Mullion Cove, or Porth Mellin, () is a small community on the West Coast of the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, England, and on the eastern side of Mount's Bay. The Cove forms part of the parish of Mullion, and is accessible by road from Mullion village, to the northeast, and also via the South West coast path. It lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The cove is south of Porthleven and southeast of Penzance by sea. It is south of Helston by land and southwest of Falmouth by land. In 1937, a stretch of the coast from Mullion Cove to Predannack was preserved for the nation with the help of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and the National Trust.
The cove is partly protected from the strong winds and ocean currents in the region by Mullion Island or (Enys Pryven in Cornish), which lies about offshore to the southwest.
Occupancy of the Mullion Cove goes back several hundred years, but in the early 1800s, it had three working Grist Mills, including "Criggan Mill, Mullion Mill Farm" (List Entry Number 1141889) (currently listed as Criggan Mill, Mullion Cove), and by the Census of 1841 the Cove had several working fish cellars, net lofts and two thatched cottages.Cornwall Council Record Office (CRO) Mullion Tithe Map Ref.X585/2 Record 1075, Mullion Tithe apportionments X585/3 Record 1076Cornwall Online Census Civil Project 1841 (Transcript of Piece H0107/138 Part 3) Parish of Mullion Book 9, Folio 22, pages 6 and 7"Our own Country", Published by Cassell and Co, c1870, Print from Earlier Engraving of Mullion Cove (Illustrative and relevant)
Until the early 20th century, it had a thriving inshore pilchard seine fishing industry, was part of the Mounts Bay Fishery and also had an abundant history of crab, lobster and crawfish fishing using traditional Cornish methods with locally manufactured withy pots.
Between 1890 and 1892, and between 1895 and 1897, a harbour of two stone piers, mostly made from granite, serpentine and elvan with a concrete core was constructed with the financial help of Lord Robartes of Lanhydrock for both coastal protection and to provide support and an economic base for fishermen, local farmers and local traders at a time when agriculture was going through a depression.Cornish Telegraph 8.12.1892 Viscount Clifden was the largest landowner in the parish of Mullion. In 1928 the harbour, island, and fish cellars were bought from Viscount Clifden by Montague Meyer. By 1944 the harbour required extensive maintenance and repair. In 1945, including the harbour and island were given by the Meyer family to the National Trust, which took on necessary repairs. The Trust still has ownership, control and responsibility for maintenance.
In October 1984, three locations within the harbour area were granted Grade II Listed status. The list includes: the two harbour walls or piers (English Heritage Building ID Number 1158181) the net loft, listed as a "harbour cottage" (List Entry Number 1328501) and the nearby Winch House (List Entry Number 1158171).
All are listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Act) 1990 (as amended) for their special architectural or historic interest. About to the east of the Cove, and visible from the approach road to the harbour, is a mill listed as "Criggan Mill" (List Entry Number 1141889) which was given Grade II Listed status in January 1980. It is one of three mills which were last known working together in the Cove in the mid 1840s.historicengland.org.uk Accessed 2.6.16
The coastal environment has long been adversely affected by storms, sea level rise and climate change, and evidence shows that damage has occurred on an increasingly dramatic and costly level, most recently in the period from 2011 to present. Beginning in 2003 the National Trust indicated that "Mullion Cove may not stand the ravages of the sea much longer." A survey in 2006 threw doubt on the future of the harbour.National Trust Mullion Harbour Study Final Report January 2006. Halcrow Group Limited and BSW Limited
History
One of the earliest stories involving Mullion Cove revolves around an event that took place in Mount's Bay during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In August 1588, the invading Spanish Armada was first spotted from the Rill on the Lizard Peninsula. After the battle, relations with Spain continued to be poor. On the south coasts of England and Cornwall, many marine engagements continued with the enemy. However, in July 1595, a large Spanish expedition of over a hundred ships sailed towards Cornwall. By mid-July, it was stationed between Falmouth and Penzance. While a larger fleet stood off in Mount's Bay, four Spanish galleys were sent on a mission and arrived out of the fog near Mousehole. Without warning, they invaded several villages, setting fire to houses and public buildings before killing many of the occupants. They attacked Mousehole, Paul, Newlyn, and Penzance. The Anglican Church at Paul was burnt to the ground. Two hundred armed Spaniards landed from the galleys and spent two days plundering the area. They faced little resistance but were short of water. The small fleet sailed on following the Lizard Coast, and a welcome change in the direction of the wind allowed them to escape the gathering English ships led by Sir Francis Drake. This was the first time in hundreds of years that England had been invaded.Rowse, A. L., Tudor Cornwall – Portrait of a Society; chapter 15: Defence and War 1569–1603. London: Jonathan Cape, 1941
Cornwall was not well-defended at that time and was a long way from the seaborne navy at Plymouth and London. It was important to provide an early warning system and this attack led to the creation of a "Ring of Fire" along the north and south coasts and around Mount's Bay. A series of beacons were created at high vantage points around the Lizard and Mount's Bay. These were also to be manned at night and lit at the first sign of invasion. Mullion Cove, commanding a superb view of Mounts Bay was selected as one of the beacon sites, close to what is now the current site of the Mullion Cove Hotel. In 1743, Captain Taylor of the Daking en route from Chester to London reported that he was chased by a Spanish privateer and managed to get under the defense of the cannon in Mount's Bay.Newcastle Courant; 18 June 1743.
