64 seines operated from Mevagissey but the introduction
of drift fishing brought about their demise
1849 Serious cholera epidemic - most of the village evacuated to tented
accommodation at Portmellon
1850 80 fishing vessels registered as working from the port, 320 people
employed
1866 Act of Parliament obtained to allow the enlargement of the harbour
1869 Mevagissey became a lifeboat station. The first boat the South
Warwickshire housed at Portmellon
1887 Hon. John Piers St Aubyn restored church
1889 New outer quays constructed at Mevagissey. Damaged in Great Blizzard
1891 and repaired 1897
1895 Small power station built on the West Quay Mevagissey believed
to be the first place in Cornwall to have street lit by electricity
1896 Second lifeboat arrived - the James Chisholm. Remained in service
until 1930
1912 Pilchard fishing industry thriving. At the peak of the season
drifters landed as much as 500 tons a day
1936 End of the herring fishing in Mevagissey
1968 Mevagissey Museum opened 1980. New boat building yard established
next to the museum.
1980 The fishing industry declined further but tourism developed considerably
1998/99 Refurbishment of the harbour, at a cost of £1000000 |
| Mevagissey Museum |
| History's first mention of Mevagissey is in 1313,
but its fine, harbourside museum suggests it is much older. Older
even than the two 6th century Irish missionaries who gave it its name,
or the archaeologically attested trade with Phoenicians in copper
and tin. |
| Three artefacts in the Museum rubbing stone, an
arrow and axe-head - put the original settlement back at least as
far as the Bronze Age. Then, Mevagissey Man would have hunted land-based
animals to survive, but for most of the village's varied history the
hunting has been of fish - and contraband. A museum piece itself,
the building in which the exhibits are housed belongs to the 18th
century when it was used to construct and repair vessels for smuggling.
Most of the roof supports are spars from old revenue-dodgers, refitted
or broken up: the tools on display and the lathe upstairs, with its
huge hand-turned wheel, built their replacements. |
| Sometimes, the smugglers were caught and locked
up in the village "clink". The manacles and massive iron clad door
on display suggest escape was rare.Elsewhere in the Museum, a kinder,
wider picture emerges of life in Mevagissey down the ages. An Apple
Crusher and Cider Press, their vast granite interfaces still in perfect
condition; an original horse drawn, rotating Barley Thresher, and
a perfectly detailed Cornish Kitchen with a working cloam oven. |
| But even in this more normal, law-abiding context,
there is uncertainty and heartbreak. On display is a promissory note
from Ball's Bank of Mevagissey, which was issued in October 1824 -
a week before the bank folded. Hard times, high times, all times are
on show at Mevagissey Museum. |
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COBWEB COTTAGE 
