Ertach Kernow - Polruan historic heritage

From Polruan up River towards Fowey

Polruan is a place I’ve not visited for many years. I should have been warned by my own article when writing about Celia Fiennes’ visit through Polruan and Fowey in 1688 and her comments about the steep descent down to the river and back again. I must admit to being entertained by the English couple in their large SUV not heeding the signs then having to do a many multiple point turns on running out road width. Also, the lorry reversing after trying to cross Respryn Bridge, now protected with a barrier at its access points limiting the width of vehicles to 7 feet. Perhaps something that Cornwall Council should do for all Cornwall’s historic bridges, it should save money on repairs. Plenty of scrapes at Respryn testifying to vehicles still trying to squeeze through.

Before arriving in Polruan we took a side trip to Bodinnick to observe the ferry crossing so beloved of artists and photographers throughout the past century. Also, a chance to pop into the small and delightful St Johns Church on the hill down to the ferry.

Bodinnick Hill towards Ferry to Fowey 2023
Bodinnick Hill 1904 (RIC)
Polruan's historic narrow streets towards former Methodist Chapel
Lugger Inn on the Quay

Polruan or in Kernewek, Porthruwon, is a village with 534 inhabitants at the last census in 2021 down from 661 in the 2001 and 614 in 2011. With just 71 children and young people under the age of nineteen and cheapest housing starting at approaching £250,000 what chance is there of local people increasing the resident population. Sadly, the rising number of holiday and second homes is hollowing out Cornish coastal villages such as Polruan, with a falling permanent residential population of this historic village evident in the statistics.

First mention of this area of Cornwall was in relation to Hall Manor built above Bodinnick in the 13th century, when Polruan was known as Porruwan. The historic ecclesiastical parish of Lanteglos of which Polruan is part lay within the Manor of Hall. the Manor of Polruan, known as Esse or Usse, itself belonged to the Daubeny family  who between 1291 and 1420 had obtained permission for an annual fair and weekly markets. These were important factors in growing a settlement and wealth within a community. There would have been export trade in tin, fish and cloth and imports of salt and wine. This manor was gradually broken up and parts sold to other connected manors and estates including the Mohun family.

The ancient house at Hall, built by the Fitz-William family, who were Lords of the Manor of Hall prior to the male line dying out, whose heiress married into the Mohun family is long gone This was believed to have been destroyed during the English Civil War. Evidence of the many well connected historic families can be found in Lanteglos Church, a story for a later day. Following the Civil War, the Mohun family moved to Boconnock, which had been purchased by Sir William Mohun in 1579, whilst still retaining the lordship of the Manor of Hall. Following the death of Charles, 4th Baron Mohun killed in 1712  Boconnock along with the Manor of Hall, including property in Polruan, was sold to Thomas Pitt, famously known as Diamond Pitt.

Between the villages of Polruan and Bodinnick runs a pathway called Hall Walk. This was known in earlier times as View Hall and mentioned by Richard Carew in his 1602 publication, Survey of Cornwall. Carew described it as ‘a place of diversified pleasings’ and he continued at some length as to the construction and visual benefits of this walk. I’m sure that folk walking this route today would fully agree with him.

View to Polruan from Hall Walk, Fowey c1900
Polruan from Bodinnick
St Saviours Chapel - ruins of tower
Polruan Blockhouse
Polruan Blockhouse towards St Catherines Castle

The oldest man-made construction in Polruan are the remains of St Saviours Chapel overlooking the village. The ruins are Grade II listed and are what remains of the tower of the chapel which is known to have existed in 1284. Enlarged by Sir Richard Edgcumbe in 1488, a chart from the reign of Henry VIII shows a tower with three windows and a nave. The Reformation and dissolution of the monasteries and other ecclesiastical establishments during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI led to the gradual decay and ruination of St Saviours.

