St. Mawes
OS Grid ref:- SW876357
The small town of St.Mawes, on the Roseland peninsula, looks out over the River Fal to Falmouth. Its name derives from the hermit, St. Mawes or St. Mauditus, who effected cures by means of water from a holy well and who may have originated from Ireland.
The village has two very good beaches on either side of its harbour and several shops. Its sheltered position and gentle climate have lead to its growing populararity as a yachting centre.The coastal road passes villas with lush Mediterranean style gardens down to the harbour.
St. Mawes Castle
St. Mawes Castle on the seafront, is now in the care of English Heritage. The castle consists of three huge circular bastions (like a clover leaf) built in the sixteenth century by the formidable King Henry VIII. Pendennis Castle occupies the opposite headland to enable their joint cannon to cover the entrance to the Fal estuary. Henry VIII built a chain of castles along the south coast as a defence against a possible attack by the French. St. Mawes Castle was probably enlarged by his son and successor, the boy king, Edward VI.
The gardens with the castle in the background © English Heritage Photo Library
The central tower was designed with four floors. The visitor enters the tower by a bridge to the third level. The towers upper gun deck were constructed with ventilation shafts above the gun placements to disperse the smoke. Several canon are on display to the publicin the forward gun room.
During the Civil War the castle underwent attack from the Roundheads and was duly surrendered without a single shot being fired. Nearby Pendennis Castle, commanded by Sir John Arundel, was in a much better position, resisted a six month siege.
The castle provides ample parking.
The entrance to the castle © English Heritage Photo Library
Opening times:-
April - Oct, daily 10am - 6pm.Nov -March, daily 10am - 4pm.
Closed 1 - 2pm in winter.
Ferries leave taking passengers on trips to both Anthony Head, up the Percuil River and Falmouth in the summer months.
Lamorran House has four acres of gardens, with palms, sub-tropical plants and water gardens. (Open ;- first week in April - end of September, Wednesday and Friday 10am - 5pm and the first Sunday of each month.
Places to visit on the Roseland Peninsula
* St. Just in Roseland Church said to have the most beautiful churchyard in Britain
* Trelissick Gardens superb gardens and nature trails.
*St. Anthony Church, one of the first churches in Britain to be dedicated, built on the site of an early Celtic monastery.
*Melinsey Mill, near Veryan, working museum and tea rooms in a restored water mill.