" A History of Mullion Cove Cornwall"
£9.99 plus P & P UK only.
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CONTENTS
1. A look at the Cove in the 19th Century through black and white photographs.
2. Mullion Mills- New information. How the landscape was managed to create a water course supplying local Mills worked in the valley hundreds of years ago from which the Cove took its name -"Porth Mellin". It identifies two new Mill sites in the Cove itself, which were not previously well known, and a photograph of an early 19th C painting which shows one of them with its overshot wheel discharging water from the leat into the cove.
3. The Mullion Harbour Story- The importance of the coast near to Mullion in the 18th and 19th centuries has never previously been fully explained. There were plans to build a small harbour and a Breakwater from the mainland adjacent to the Vro to Mullion Island in 1868 but this did not take place. Shipwrecks among sailing ships and Rescues in the "Mullion Roads" often occurred with loss of life.
The history of the construction of the current harbour piers began in 1890, and the circumstances which led to the creation of the Harbour. The West Pier, the first to be constructed, was built between 1890-1892, during the period which included the winter of 1891, the year of the Great Cornish Blizzard. The South Pier was built between 1895 -1897. This Chapter seeks to set the record straight by research into original records and accounts of the time which also show that the harbour was not just built for the Fishermen, but for the local community.
4. History of the Mullion Lifeboats Daniel J Draper, Edith and the Nancy Newbon. 1867-1908. An updated study, with old photographs generously donated.
5. The loss of William Mundy. William was the first Coxswain of the Mullion Lifeboat. In 1872 he tragically drowned in a sailing accident off Porthleven. With him were 2 of his sons and a local carpenter who was shortly to get married. It was a great loss for the village community of Mullion.
6. Mullion Coastguard. The origins of the Watch House on Predannack Head used in the Napoleonic War, Smugglers, plus the bravery of the men who effected a series of rescues with the invaluable Rocket Apparatus.
7. Smugglers and Wreckers. Sssh... pass the Brandy.
8. Guide to Mullion Pilchard Fishing, Crab, Lobster and Crawfish fishing. The Chapter explains the origins of Seine Fishing and the close business links between Mullion and communities across Mounts Bay including Newlyn.
9. Fishing stories connected to Mullion from the 18th, 19th, and 20th century taken from archived newspapers, written in the form of an annual diary.
10. Mullion Fishing in the 20th Century. The rise and fall of a changing industry, the introduction of motorised boats, the move from seine fishing to herring fishing, the decline, and the surviving Crab, Lobster and Crawfish fishing.
11. Copper Mine ... and Soaprock Quarries. Copper was periodically mined from the early 1700`s until the early 1850`s producing valuable and almost pure "Native Copper". There were two shafts in use during the period of operation. The most productive period was between 1807 and 1811 when the mine was known as Wheal Unity. In 1845 it was reopened as Wheal Trenance or Trenance Mine and remained open until 1852.
Soapstone or soaprock was also called Talc. It was quarried from nearby Kynance Cove & Gew Graze (Soapy Cove) in the 1740s. It was also quarried from Mullion Cove, and Pentreath from the early 1750`s and this helped to produce the first soft- paste porcelain ever made in this country. The addition of crushed soaprock provided the porcelain with the ability to withstand boiling water. This process helped small embryonic English factories to compete with Chinese Imports.
From 1752 the influence of the Worcester Porcelain Factory in the area was beginning and it lasted over 70 years. Tea drinking, initially by the wealthier classes took off for the first time in the UK, spreading to all levels of Society and by 1750 was the most popular drink in the country. The factories produced finely made and decorated porcelain teapots,and many people drank out of fine porcelain cups and these English wares were made using Soaprock from the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula.
12. The story of two brothers , William and Asa Walter Andrews, from Boston USA. One of the most amazing Atlantic crossings ever made in a small cedar sailing boat, named the "Nautilus".It had a hull only half an inch in thickness .... and they made their first landfall in Mullion Cove in August 1878 to the surprise of local residents. Their important, but "forgotten" story is here.
13. Victorian visitors to the Cove. What attracted the Victorians to the Cove? In particular, it was the "Sea-caves" including Torchlight Cave on the south side of the cove. With care these caves can still be accessed at low spring tides today.
14. Mullion Regatta 1890s to 1928. The story of the first Regattas which began after the building of the Harbour Piers. See the part played by famous Edwardian visitors when the storms almost wrecked the Mullion Cove Fishing fleet in 1905, and the beautiful silver Rose bowl, last presented in 1901.
15. Poem "Mullion Musings" If you love Mullion Cove, or poetry, you will appreciate this poem. Written in 1878.
16. A view from above the Cove. Why is there a cannon at the top of the cliff overlooking the Cove? A look from above at some of the early history, including the inauguration of the Cove Hotel in 1898.
17. Last, but by no means least ... The future for Mullion Cove.... What is the future for Mullion Cove ,will the National Trust approach of "Managed Retreat" prevail, and the Historic Piers be lost forever ?
Mullion Cove is an iconic location on the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula. Many say that it has one of the most unique, if not spectacular, views in the whole of Cornwall. A number of buildings associated with the fishing industry have Listed status. The harbour and Mullion Island were purchased by the Meyer family in the 1920`s.
In 1945 the Harbour, the Island and several miles of coastline were gifted to the National Trust. Perhaps not so well known, at that time the harbour already needed expensive repairs to both Piers.
The National Trust made a successful public appeal for money to finance the repairs. Part of the work after the Second World War involved restructuring the seaward end of the south pier by creating a sloping surface instead of a vertical end wall.This was not the end of repairs and damage has regularly occurred since that time. According to National Trust Reports and Surveys which have been commissioned by them suggest that the damage is likely to continue and be affected by Sea Level rise and Climate Change.
Much of the cost of repairs made to the piers by the National Trust is paid for by Insurance.
The National Trust plan prior to 2014 was for "Managed Retreat" but this is now (2014) known as "Managed Realignment".
The Harbour Piers became Grade II Listed structures in 1984 and since 2012 repairs have become "character changing" resulting in Listed Building Plans being required for the introduction of Mass Concrete into the repair process.
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