The antiquary John Leland visited Polruan during his itinerary of Cornwall about 1540 noting ‘On the south side of this creke is tihe paroch chirch caullid Lanteglise juxta Fawey being the paroch chirch of Bodenek and Poulruan. From the mouth of this creke to [Poul]ruan, a good fischar toun, [a quarter of a mile. Hereby on the hill is a chapell of S. Salvator.] And at this Poulruan toun is a tower of force marching again the tower on Fawey side. Ther was ons, as it [is] said, a chaine to go over the haven from tower to toure. The haven mouth of Fawey is a 2. bow shottes of.’ Besides St Saviours Chapel he mentions the blockhouse that stands opposite one on the Fowey side of the river. These blockhouses are thought to have been built during the reign of Richard II in 1380 with the aim of protecting access to the River Fowey from raids during the Hundred Year War. In 1377 Castilian (Spanish) and French galleys had made landings in Dorset later attacking Cornish coastal settlements and burning Fowey. A chain was stretched across the estuary between the two blockhouses and raised if there was an attack, thus preventing access by enemy ships. During the reign of Edward IV, the chain was removed and sent to Dartmouth as the king was displeased by the actions of certain Fowey towns folk. These early defences of the estuary were later replaced through the construction of St Catherines Castle, on the Fowey side of the river, armed with heavier artillery and an early precursor to Pendennis and St Mawes Castles guarding the entrance of Carrick Roads.

Watermills and windmills were part of the pre-industrialised steam age, although Celia Fiennes missed seeing it there was a windmill standing above Polruan. This existed for several centuries and was first mentioned in 1322 and local tenants would have been obliged to use it to mill their corn. However, throughout Cornwall it was watermills which were most abundant and used for a multitude of tasks. There were a number throughout the Lanteglos parish and Lombard Mill at Pont still exists from 1298 together with its waterwheel. Although not the original house or wheel the site with its leets has been occupied by a watermill from that time and is now a residential home.

Waterwheel and leat at Lombard Mill, Lanteglos.
Schooner alongside Butsons Boatyard at Bodinnick
Fowey Haven (Henry VIII)

A brief overview of shipbuilding must be mentioned here as it is one of the most important parts of Polruan’s history. Many people considered Polruan a fishing village but from early times it has been a centre for ship and boat building continuing to the present day. Larger vessels were not built until the 19th century although the Edward of Polruan was said to have carried some 200 men in 1433 but may not have been built there. For a relatively small village the story of shipbuilding at Polruan is a large subject and deserving of a much fuller story in due course, along with shipbuilding around Cornwall’s coast. The current site of C Toms & Son Limited yard has a long history once being owned by William Geach & Son who operated from there from at least 1789. The vessels constructed would have been sailing ships such as sloops and schooners, the largest being the Mary of 93 tons completed in 1824. Following their bankruptcy in 1836 and a short period of idleness the yard was taken over by Nicholas Butson who completed his first vessel of 110 tons, the Gallant in 1839. This had been commissioned by the great Cornish industrialist J T Treffry from Fowey, who Butson may have known from his days as working at the Geach yard. Treffry must have been happy as he later commissioned another vessel the 60-ton sloop Model. Nicholas died in 1844 being succeeded in the yard by his sons Nicholas and Joseph who in 1863 signed an 18 year lease for a shipyard on Brazen Island. In the meantime, they had taken over a yard worked by John Marks at Bodinnick where their first vessel Rippling Waves, a schooner of 130 tons was launched in 1869. Their last vessel was the brigantine Undine of 175 tons launched in 1875. The Brazen yard was given up in 1884 and gradually the remaining yards worked on smaller vessels, repairs and maintenance until 1939.

Another famous name connected with shipbuilding is the Slade family of Polruan, with Christopher Slade operating his first yard from 1841. The 170-ton Jane Slade is perhaps one of the most famous vessels immortalised by Daphne du Maurier as the Janet Coombe in her novel The Loving Spirit. Much more can be found about the Slade yard and shipbuilding in Polruan in Dr Helen Doe’s book ‘Jane Slade of Polruan’. Today the firm of C Toms & Co Limited operates from Polruan having established themselves there in 1922. They have proven themselves as an adaptable and forward-thinking company meeting the demands of the 21st century.

C Toms & Son Ltd - Shipbuilders Polruan

This small village with its long history retains much of its early character. Both Josh Griffiths, a volunteer at Newquay Museum and I had a very enjoyable visit to Polruan including lunch at the historic Lugger Inn. Josh will be using many images taken in and around Polruan in his forthcoming Proper Photography Kernow exhibition at Newquay Museum.

Polruan's Heritage
Polruan's Heritage
Ertach Kernow Heritage Column - 15th March 2023 - Cornwall Youth Theatre Company - Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust