Discover Padstow -wedded to the Sea!

When the ancient Cornish settled in the area many centuries ago they chose the site for Padstow with great care and foresight. Nestling in a narrow gulley on the western side of the River Camel estuary, the town is sheltered from the prevailing winds and the air is generally soft and balmy.

Coming into the town buildings huddle closer together until they crowd around the harbour. Here you'll find a great mixture of houses, quays,boat slips, inns, cafés and restaurants, gift and craft shops, holiday cottages and food shops, banks and the like. No architect could have designed the magic of Padstow. It is just the result of years of adaptation to change, getting the best out of local materials and then using the buildings and the surrounding environment to meet the needs of a working and friendly harbour town.
The harbour is undoubtedly the strongest attraction in the town and you will be drawn to it like a magnet. Fishing and pleasure craft rock side-by-side on their moorings, children fish for crabs from the harbour wall, quayside inns and cafés overlook the calm water. There are seats all around the harbour and because there's always something going on and it's such a restful and interesting place it's a favourite spot for both locals and visitors. While you're here please try to set aside some time to share in our heritage. Our museum may not be large but it does contain many of our historic treasures and artefacts. The church too reflects the life, past and present, of our seafaring town - a warm welcome awaits you at its services as it does in the town's Methodist Chapel and Catholic Church.

A Fishy Business

Padstow's working fishing boats provide one of the town's greatest attractions. They come in all shapes and sizes. Most of the smaller boats are inshore crabbers landing daily their catches of lobster, crayfish and crab. The larger boats are either netters or trawlers catching several species of fish off the South West coast and further out into the Atlantic Ocean. Look out for the boats returning and join the crowds on the quayside to watch the catch being unloaded. Most of the fish landed is then transported to auction at either Brixham or Newlyn where up to 90% of it makes its way to France, Italy and Spain. Some of course is also sold on to local fishmongers and restaurants. Padstows mouthwatering range of restaurants, including the Famous Seafood Restaurant has transformed the fresh fish and shellfish market in Padstow. Shops on South Quay now sell a wide variety of freshly caught fish and shellfish. Why not take some home? Make your selection and be one of the many visitors returning home from a holiday in Cornwall with a cool box full of the freshest Padstow fish and seafood. The town's reputation for supplying the very best in food from the sea is alive and thriving.

Padstow ‘Obby Oss'

There have been many conflicting theories about the origins of ‘Obby Oss'. Some say its roots are in pagan times, others that it's a rain maker, a fertility symbol, a deterrent to a possible landing by the French some centuries ago or even a welcome to summer. Whatever, the mists of time have blunted the true reasons for its creation. The fearsome mask of today's ‘Obby Oss' regalia is set into a body covering costume built around a six feet wide circular wooden hoop. This is carried on the wearer's shoulders and covered in sailcloth that is draped down to the ground. The wearer then proceeds through Padstow's streets, swirling and dancing and accompanied by a ‘Teazer' who leads the dance with theatrical movements and the use of the Teazer's club, a leather pad colourfully painted and mounted on the end of a wooden rod. The Teazer's accompanying retinue are dressed in white their costumes decorated with ribbons and sprays of cowlips and bluebells. As the procession moves around the town dancers perform a traditional gyrating dance to the sound of the accompanying musicians and drummers. Last, but not least, are the ‘followers',young and old who follow the procession every year and join in the singing of the traditional ‘May Song'. May Day takes place annually on 1st May (or 2nd May if the 1st falls on a Sunday).

May Day! May Day! - Padstow Lifeboat.

Padstow had a lifeboat before 1827 when the boathouse was situated at Hawker's Cove, inside the estuary of the River Camel. As the river mouth silted up, it became necessary to relocate the Station onto the open sea at Mother Ivey's Bay at Trevose Head five miles from Padstow. The lifeboat is in the water within 15 minutes of the maroons going off in Padstow. During its long history, boats from the Padstow Station have saved over 620 lives but not without great sacrifice. In 1867, five of the crew of thirteen were drowned when going to the rescue of the schooner "Georgiana". In 1900, the Padstow steam lifeboat capsized and eight of the crew were lost. Padstow received its new lifeboat "Spirit of Padstow" in the summer of 2006.
A brand new Tamar Class lifeboat, she was donated by the late Micky Allen who also generously provided the previous Tyne Class boat "James Burrough" in 1984. The lifeboat was officially named on 17th September and the new purpose-built lifeboat station was opened by Admiral Sir Jock Slater. The RNLI and its lifeboats continue to be run as a voluntary service dependent upon charity. Every lifeboat station attracts a number of people in the area. Crew, shore helpers and administrative workers all devote considerable time and energy to the efficiency and well-being of the station. The Lifeboat Guild are the main fund-raisers in Padstow, holding various fund raising events throughout the year. The station holds open days throughout the summer and is also open to visitors between 10am and 3pm on a daily basis, though times can be subject to change without notice. The RNLI is truly a people's service and offers every man, woman and child the opportunity of making their personalcontribution to rescue at sea.
It would be impertinent to discuss the wonderful work done by the Padstow Lifeboat without making a mention of the other services which so often work in close co-operation with us: The Coastguard, the Naval Air Station at Culdrose, and the RAF at St. Mawgan. So often the four services, along with Rock's new inshore lifeboat, join together in search and rescue Over the years the Padstow Lifeboat crew have been awarded 28 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals for bravery by the Institution and 2 British Empire Medals.The RNLI depends entirely on voluntary contributions for its income. Each lifeboat has its own Lifeboat Supporters Association and everyone is welcome to join. To register please contact Padstow Lifeboat Supporters Association at The Old Farm House,Trevone, Padstow or visit the website http://www.padstow-lifeboat.org.uk/.