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The port of
Charlestown was once called West Polmear.
It had survived
as a fishing village. Back then and to this day the fishing was
carried out on the pebbled beach.
In 1790 only
nine people lived in West Polmear but one man was to change that.
Charles Rashleigh
saw that the expansion of the mining industry around West Polmear
provided the need for a harbour on the coast.
In 1791 construction
on Rashleigh's harbour started. Seven years later the spectacular
Cornish harbour was completed.
"Charlestown"
was named after Rashleigh and to this day the port remains faithful
to this man. The nearby pub is called the Rashleigh Arms and you
can find out more about the man himself at the Charlestown
Shipwreck and Heritage Centre
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| The Rashleigh
Arms is popular with locals and tourists. |
Charlestown
became the model Georgian new town. Day to day it handled much of
the china clay which was being sent all around the world. As the
business started to grow so too did the population.
In 1791 only
nine people lived in the village. At the turn of the last century
almost 3000 people lived in Charlestown.
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| The old
chapel on the main street in Charlestown. |
A Methodist
Chapel was built in 1828 in Charlestown. This closed down in 1998.
As Charlestown grew during the 19th century a parish was formed.
The harbour
is still a magnificent sight today. The visits of large china clay
tankers has been replaced by Tall Ships. The harbour area is a film-makers
dream as the houses and surrounding area of the harbour has not
changed much since the Georgian Times.
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| The houses
above the harbour have not changed since being built. |
Charlestown
has been seen in many disguises in the movies over the years. At
the moment the Earl Of Pembroke tall ship is being modified so it
can feature in the next series of Hornblower. This is being filmed
in Charlestown in June.
You can take
a walk from Charlestown over to either Carlyon Bay and Fowey in
the east or Porthpean in the west of St Austell Bay.
Return
to the main Villages Page
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