Polmear, Cornwall
Encyclopedia
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 3 miles (4.8 km) distant, whilst Par railway station
is less than 1 miles (1.6 km) away. Polmear used to be known as East Polmear and West Polmear is now known as Charlestown
, and has been since Charles Rashleigh built the harbour there (1791 to 1798).
The first four Rashleigh Almshouses in Polmear were originally built c1653 when Jonathan Rashleigh was granted leave to build housing for four poor persons from Tywardreath. Each cottage had one room with a large fireplace and a platform reached by ladder to sleep on, and they shared a water pump and a privy out the back. There are records accounting for the food and clothing given to the widows between 1745 and 1850, records of an "abstract of deeds" in C18th, information of the rules for 'inmates' c1820 and other records held at the Cornwall Records Office. William Rashleigh refurbished and extended the cottages to seven around 1819/20 and later in 1855 added "No.6" the house next door which at one time served as a small hospital ostensibly for the sardine fishermen that worked out of Polkerris. The cottages were sold by the Rashleigh Estate to the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977 and rebuilt by the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977/78, at which time the seven almshouse
s were converted into three cottages, and are listed grade II, once rebuilt they were then sold on and are now each privately owned.
The adjacent Ship Inn dates from the early 18th century and is still owned by the Rashleighs.
Polmear is situated at the junction of two long distance footpaths. The South West Coast Path
follows the coast of south west England from Somerset
to Dorset
, and in the immediate vicinity crosses Par Sands before following the cliff tops to the nearby cove and hamlet of Polkerris
. The Saints' Way
crosses from the north coast to the south coasts of Cornwall, and takes a more direct inland route from Polmear to Fowey.
The trackbed of the former Par to Fowey branch of the Cornwall Minerals Railway
passes through Polmear, crossing the A3082 on a bridge. This line now serves as a private road used by trucks carrying china clay from the driers at Par to the deep sea docks at Fowey.
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in Cornwall
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK. It is located on the A3082 road close to Par Sands and the village of 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.....
, but 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 centre of Fowey is some 3 miles (4.8 km) distant, whilst Par railway station
Par railway station
Par Station is a railway station serving the village and port of Par, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom. It is the junction for the Atlantic Coast Line to Newquay. The station is operated by First Great Western, and served by trains operated by both First Great Western and...
is less than 1 miles (1.6 km) away. Polmear used to be known as East Polmear and West Polmear is now known as Charlestown
Charlestown, Cornwall
Charlestown is a village and port on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom, in the parish of St Austell Bay. It is situated approximately south east of St Austell town centre....
, and has been since Charles Rashleigh built the harbour there (1791 to 1798).
The first four Rashleigh Almshouses in Polmear were originally built c1653 when Jonathan Rashleigh was granted leave to build housing for four poor persons from Tywardreath. Each cottage had one room with a large fireplace and a platform reached by ladder to sleep on, and they shared a water pump and a privy out the back. There are records accounting for the food and clothing given to the widows between 1745 and 1850, records of an "abstract of deeds" in C18th, information of the rules for 'inmates' c1820 and other records held at the Cornwall Records Office. William Rashleigh refurbished and extended the cottages to seven around 1819/20 and later in 1855 added "No.6" the house next door which at one time served as a small hospital ostensibly for the sardine fishermen that worked out of Polkerris. The cottages were sold by the Rashleigh Estate to the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977 and rebuilt by the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977/78, at which time the seven almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s were converted into three cottages, and are listed grade II, once rebuilt they were then sold on and are now each privately owned.
The adjacent Ship Inn dates from the early 18th century and is still owned by the Rashleighs.
Polmear is situated at the junction of two long distance footpaths. 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...
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...
, and in the immediate vicinity crosses Par Sands before following the cliff tops to the nearby cove and hamlet of Polkerris
Polkerris
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 Saints' Way
Saints' Way
The Saints' Way is a long-distance footpath in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom.The footpath runs from Padstow in the north to Fowey in the south, a distance of 26 miles . The path is well marked and guide books are available....
crosses from the north coast to the south coasts of Cornwall, and takes a more direct inland route from Polmear to Fowey.
The trackbed of the former Par to Fowey branch of the Cornwall Minerals Railway
Cornwall Minerals Railway
The Cornwall Minerals Railway operated a network of railway lines in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Based at St Blazey, its network stretched from Fowey to Newquay and lasted as an independent company from 1874 to 1896, after which it became a part of the Great Western Railway.-Authorisation:The...
passes through Polmear, crossing the A3082 on a bridge. This line now serves as a private road used by trucks carrying china clay from the driers at Par to the deep sea docks at Fowey.