Fowey

Entrance to Fowey with the old St. Catherine's Castle (built by Henry VIII)

Our next stop was at Fowey, there we had to take a pilot for the buoy mooring they employ there. The town jetties do not take larger vessels and at low tide the bank was dry anyway. Nevertheless we came in with a N'ly force 8 blowing and we had been hugging the coast since Falmouth so the wind was strong but going was good. As the pilot came onboard he informed us that the Fowey was "the moneyside" and Polruan "the sunnyside". I was wondering to myself which one was the funny side, maybe I have to ask him the next time.

Town Quay and the local ferry

Map of Fowey town and river

Inside the river the wind subsided considerably and hardly affected us but in the end it had enough effect so that I had to heave up anchor and redo the mooring as we were pushed a bit too close to the opposite bank. The mooring was basically a Mediterranean style one where I had swing off the town quay and then maneuver astern up the river towards a yellow mooring buoy. After having my stern pointing up the river and against the ebbing current, I first dropped the starboard anchor and then maneuvered the vessel towards the Bodinnick bank and dropped the port anchor so as not to get them crossed. Then started going astern slacking anchor chains until we reached the yellow buoy and we attached lines there on our port quarter so the swim platform was clear for tendering. Easy maneuver, a bit tight but we needed to be on the side of the river to let the cargo ships further up the river in Golant have space to pass when they were going out to sea (or arriving from sea).

Mosaique off Fowey

Our stern and the mooring buoy

As we finished up with engines and settled in the weather was still a bit grey and windy. Some of the guests took a local tender boat ashore for walks around town. I went the next day myself, the ferry ride is 3.20 GBP for one way and it lands at the Town Quay, there in front of you have the Havener pub, the King of Prussia restaurant and few others along the bank e.g. The Galleon Inn. Going further I stopped at a souvenir shop opposite the museum and got a very nice local Fowey tourist guide from the helpful lady. I am going to blatantly copy some of the information gained in this post. Unfortunately the museum was closed so I have to try and go there the next time. The tourist guide says the following of it:

Fowey museum

"Fowey is the toast of yachtsmen and ramblers, but also of historians and archaeologists. Iron Age Man lived here. The Romans used the port. In 1380 the Spanish, and in 1457 the French tried to burn it to the ground. Drake, Raleigh and Frobisher all sailed from Fowey and the harbour was surveyed by Cook before he became a Captain. Many famous authors have found inspiration here.

A natural place, then for a museum. It has a sympathetic setting in the oldest part of the Town Hall - in the room that was the Council Chamber when Fowey was a Borough in its own right. With the civic regalia on display is the Mayoral chain made for the former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Charles Hanson when he was the High Sheriff of the City of London. It stands proud among the memorabilia of the many who have enriched Fowey with art, craft or government Industrial skill or naval reputation." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

King of Prussia

View to Fore St

The tourist pamphlet also disseminates the exciting and varied history of Fowey. One would not think that the sleepy looking village had seen so much action in the old days. Also during weekend one could see locals rowing gigs up and down, maybe for exercise or for preparation in upcoming sporting events. The china clay export still goes on as I was chatting with the pilot and saw myself coasters going down the river at high tide. The pilot also informed that they have abt 1500 buoys for smaller leisure vessels that are full in summer as well as they take cruise ships up to 200m in length to the same buoy we had moored to. I think we were lucky to visit when it was still quiet time. Early history as follows:

"Rising on Bodmin Moor, the River Fowey has always been the lifeblood of those towns and villages through which it flows on its way to the open sea of St. Austell Bay.

Palmersbridge is the first main bridge over the river and the nine arch bridge built at Lostwithiel in 1265, is the last.

Once the capital of Cornwall, the ancient Stannary Town of Lostwithiel was granted a Charter in 1189 and made a Free Borough in 1269.

There are many historic buildings in the town including St. Bartholomew's Church (14th Century), The Guild Hall, Museum and the remains of the Duchy Palace. As the river continues on its way down it passes, on the east bank, the lovely little church of St Winnow which dates mainly from the 15th  Century, although there are some remains of Norman and 13th century architecture. Above the church is the fine Georgian Vicarage and the Tudor Manor House. A little further on is the creek that leads up to the pretty waterside village of Lerryn.

Back to the west bank and to the village of Golant, a favourite spot for small boat owners. Legend has it that it was here that King Mark, a Cornish King In 500AD, took his queen Iseult to the church of St Sampson, named after a famous Celtic Saint.

