Fowey

History

The Domesday Book survey at the end of the 11th century records manors at Penventinue and Trenant, and a priory was soon established nearby at Tywardreath. the prior granted a charter to people living in Fowey itself. This medieval town ran from a north gate near Boddinick Passage to a south gate at what is now Lostwithiel Street; the town extended a little way up the hillside and was bounded on the other side by the river where merchants had their houses backing onto the waterfront. The natural harbour allowed trade to develop with continental Europe and local ship owners often hired their vessels to the king to support various wars, although the town also developed a reputation for piracy, as did many others at this time. A group of privateers known as the 'Fowey Gallants' were given licence to seize enemy vessels during the Hundred Years' War. In the 14th century the harbour was defended by 160 archers; after these were withdrawn, two blockhouses were built, one on each side of the harbour entrance. Despite these defences the town was attacked by Breton pirates in 1457. Place House, by the church, was successfully defended against the French but subsequently strengthened. This building still exists, but much remodelled. A small castle was built on St Catherine's Point, the western side of the harbour entrance, around 1540. The defences proved their worth when a Dutch attack was beaten off in 1667. The people of Fowey generally sided with the Royalists during the English Civil War, but in 1644 the Earl of Essex brought a Parliamentarian army to Lostwithiel and occupied the peninsula around Fowey. In August, a Royalist army surrounded Essex's troops and King Charles I himself viewed Fowey from Hall Walk above Polruan, where he came close to being killed by a musket…

Geography

Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, England. It is at the entrance to a large flooded valley created after the last ice age by the melt waters that caused the sea level to rise dramatically, creating a large natural harbour which is navigable for its last seven miles. Fowey is in the South Coast (Eastern Section) of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies at the end of the Saints' Way and has ferries across the river to Polruan (foot) and Bodinnick (vehicle). There are many historic buildings in the town, including the ruins of St Catherine's Castle, while Readymoney Cove possesses a local beach. Besides the town of Fowey itself, the parish includes the coastal area between the mouth of the River Fowey and St Austell Bay, including Gribben Head and the small settlements of Menabilly, Polkerris, Polmear and Readymoney. At the time of the 2001 census, Fowey had a population of 2,273. This had increased slightly at the 2011 census to 2,395. The Fowey electoral ward had a population of 4,690 in 2011.

Most-observed species

• Meadow Brown

  Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,754
• Speckled Wood

  Pararge aegeria (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,618
• Western Rustwort

  Marsupella profunda Lindb. · Jungermanniopsida
  1,422
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,351
• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  1,244
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,121
• Yorkshire-fog

  Holcus lanatus L. · Liliopsida
  1,057
• Red Admiral

  Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,046

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2011-06-23
  4 km WSW of Bovey Tracey, United Kingdom
• M 2.8 — 2008-03-23
  38 km NW of St Just, United Kingdom
• M 2.6 — 2007-12-02
  46 km SSE of Mullion, United Kingdom
• M 2.8 — 2006-12-19
  1 km NNE of Polperro, United Kingdom
• M 3.6 — 2005-08-24
  48 km SSW of Newton Ferrers, United Kingdom