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Castle
Pendennis Castle
Artillery fort built by Henry VIII between 1540 and 1542, later enlarged with ramparts and bastions, guarding the mouth of the River Fal.
A mini guide to
Falmouth & the Helford
A deep-water port, two Tudor castles and the creeks of the Helford
Photos
1 / 7Welcome to the area
A deep-water port, two Tudor castles and the creeks of the Helford
Falmouth was founded in 1613 by the Killigrew family beside Pendennis Castle and grew as a port on the Carrick Roads harbour. It now has the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth Art Gallery and a Falmouth University campus, and Visit Cornwall lists the beaches of Castle, Gyllyngvase and Swanpool on the seaward side.
Across the harbour, passenger ferries run from Falmouth to St Mawes, Flushing, Place, Trelissick and Malpas, and St Mawes Castle faces Pendennis Castle. South-west of the town, the Helford River is a flooded valley with seven creeks, including Frenchman’s Creek, and the gardens at Trebah and Glendurgan run down to its banks.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Museum
National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Independent maritime museum in a harbourside building at Falmouth, with a boat collection and a boatbuilding workshop.
Directions Website Report a problem with National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Art gallery
Falmouth Art Gallery
Publicly funded gallery with works by Victorian artists, Impressionists, surrealists and maritime artists.
Directions Website Report a problem with Falmouth Art Gallery
Church
Church of King Charles the Martyr
Parish church in the centre of Falmouth, dedicated to Charles I.
Directions Report a problem with Church of King Charles the Martyr
Beach
Gyllyngvase Beach
Town beach on the south-east side of Falmouth, looking across Falmouth Bay.
Beach
Maenporth
Cove and beach about two miles south-south-west of Falmouth, facing east across Falmouth Bay.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Falmouth & the Helford and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Take the Maritime Line
The line between Truro and Falmouth Docks opened in 1863 and is run by Great Western Railway. Truro is the junction on the Cornish Main Line.
2
Cross to St Mawes
Visit Cornwall lists passenger ferries from Falmouth to St Mawes, Flushing and other Fal destinations. St Mawes Castle is run by English Heritage and was built in the same years as Pendennis.
3
See both Tudor forts
Henry VIII built Pendennis Castle and St Mawes Castle between 1540 and 1542 to guard the mouth of the Fal. English Heritage runs both.
4
Visit the creeks by boat or on foot
The Helford River has seven creeks, from Ponsontuel to Gillan. Helford Passage and Helford village face each other across the river, so plan your route by road or boat rather than assuming a short crossing.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Falmouth & the Helford (area photo): Tim Green, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pendennis Castle: Darren Shilson, CC BY 2.0, source
- National Maritime Museum Cornwall: Vernon39, Public domain, source
- Falmouth Art Gallery: Vernon39, Public domain, source
- Church of King Charles the Martyr: Andrewrabbott (talk), Public domain, source
- Gyllyngvase Beach: DS Pugh, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Maenporth: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Trebah Garden: Lee Vilenski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Helford Passage: Vernon39, Public domain, source
- Helford: John Walton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Flushing: Tim Green from Bradford, CC BY 2.0, source
- St Mawes Castle: Claudiu Bichescu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- St Anthony Head: Vernon39, Public domain, source
- Mylor Churchtown: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- Newquay & the North Coast: Otto Domes, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Padstow & the Camel Estuary: Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Fowey, Polperro & the south-east coast: Marika Reinholds, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Ives & West Penwith: ArildV, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Penzance, Mousehole & Land’s End: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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