Gunwalloe Church Cove, Dollar Cove (Jangye Ryn), Poldhu Cove,& The Wreck of the "Jonkheer".

Gunwalloe Church Cove

The coast between Mullion Cove and Dollar Cove, (and also between Gunwalloe Fishing Cove and Porthleven via Loe Bar) are renowned as being the most dangerous for shipping in the period between the 18th and early 20th Centuries. Many ships became embayed there and were forced on the rocks and beaches, unable to tack their way out of the Mounts Bay. Those which were not embayed were often thrown against the cliffs in storms and gales. Sailing ships could be broken up in a matter of minutes and the cargo strewn along the coast. If this happened at night time there was often no one to hear or see the tragic accidents unfolding. Many crew and passengers were unable to be rescued because they couldn't swim but many more were dashed against rocks and suffered severe injury and drowning in the cold sea. Often the Mullion Lifeboat, which started life in September 1867 could not be rowed out of the cove in the gales and could take little part in many rescues due to heavy weather, gales and storms from the Atlantic Ocean. When it arrived the Rocket Apparatus was an important rescue tool, and with enough volunteer manpower and guidance from experienced coastguards it was able to save lives and rescue many people from drowning.

Largely forgotten, the wreck of the Jonkheer (Jonkheer Meester van de Wall van Putterschoek ), a Dutch Barque wrecked at the Men-y-Grib rocks, off Poldhu in March 1867 graphically illustrates the dangers of sailing and trading around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Below right; Meres Ledges, a short distance from Poldhu, the scene of several shipwrecks.

She sailed half way around the world from Batavia, Java, heading for Rotterdam, only to become embayed and wrecked, like many ships before and afterwards, only a short distance from her home Port, losing her whole crew and passengers- all except one man who almost miraculously survived. It was his third total shipwreck and the third occasion he had been the only survivor.

https://sites.google.com/site/thewreckofthejonkheeratpoldhu/

** DOLLAR COVE (Jangye Ryn) December 2017- March 2018.

A series of Rock Falls has occurred onto the Beach at Dollar Cove causing the loss of bedrock, clay and soil. The following are photographs taken during that period between December 2017 - March 2018. The erosion is almost on a daily basis and has affected all the cliff. The area has suffered a high volume of heavy rain during the winter and this has also coincided with storms and high spring tides. A cliff fall leaving like those below can be cleared in one or two high tides leaving little evidence of the fall.

Photos 2017 Jangye Ryn (Dollar Cove)

Dollar Cove or Jangye Ryn remains the site of a number of shipwrecks which have been recorded over the last 500 years or more. Several of them are Protected Wreck Sites, including that of the Schiedam, a Dutch Fluyt, cargo vessel captured by North African Pirates in 1683 and a few days later recaptured by a British Naval force involved in the battle for Tangiers. It was known as the "Schiedam Prize" and became a cargo ship in the evacuation of Tangiers in 1684. It was loaded with a variety of cannon, armaments and other weapons and returned to England in the evacuation fleet but during a storm became embayed in the Mounts Bay and wrecked off Jangye Ryn.

Walking on the beach here can lead to many finds associated with wrecks.

In February 2017 the remains of a rudder were found amongst the rocks at low tide. This was initially thought to be from the Schiedam, but other sources believe it to be from a fishing vessel or lugger.

It was brought higher up the beach to avoid being washed away in Spring Tides but I was lucky enough to be able to photograph and record it on 25th February 2017.

Records show that In April 1899 14 Luggers broke free of moorings at Newlyn in a NW storm, some still having crew members aboard. Five Luggers were washed across the Mounts Bay and onto the coast between Gunwalloe and Predannack. This may be part of one of them. bob felce (mullion) 2017.

Story from the west briton http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Work-begins-National-Trust-clear-sand-Poldhu/story-28942329-detail/story.html

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Tragic-tale-shipwreck-Jonkheer-Poldhu-Cove/story-28898320-detail/story.html

BELOW; DOLLAR COVE AND PEDNGWYNIAN

DOLLAR COVE AT A LOW SPRING TIDE APRIL 2016

BBC FILMING AT DOLLAR COVE FOR THE POLDARK SERIES JUNE 2014

DOLLAR COVE MINUS SAND 2014

THE TINY CHURCH WITH ITS SEPERATE BELL TOWER REPUTEDLY ERECTED BY TWO LADIES ONCE SHIPWRECKED AND SAVED, IS ONE AND A HALF MILES FROM THE VILLAGE OF GUNWALLOE, BUT THE PARISH, STRETCHING FROM LOE POOL TO POLDHU, IS A LONG THIN SHAPE WHICH MAY ACCOUNT FOR THIS. IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE 13TH CENTURY , UNDERGOING REPAIR A CENTURY LATER. THE CHURCH UNDERWENT LARGE SCALE REPAIR IN 1870 HAVING A NEW ROOF AND CHANCEL, NEW SEATS, NEW PAVED AISLES, REFITTED WINDOWS AND THREE NEW WINDOWS PUT IN.

