Mevagissey

Mevagissey is a traditional Cornish fishing village located on the South Coast of Cornwall in the area known as the Cornish Riviera. 

Mevagissey (or Meva as it is known as locally), was originally known as Porthhilly.  Towards the end of the 15th Century the hamlets of Porthhilly and Lamoreck merged together to form Mevagissey.  The name is derived from two 6th century Irish saints, Meva and Issey, in Cornish this would be 'Meva hag Issey', hence the 'g' in the name.  The village church of St Peter was once dedicated to the saints.

Mevagissey is a working fishing village with an inner and outer harbour, complete with a fleet of small fishing boats.  During the 17th century the fishermen used to make their living from pilchards and smuggling.  Many of the buildings around the harbour were connected with the sea, ranging from boat builders, coopers, fish merchants and warehouses. 

In George III's day there were at least ten inns of which only The Ship and The Fountain now remain in their original positions.  The Ship Inn was the largest inns, it is said to have been built during the 17th Century and was re-built a century later, little has changed since then.  Weather permitting you can have fresh fish from the menu.  The Fountain Inn is considered to be the oldest inn in Mevagissey and is located at the beginning of Cliff Street. 

Mevagissey is believed to be the first town in the country to have its streets lit by electricity powered from Pilchard Oil.   A small power station was built on the West Quay in 1895 to power the lighthouse and surrounding streets.  The electricity was provided by the Mevagissey Electric Supply Company.

It was the birthplace of Andrew Pears (1768 - 1845). Andrew was the son of a local farmer, he trained as a barber in Mevagissey then moved to London in 1789 and opened premises in Soho, he invented Pears Soap in 1812.  In 1912 his great grandson Thomas died on the Titanic.

To get a flavour of how Mevagissey used to be, walk up Cliff Street and look at the houses with their quirky doors, windows and alleyways - there are also wonderful views of the harbour from here. 

Pictured opposite is a house named The Hoss, the timbers in the house were taken from a ship in the 17th century named the Horse.

The picturesque narrow streets leading down to the harbour still retain some of the charm of an age when the horse and cart were the main method of transport, but nowadays the streets are filled with tourists and cars each competing for space. 

The Parish Council financially supports local organisations and events in the village such as Feast Week (last week in June), Christmas Lights, Playing Fields, Mevagissey on the Move, Toddlers Group, Jubilee Hall, Community Policeman etc.

The village playing fields were officially opened by The Earl of Wessex in April 2004.  The playing fields contain an all weather bowling green, 2 tennis courts, open to everyone and a football pitch.  For the children there is a skateboard area, teenage village, mini Wembley and an enclosed area with swings and climbing frame for the very young.

The village is fortunate to have 4 car parks and additional parking on the harbour, all of the car parks are close to the centre and on fairly level ground, making them suitable for the disabled traveller. 

There are a variety of shops ranging from a jewellers, bakers, cafes, fish and chip shops, mini-markets, gift shops, art galleries, pubs, there is also a bank and chemist.  On an evening the village has an almost continental atmosphere with the shops and restaurants being open.

Attractions include:-

• Mevagissey Museum

• The Aquarium housed in the old lifeboat house with displays of local fish

• World of Model Railways with over 2,000 models and 50 working trains

• Mevagissey to Fowey Ferry, take a trip on the Hannibal James

• A variety of fishing and boating trips from the harbour 

• Nearby are the world famous Lost Gardens of Heligan - it is possible to walk from Meva via a public footpath to Heligan

• The village of Pentewan has a fabulous beach and cycle hire is also available in the village 

• The Eden project is about 7 miles from Mevagissey, you can buy fast track tickets from Mevagissey Telecottage in Church Street

• Further afield are the Tate Gallery at St Ives and the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth

Look at the links page for links to some of the above attractions.