COBWEB COTTAGE

MEVAGISSEY HISTORY ABOUT MEVAGISSEY MEVAGISSEY MUSEUM MAP
. 47a Church St, Mevagissey, Nr St. Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6SP
. Tel: +44 (0)1179 409510 or +44 (0)7974 656535

  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!).

 
Mevagissey - Harbour
Mevagissey - Street

  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

 
Please email:
 enquiries@cottagesinmevagissey.co.uk

or call:
+44 (0)1179 409510 or +44 (0)7974 656535
for specific weekly prices and availability for your proposed holiday.

Cobweb Cottage - 47a Church St - Mevagissey - Nr St. Austell - Cornwall - PL26 6SP