THE CHURCH REOPENED IN 1871, THE TOTAL COST BEING £530.

BY 1895 THE PARISH POPULATION WAS ONLY 185. THE NEAREST CHURCH IS CURY. GUNWALLOE WAS REPUTED TO HAVE A ROMAN HISTORY BUT IS KNOWN MAINLY FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH WINNIANTON MANOR AND ST. WINWALLOE WHO ESTABLISHED CHURCHES AT GUNWALLOE AND LANDEWEDNACK. (RCG 1871)

IN 1906 THE AUTHOR AND LITERARY CRITIC COMPTON MACKENZIE AND HIS NEW WIFE FAITH VISITED CURY VICARAGE, STAYING WITH THE THEN VICAR, BEFORE RENTING A SMALL FOUR ROOM THATCHED COTTAGE IN BEREPPER, Nr GUNWALLOE. (TOY COTTAGE- LISTED COTTAGE). HE ATTENDED THE CHURCH AT GUNWALLOE AND RAN A VERY WELL SUPPORTED SUNDAY SCHOOL. FOR A TIME HE ASSOCIATED WITH BODMIN BORN , ARTHUR QUILLER- COUCH, "Q", AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR OF LITERATURE AT OXFORD (WHO LATER WAS TO WRITE ABOUT THE WRECK OF THE DUTCH BARQUE, THE "JONKHEER" OFF POLDHU IN 1867.

Below-Mullion golf course and the view over Church Cove. Described by Author, Humorist, MP, Sir Alan Herbert (1890-1971) (A.P.H.) in one of his poems written in the Magazine Punch,

Now I will take my newest ball

And build a mighty tee,

And waggle once, or not at all,

And bang it out to sea,

And hire a boat and bring it back

And give it one terrific whack

And hole it out in three,

Or nine-or ten- or twenty five-

It matters not: to be alive

At Mullion in the summer time

At Mullion in the silly time,

Is good enough for me.

( Taken from Journey Through Cornwall. Pub 1958 Louis T Stanley.)

RECREATION- GOLF AND HORSE RIDING

Below; Marconi Monument

STORMY CONDITIONS OFF POLDHU AND CHURCH COVE IN JANUARY 2016 (3)

A STRONG SEA AT POLDHU FEBRUARY 2016 (3)

POLDHU- FEBRUARY 2016

MARCH 2016- POLDHU BEACH CAFE

POLDHU 2006 SUNSET AT POLDHU 2015

MURMURATIONS OF STARLINGS AT POLDHU IN 2008 FILL THE LATE AFTERNOON NOVEMBER SKY.

POLDHU 2008

THE POLDHU HOTEL WAS COMPLETED & OPENED FOR BUSINESS IN JULY 1899. THE HOTEL HAD 43 ROOMS ON THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS.THE POSITION OF THE ROOMS WAS DESIGNED TO MAXIMISE THE VIEWS. OUTSIDE , A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY THERE WAS A STABLE BLOCK WHICH ALSO HAD STORAGE FOR VISITORS CYCLES. THE BUILDERS WERE MESSRS H GEORGE AND SONS AND J H MATTHEWS OF MULLION.

IN CONSTRUCTION, THE HOTEL FABRIC WAS MADE FROM STONE OBTAINED FROM THE CLIFFS BELOW AND HAULED UP FROM THE BEACH TO THE SITE ON "RAILS", THE REMAINS OF WHICH ARE STILL VISIBLE ADJACENT TO THE FOOTPATH RUNNING AROUND THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HEADLAND. A SMALL HUT COULD ONCE BE SEEN STANDING HALF WAY UP THE CLIFF AND ON THE BEACH BELOW, VISIBLE AT LOW TIDE ARE BROKEN ROCKS WHICH ORIGINATE FROM THE CONSTRUCTION.