Polmear
| Polmear | |
| Cornwall | |
|---|---|
 The Rashleigh Almshouses in Polmear | |
| Location | |
| Location: | 50°20’60"N, 4°41’20"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Cornwall |
Polmear is a hamlet in Cornwall, on the north shore of St Austell Bay on the county's south coast. It is on the A3082 road close to Par Sands and the village of Par.
The centre of Fowey is some three miles distant, whilst Par railway station is less than a mile away.
Polmear used to be known as 'East Polmear': the village known as West Polmear is now named Charlestown, and has been since Charles Rashleigh built the harbour there between 1791 and 1798.
About the village
The first four Rashleigh Almshouses in Polmear were originally built c. 1653 when Jonathan Rashleigh was granted leave[1] to build housing for four poor persons from Tywardreath. Each cottage had one room with a large fireplace and a platform reached by ladder to sleep on, and they shared a water pump and a privy out the back. There are records accounting for the food and clothing given to the widows between 1745 and 1850, records of an "abstract of deeds" in the 18th century, information of the rules for 'inmates' c. 1820 and other records held at the Cornwall Records Office.[2] William Rashleigh refurbished and extended the cottages to seven around 1819/20[3] and later in 1855[4] added "No.6" the house next door which at one time served as a small hospital ostensibly for the sardine fishermen that worked out of Polkerris. The cottages were sold by the Rashleigh Estate to the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977 and rebuilt by the Cornwall Buildings Preservation Trust in 1977/78, at which time the seven almshouses were converted into three cottages, and are listed grade II, once rebuilt they were then sold on and are now each privately owned.
The adjacent Ship Inn dates from the early 18th century and is still owned by the Rashleighs.[5][6]
Polmear is situated at the junction of two long distance footpaths. The South West Coast Path follows the coast alomng the shore of the bay, running through Polmear and on to cross Par Sands before following the cliff tops. The Saints' Way crosses from the north coast to the south coasts of Cornwall, and takes a more direct inland route from Polmear to Fowey.
The trackbed of the former Par to Fowey branch of the Cornwall Minerals Railway passes through Polmear, crossing the A3082 on a bridge. This line now serves as a private road used by trucks carrying china clay from the driers at Par to the deep sea docks at Fowey.[7]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Polmear) |
References
- ↑ Cornwall Records Office Ref. R/5128
- ↑ Cornwall Records Office Ref. R/5129, R/5130, R/5131, R/5132, R/5133
- ↑ Cornwall Records Office Ref. X1103/1
- ↑ National Heritage List 1290364: Almsnouses
- ↑ Rashleigh Almshouses and No 6 Polmear Hill&nbps;- Heritage Gateway
- ↑ The Ship Inn
- ↑ "Imerys Port Information - Fowey". Imerys. pp. 6. http://www.foweyharbour.co.uk/documents/Imerysportinfo09.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-13.