Pentewan

[Seven Spades]

How long ago was it since Pentewan was in use? I was looking at is on Google Earth and thought it is such a shame as it looks like a nice but small destination. It is a pity that locks are not used on the north Cornwall coast to create some marinas, I am sure the French would have opened up that coastline with some EU funding.

 

[Big-Bang1]

Don't quote me on it but I think they stopped dredging Pentewan Harbour at the time of the Second World War. You are quite right though, it would be fantastic if it were opened up again and used. As would Par Harbour if they decided to send all the Clay to Fowey docks, extend the outer harbour wall out into St.Austell bay and have a huge Marina with Harbour (I'll just pop my Tin hat on and run for cover as the locals throw bricks at me for sugesting change). OOh and if they did that I could keep my boat there and see it from my house
I think Boscastle would be great with a gate to keep the tide in as would Looe on the South coast.

 

[cagey]

Par docks are closed and now all goes through Fowey, I think there is/ was an application to create a marina it's only economics that has prevented it. I think a marina at Par would be very popular but would need huge amounts of money because there is very little land side at Par to entertain boaters unlike Plymouth, Fowey or Falmouth.
To put a marina on the North coast would be silly the coast has few harbours for a good reason it is very dangerous the prevailing wind makes the entire land mass a lee shore.

 

[RUSSH]

Don't quote me on it but I think they stopped dredging Pentewan Harbour at the time of the Second World War. You are quite right though, it would be fantastic if it were opened up again and used. As would Par Harbour if they decided to send all the Clay to Fowey docks, extend the outer harbour wall out into St.Austell bay and have a huge Marina with Harbour (I'll just pop my Tin hat on and run for cover as the locals throw bricks at me for sugesting change). OOh and if they did that I could keep my boat there and see it from my house
I think Boscastle would be great with a gate to keep the tide in as would Looe on the South coast.

Par Docks has not been used for the export of clay for some years now. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/5155262.stm

Development of Par Docks and Looe is/ has been considered. http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Reveale...luxury-docks/story-11418241-detail/story.html

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/New...-Environment/story-20657168-detail/story.html

I'd support both as a local!

 

[RUSSH]

Par docks are closed and now all goes through Fowey, I think there is/ was an application to create a marina it's only economics that has prevented it. I think a marina at Par would be very popular but would need huge amounts of money because there is very little land side at Par to entertain boaters unlike Plymouth, Fowey or Falmouth.
To put a marina on the North coast would be silly the coast has few harbours for a good reason it is very dangerous the prevailing wind makes the entire land mass a lee shore.

Damn. You beat me.

 

[Big-Bang1]

Whilst Par docks has been closed to shipping since 2008 the clay works there is still working, I signal trains in and out of there once or twice a week. It's a real shame Imerys don't like the idea of anyone using the port I believe they have condemed the West side sea wall and deamed it unsafe. It's also my understanding that there is some substantial susidence of the NE side of the docks.

Image how nice it COULD be...

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Reveale...luxury-docks/story-11418241-detail/story.html

 

[Fluvial66]

Pentewan is a lovely old China Clay harbour built in 1826 to ship out the China Clay from the mines
around St. Austell. It finally ceased being used as a harbour in 1940 with the threat of invasion when the
beach was mined and sand allowed to fill in the approach channel.
The Pentewan Sand and Cement company continued to use the harbour facilities until the 1950's.

But its real demise occurred in 1918 when the private railway which transported the Clay from the mines to the
harbour was requisitioned by the Government, the tracks and rolling stock being transported to France to support
the allied offensive on the Western Front. Thereafter the clay was brought down to the harbour in wagons, which could not
compete with the deep water ports at Par and Fowey.

The last vessel mentioned in the Pentewan Shipping Register held in the archives at the Cornwall records office, Truro called at
the harbour on the 7th and 17th April 1924, a 50 ton schooner, the "Kate" with a cargo of sand.
Pentewan is now a lovely village situated around the old harbour basin with many of the original buildings and harbour facilities
still evident.
I did my dissertation for an MA degree in Maritime Archaeology on the history of Pentewan, and can bore for England on the subject !!