Polkerris
Encyclopedia
Polkerris is a small village on the south coast of Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. It forms part of the civil parish of Fowey
.
The village was formerly part of the Rashleigh estate which is commemorated in the name of the pub, 'Rashleigh Inn'. The village essentially consists of a single steeply sloping road down to the harbour and beach, with side lanes soon stopping as they reach the steep walls of the narrow cove. Parking is very limited. There is a small sandy beach, with a curved harbour wall.
and three miles east of St Austell
. Fishing was the mainstay of the village's economy from the 17th century until the collapse of stocks in the late 19th century due to overfishing. From the 1950s tourism became significant in the summer. Today, the village has restaurants, water sports and some accommodation.
Polkerris is situated on the South West Coast Path
, which follows the coast of south west England from Somerset
to Dorset
. The path follows the cliff tops from nearby Polmear
, goes through the village, and onwards to Fowey via Gribben Head
.
established a lifeboat station in 1859. William Rashleigh provided a large donation of cash, land for the boathouse, and building materials. Volunteer crews for the lifeboat
came from Polkerris, Par
and Fowey
. It was closed in 1922 when a lifeboat was stationed at Fowey for the first time. The boathouse has since been used as a café.
, a spin-off of the BBC TV series of the same name
. The location of the film is wrongly described as Polperro but the harbour and interior of the pub are clearly seen. This has been confirmed by the existing landlord Jon Spode. Some residents of Polkerris also took part in the film as extras.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It forms part of the civil parish of Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
.
The village was formerly part of the Rashleigh estate which is commemorated in the name of the pub, 'Rashleigh Inn'. The village essentially consists of a single steeply sloping road down to the harbour and beach, with side lanes soon stopping as they reach the steep walls of the narrow cove. Parking is very limited. There is a small sandy beach, with a curved harbour wall.
Etymology
The original translation of the place name is obscure. However, the presence of a number of Napoleonic era cannons embedded in the harbour wall, muzzle first, does lend credence to one possible meaning 'Fortified Cove'.Geography
Polkerris is on the east side of St Austell Bay, two miles west of FoweyFowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
and three miles east of St Austell
St Austell
St Austell is a civil parish and a major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the south coast approximately ten miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon at Saltash...
. Fishing was the mainstay of the village's economy from the 17th century until the collapse of stocks in the late 19th century due to overfishing. From the 1950s tourism became significant in the summer. Today, the village has restaurants, water sports and some accommodation.
Polkerris is situated on the South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
, which follows the coast of south west England from Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
to Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The path follows the cliff tops from nearby Polmear
Polmear, Cornwall
Polmear is a hamlet in Cornwall, England, UK. It is located on the A3082 road close to Par Sands and the village of Par, but forms part of the civil parish of Fowey. The centre of Fowey is some distant, whilst Par railway station is less than away...
, goes through the village, and onwards to Fowey via Gribben Head
Gribben Head
Gribben Head is a promontory on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It separates St Austell Bay from the estuary of the River Fowey and is marked by a large tower used to aid navigation of ships approaching the local harbours. The nearest town is Fowey.-Location:Gribben Head is the most...
.
Lifeboat station
The Royal National Lifeboat InstitutionRoyal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
established a lifeboat station in 1859. William Rashleigh provided a large donation of cash, land for the boathouse, and building materials. Volunteer crews for the lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
came from Polkerris, Par
Par, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
and Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
. It was closed in 1922 when a lifeboat was stationed at Fowey for the first time. The boathouse has since been used as a café.
Cultural references
The Rashleigh Inn was the setting for the 1972 film DoomwatchDoomwatch (film)
Doomwatch is a 1972 science fiction/thriller film directed by Peter Sasdy. The film is based on the BBC series Doomwatch...
, a spin-off of the BBC TV series of the same name
Doomwatch
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC One between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present-day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist , responsible for investigating and combating various...
. The location of the film is wrongly described as Polperro but the harbour and interior of the pub are clearly seen. This has been confirmed by the existing landlord Jon Spode. Some residents of Polkerris also took part in the film as extras.