Just before reaching Fowey are the docks of IMERYS Minerals Ltd. from which some 450,000 tonnes of China Clay were exported last year to all parts of the world, and over 150 ships visited the dock under the flags of many nations.

From pre-Roman times until the thirteenth century ships came to Fowey to trade for the tin that was panned throughout Cornwall.

In 1380 the town was raided by a Spanish fleet of some size and to deter further enemies, two  blockhouses were built at the harbour entrance, one on the Polruan side (the ruins of which can still be explored) and the other on the opposite shore in Fowey with a great chain stretched between them. A further fortification, St Catherine's Castle, was built in 1540 on the Fowey side of the harbour. Many men of Fowey sailed with John Rashleigh in his famous ship 'Frances of Fowey' on the many voyages with his cousins Drake and Raleigh. In 1578 the ship sailed with Admiral Frobisher on his voyage of discovery to Baffins Land. Later under the command of his son John and with seventy men of Fowey, the ship fought with Drake against the Spanish Armada.

In 1666, a Dutch squadron of some fifty ships chased the Virginia Fleet of 30 ships who took refuge in the harbour. Contrary winds prevented the Dutch fireships from probing the harbour and a long battle ensued with the guns of St Catherine's Castle supporting those of the merchantmen. Cannon balls and shot can still be found amongst the rocks and on the floor of the harbour. 

In 1704 Jonathan Rashleigh built eight more almshouses to add to those built in 1626 by John Rashleigh.

England became Involved in a series of wars from 1739 onwards and as a consequence ships called at Fowey to 'press' men for the Navy James Cook, a young Naval Lieutenant, surveyed the harbour in 1786. The Town Hall, a granite building, was erected in 1793 by two Borough M.P.'s of the time, Lord Valletort and Philip Rashleigh. It replaced the medieval town hall, but incorporated some of the old building and the prison. The remainder of the medieval building is now the town museum in which are displayed many interesting artefacts illustrating the history of the town and its people. Here you can see the chain and badge worn by Sir Charles Hanson where he was Lord Mayor of London in 1917-18. Also on display are the two ceremonial maces of Cornish tin. 

In the nineteenth century the harbour was a very busy place with sailing ships of all types, men of war, tall East Indiamen, sleek fast privateers and slow brigs laden with supplies for Admiral Nelson's blockading squadrons. By the time Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert (after whom Albert Quay is named) visited the town in 1846, smuggling had all but ceased. 

The docks were rebuilt and proved of valuable service during the Second World War as Fowey was a base for the Air Sea Rescue Service and a departure point for American Forces on 'D' Day. 

In present times this natural and beautiful harbour, protected as it is by the green and wooded hills that surround it, offers a safe anchorage from the severest weather to the many pleasure craft that visit the port every year. During the summer months there is continuous activity in the harbour as yachts go to and fro, fishing boats enter and leave, the ferry boats cross to Polruan and Mevagissey and the tugs turn the big china clay ships around before towing them up river to the docks beyond the town. There are days for sailing races and Cornish Gig rowing races. 

Fowey has indeed had a long and eventful history, but space in this guide does not allow us to do it full justice. For those more concerned with the history of the area there are a variety of books available locally which, will not only hold you interest, but make your stay in Fowey more enjoyable. Other books of historical interest are by authors Sarah Foot, Daphne du Maurier, John Keast, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and Leo Walmsey." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

The local car ferry upriver from Fowey town

Locals out rowing

Fowey town

Fowey town, entrance from sea to the left

Fowey town

Fowey town

Fowey town

Fowey town

Polruan town, entrance from sea to the right

After the tourist shop I continued walking along the road (Fore st and Passage st) upriver and I passed the car park and parking lot and continued a bit further after I reached Rawlings Lane and turned left up the hill. 

Ramp to the car ferry

Cornish pottery

View of Bodinnick side

Old sail makers house along North St

Fore St

Gallery at Fore St

The views up top showed the rolling green hills with sheep grazing but all houses up there were taking the view downhill of the river and I was not able to get a glimpse (I would have had to trespass) of it. 

Anyway, I continued along Rawlings to Place road and saw the church that had been converted to a private residence and turned around to go further up Green Lane until I turned again left onto Park rd. 

I ambled along Park rd until it became Polvillion rd, the topside was mainly residential with rowhouses and a hospital and then after awhile I got to a public footpath marked as "The Parade" on the map. Not sure it was the right one as it led onto a creek or a field as it was going under a probably very old stone bridge. I chose to clamber up the bank and continued along this path until I saw Readymoney cove. 

