Fowey (locally pronounced more-or-less like “Foy”) is a small town on the south Cornwall coast. People have been taking advantage of the natural harbor formed at the mouth of the River Fowey for many years – the first local church dates back to ~700 AD.
Like other small towns in the area, the early economy was driven by marine activity. Fowey was a shipping port, but many local boats also tried their hand at privateering as well as smuggling goods in and out to avoid paying customs.
The small village of Fowey is built up the steep hills on the western edge of the river, while the even smaller neighboring village of Polruan rises on the eastern shore. A small passenger boat ferries people between the two villages, while a bit upriver a chain ferry allows vehicles to cross.
The remains of two medieval towers, one on either shore, still guard the river inlet. The town’s primary sea defense was a stout chain that ran between the towers – when invaders were sighted the chain was raised from the river bottom and drawn tight, keeping the foreign boats outside the harbor.
The place is amazingly scenic, with small cottages lining the streets and overlooking the harbor. The fleet of local Fowey River Class Dinghies zoom around, their colorful sails bright against the summer sky.
Similar to other places we’ve visited, the beauty and charm of the place is enhanced by the people we meet there. And in the case of Fowey, we were fortunate enough to meet Mike’s sister Marian, who made the drive from nearby (by US standards, at least) Bristol for a weekend visit.
And a great visit it was – a fantastic dinner at Appleton’s Restaurant, and numerous dinghy trips checking out the harbor, the Fowey River, and the cliffs and seacaves on the north shore of the Channel just outside. Hopefully it was the first visit of many, and hopefully those future visits will be in other places as nice as Fowey.