There may even have been a cannon near to the site on Henscath as there is today to provide additional defense. A story emerged that one night an old man employed as a night watchman, saw a boat come into view heading for the landing area. Taken aback he shouted down to what was actually a fishing boat returning home late. He shouted "Who goes here?" to the occupants of the boat and received the reply "Fish and Panniers." Being confused and surprised he interpreted the reply as "French and Spaniards" and immediately panicked before rushing off to light the Beacon fearing an enemy attack was imminent. The sky was soon lit up and seen by other Beacon watchers who lit their own Beacons as instructed and before long the "Ring of Fire" was ablaze, putting the local Cornish populace into a fearful state for their lives and ready for an invasion: We can only guess at how long it took for the true story to come out and the embarrassment caused. Although there has been a fishing cove at Mullion for several hundred years a small seine fishery began in the early 1700s with fish being processed at Newlyn.The History of Cornwall: From the earliest Records and Traditions. Volume 2. Pages 503–505. Compiled by Fortescue Hitchins. Edited by Samuel Drew 1824.
In 1793, the Seine Fishery here began to expand in association with Fish Cellars and Merchant businesses at Newlyn and Penzance. A change was seen in the Cove with the construction of a number of large Fish Cellars for processing the fish catch. In 1809, local newspapers carried an advertisement "... auction sale of the Mullion Pilchard and Herring Fishery, carried on at Mullion and Newlyn, including a New- Built Cellar capable of curing over twelve hundred hogsheads of fish enclosing an excellent salt cellar, commodious Lofts and a pump well supplied with water. Also included in the auction are 5 Stop seines, 2 Tuck Seines, with Boats, tackle and materials."Royal Cornwall Gazette 16.12.1809 The entrance to the Cove was also widened to incorporate more boats with the removal of rocks.
By the 1840s the two Grist Mills on the north side of the Cove were becoming less efficient and ceased to operate around 1846–1847 following the Sale of Mullion Mill Farm, and 3 Grist Mills occupied by John Williams. These were reported to be in good working order at the time of the Sale.Royal Cornwall Gazette 17.4.1846 Sale Notice This left only the one Mill in operation at Criggan (also spelt Criggian or Creggian).Cornwall Online Census Civil Project 1841
By 1848, there were two cottages built for residence by local Coastguard officers and their families. These now form Cove Cottage. A description of the Cove was recorded as follows, "Mullion Cove contains a Mill worked by a stream running down through the valley, some fish cellars and a few humble cottages, on which last, owing to the height of the rising ground behind them, the sun, in the winter months, never shines. In one of these lives an old man who has been blind for many years who ... is glad indeed when the month of March is come, for he finds his solitary walk up and down the road in front of his cottage more cheerful when he feels the blessed sunshine falling on his sightless eyes."
At this time there was one Fishing family recorded as living in the cove. In 1867, the stream leading into the Cove was diverted under the roadway into the course of the old Leat to build the Lifeboat House. In 1868 came the first significant move to build a harbour in Mullion Cove. The strong sea currents around the Lizard, combined with adverse weather, sometimes prevented ships which had often sailed halfway around the world from completing their journey around the Lizard into the English Channel. Many of the sailing ships, for years, took a course which led them towards Falmouth to obtain new Orders for delivery of their cargo, to repair damage and to restock. Some took the wrong course in bad weather, storm or fog.
In easterly or northeasterly winds, ships were forced to anchor and shelter along the coastline between Mullion Island and Pedngwynian. Pedngwynian (Location 50°02`3.46" N 5°16`50.44" W) is a headland which lies to the north of Mullion Island between Dollar Cove and Gunwalloe Fishing Cove, in what was known as the "Mullion Roads," which, although undefined, stretched out into the Mounts Bay. The sailing ships often sheltered in the "Roads" because they could not navigate the strong tidal currents of the Lizard alongside strong easterly winds and this was the only suitable location for them to anchor. At other times many became trapped or embayed in Mounts Bay by southwesterly or westerly winds which eventually forced them onto the cliffs when they could not tack out to sea.