It looked like a yard slipway as it was very low water and the beach was exposed a long way down resembling a slip, the foot path was nice and ended up on the road by a very posh villa. From there I turned left towards Fowey as right would have taken me down to the cove. I then briskly continued along the beach and got good views of Polruan and the St Catherine's castle. 

"Drakenhuis"

The old posh house

The old posh house and Polruan in the background

Sheep grazing

Field

The other path led under the bridge

Footpath

Readymoney cove

Posh house on the Esplanade

Polruan

Polruan

Polruan yard action

Us in the distance

At some point I passed a small house with a figure head in the front and the door open with a sign saying "gallery open". Inside was an elderly man with a skippers cap on his head who invited me further, it was like stepping into someone's living room. There were various paintings and prints on the walls of different quality and age. As I introduced myself he said his name was Dave Luck. He also had small shelves with interesting titles in the sailing category. 

Dave Lucks figure head outside his gallery

We started talking of old tall ships and the role of Fowey and Falmouth during this era as well as my first visit decades ago on a coaster. Then suddenly Dave took out a brick of a book from his shelf and said "you can take this if you like". I did thank him very much for his generosity and think I'll be reading this one a long time, it is the 1st volume of Nicholas Monsarrat's "The Master Mariner", a story of a fictitious sailor Matthew Lawe laid in historical events of the British Navy. With that I then left to continue my walk. I may have to trace the second part of the book at some point.

Ship Inn

I then arrived to Ship Inn that is touted as the oldest pub in Fowey and indeed the tourist guide says the following of it:

"Built In 1570 by John Rashleigh, a celebrated merchant, It is named after his famous ship 'Frances of Fowey'. Although greatly altered over the centuries, one room remains much as it was originally with its ornamental ceiling, fine oak panelled walls and carved over the fireplace, the names of John and Ales (Alice) Rashleigh and the date 1570. At one time a room extended over Lostwithiel Street to the Gate House opposite to form the Toll Gate to the town. The dining room has a fine stained glass window depicting Elizabethan Fowey." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

I may have to go and enjoy a drink there on our next visit to see the historical room. I had come full circle now and was back at the town quay and I perused the menu of The Havener and Ship Inn and then ended going up the steps to The King of Prussia and order a fish and chips. The tourist guide says the following of the King of Prussia:

"Situated on Town Quay, it is the probable site of an Elizabethan poor house named after Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, who's victories in the Seven Years War had made him a hero in Britain. Originally it was the Old Compting House or Municipal Hall built over the columns of the old market, which still remain to this day, but it was pulled down in 1886 and the Inn rebuilt on similar lines." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

The fish and chips were excellent and served with mushy peas and also vinegar and tartar sauce. The lady at the bar was very friendly and helpful. It probably also helped that I was the only customer at the time. I sat by the window and watched the world pass by as I was enjoying my lunch. I finished my meal and then waited for the ferry to get back onboard for the evening.

For more walking around Fowey the tourist guide offers the following tips that requires considerably more time:

"With a stout pair of shoes, a stick and a camera you can enjoy a wonderful day out hereabouts - in the country, along the river or around the cliffs - filling your lungs with good clean air (and generating a healthy appetite - so take some food and drink with you). Perhaps the best and most scenic of all the many walks in the area Is that round the harbour itself, often loosely called the Hall Walk after the stretch of it above Bodinnick. Hall Walk proper is sometimes called King's Walk, for it was here, In 1644, that King Charles I was fired upon by a Puritan from across the river, while the King was surveying the Parliamentarian army of the Earl of Essex trapped in the Fowey valley below. A fuller description of the round-the harbour walk is given later in this guide in the section on Polruan.

For views of the sea and the ships in St. Austell Bay, a walk on the Fowey side of the harbour, which must not be missed, is that from Readymoney Cove to Polridmouth beach and then via the Gribben headland (with its prominent beacon built by Trinity House in the 1830's to mark the entrance to Fowey harbour) to Polkerris - a pretty little cove with a curving harbour wall which embraces and protects a sandy beach abounding in little rock pools. The beach is directly overlooked by the 'Inn on the beach' - the 'Rashleigh Arms'.

