This tour is a guided walk around Newlyn’s historic port and town, led by archaeologist Jeanette Ratcliffe, who is part of the local community.
Situated in the northwest corner of Mount’s Bay, protected from the prevailing westerly winds, Newlyn originated as a seasonal fishing settlement. After surviving a Spanish raid of 1595, its fortunes rose dramatically, as a centre for the Cornish pilchard fishery. Boosted by the 19th century arrival of the railway, Newlyn grew into the largest fishing port in Cornwall, with its economy still today heavily based on fish.
Newlyn is also famous for its late 19th – early 20th century Newlyn School of Artists – painters working in the ‘plein air’ style attracted to the town’s spectacular natural setting and the ‘picturesque’ quality of its people and streetscapes. Newlyn’s continuation as a premier fishing port, alongside being a base for local artists and art-loving visitors, makes it a uniquely special place.