For the long-distance rambler, the 'Saints' Way' offers a unique opportunity to view some of the magnificent scenery, both coastal and moorland - and at the same time learn something of Cornwall's Celtic history. This was originally a trading route across the peninsula (running from Padstow on the north coast to Fowey on the south coast) during the Bronze and Iron Ages, which avoided the treacherous passage around Land's End. Later it became the route for missionaries and pilgrims, some later revered as Saints of the Celtic world, crossing from Ireland to take ships from Fowey to France and

thence overland to Rome or Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Hill forts, granite Celtic crosses, holy wells and ancient churches abound along the route, which passes several good village inns and other places of refreshment. The 'Saints Way' is about 26 miles from coast to coast." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

View over Fowey

View over Fowey

Low tide at Town Quay

Low tide at Town Quay

Low tide at Town Quay

Ambling down the Esplanade into town

Polruan on opposite side

House along the Esplanade

The following day brings with it a thick fog and during the day it just intensifies. Still we have the whole day here and book the pilot for 2200hrs departure to get an arrival in morning but it means for us a night sail. I send my Officer for rest and take it easy, by 10pm I have all systems go and pilot comes onboard. 

We have some chit-chat and I get the advice of the best Cornish pastie shop in town as well as he knew about the eccentric gallery keeper Dave Luck, apparently he is an avid boater but his last project seems to have gone awry and is now rotting on one of the banks upriver. Dave's boat had been laid up there on supports for refitting but one of them had broken and the boat fallen on it's side and flooded and then abandoned.

As we let go the sternlines we start heaving up the port anchor, it all goes quite smooth despite the windlasses being quite slow. The starboard anchor takes more time and the ebbing current turns my stern towards Fowey town quay but with some kick ahead maneuvers with our props I keep away from shallow waters. Then finally the anchor is up and I can turn towards the sea. 

The Bodinnick side of the river is pitch black and I can't make out anything through the window, only the radar display is testament of the land that is right next to us, we turn our bow towards the entrance of the river and slowly we motor out. As we reach the open seas and are clear of any possible obstructions the pilot bids his farewell and disembarks. We're setting course eastwards for Southampton and increase speed to economic and we chug along a safe 11.5 knots.

I also recall that I was in Fowey years ago on a coaster loading china clay for Finland, it is commonly used by the paper industry. Indeed the pilot told me that he had one departure for Rauma in Finland the same very day. He also informed me that they also ship a lot to Egypt, I'm guessing for pottery. I am not entirely sure if it was in Fowey I loaded or some other port close by but anyway, if indeed here, it would have meant I was in Golant of which the tourist guide says the following as an interesting historical detail:

 

"Iron Age Man lived here. St Sampson built his monastic cell in the 6th century on the site of the present parish church and countless travellers between Cornwall Brittany. Wales and Ireland passed by along the Saints Way from Padstow to Fowey. The tramp of armed men and the jingle of harness and weapons was heard in 16-44 when 6000 besieged Roundheads surrendered to King Charles at the nearby Iron Age fort of Castle Dore Today it is the permanent home of 200 inhabitants and the summer base of several hundred boat owners. 

The two-mile boat trip up-river from Fowey Town Quav, when the tide is high should not be missed. The traveller passes the wharves where ships of all nationalities load china-clay, Cornwall's greatest export, sees fine yachts at their moorings at Wiseman's Point and sits between densely wooded banks on either side of the broad reach to Golant. Wildlife abounds and herons swans cormorants and the occasional leaping fish may be seen. Alternatively, a car journey of about 2 miles from Fowey towards Lostwithiel and approx. 1 mile down a very narrow road will take you there. A third route. approx two miles for the walker, from Carfa Ail through Penventinue (Penventinny) and across Golant Downs, gives magnificent elevated views of the river. 

The name Golant probably comes from Celtic words meaning a small valley and the visitor will find the meaning apt, for the village nestles, half- hidden at the waterside, sheltered on all sides except the east. A cosmopolitan village it is home to those whose families have lived here for generations as well as to those who have came in recent years. It is still a working community, with boat building and repair, chandlery and engine maintenance going hand in hand with leisure and retirement. The small and lovingly cared-for parish church was consecrated in 1509 and is dedicated to St Sampson, whose holy well stand's by the porch Windows depict various incidents in his life and commemorate his work as Archbishop of Dol in Brittany. What were formally carved bench ends now adorn the pulpit and organ. Tradition says that King Mark and Iseult made their devotions here and that Iseult gave her best dress as a gift. From the churchyard there are extensive views over the river." (credit: Enjoy Fowey)

I may have to walk up there too the next time I visit...