St Merryn - A little village with a lot of coastline

The parish and village of St Merryn, of 3,798 acres, includes more than 5 1/2 miles of coastline, with some of the most dramatic cliffs and beautiful beaches in Cornwall.  On its north and east sides the parish is bounded by the Lyn stream and the parish of Padstow; on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. To the south a millstream which divides it from the parishes of St Eval and St Ervan.

For information on the beaches click here.

History

The history of St Merryn  is a varied and interesting one and it was probably in the second half of the 6th century that the missionary priest Merryn arrived  from Wales who established a chapel just upstream from Harlyn Bay. Merryn was one of several Welsh missionary priests who spread the Christian word in the 6th and 7th Century.

The church has been through various stages of construction and extentions in its history and has been the centre of its community for centuries. This is clearly shown with the parishioners organising the building of the South Aisle, using stone from the original construction of the nave and chancel. The South Aisle was separated from the nave by a beautiful arcade of 7 pillars and Gothc arches of stone called Cataclews, which was quarried on Trevose Head.

Seven Bays for Seven Days

St. Merryn village has a tourism motto “Seven bays for seven days”, displayed on the road signs as you enter the village. This refers to the bays & beaches in the vicinity which are (north-east to south-west): Trevone Bay, Harlyn Bay, Mother Ivy’s Bay, Booby’s Bay and the adjoining Constantine Bay, Treyarnon Bay and Porthcothan Bay.

The nearest to St Merryn village centre (the crossroads) is Harlyn Bay (1 mile north), the furthest (Porthcothan) 3.5 miles south-west. Only one of these, Booby’s Bay has no beach at the highest tides, the ribs of a wrecked ship appear periodically as the sand is relocated by the sea and prevailing currents. The widest beaches at low tide are Harlyn Bay and Constantine Bay. All the bays have fine golden sands and a backdrop of either rocky cliffs or sand-dunes, and all are popular with families as well as swimmers and surfers.

Read our guide here

Lighting the way

On Trevose Head (located between Booby’s Bay and Mother Ivey’s Bay visitors can see the Trevose Head Lighthouse, and go inside the Lifeboat Station. Between Trevone and Padstow, the estuary headland is topped with an old stone lookout tower, now unmanned.

In the summer, St. Merryn hosts a funfair, steam traction rally, St Merryn Carnival featuring floats and parade, the St Merryn Church fete and regular coffee mornings in the Church Hall, skittles touraments (in the ‘Young Men’s Green’ opposite the Cornish Arms public house, now run by local celebrity chef Rick Stein), various events and auctions at the Community Hall. In the winter months indoor activities include pool competitions, darts competitions, traditional Cornish euchre card games, and snooker (open to local residents and their personal guests).

Things to Do & See

Come rain or shine and no matter what age or ability, a holiday in St Merryn offers something for everyone. 

surfing

Surfing

Each of the Seven Bays offers a variety of differing surf breaks. Only 20 minutes away from the ‘Surf City’ of Newquay, the bays surrounding Trevose Head span nearly 250degrees of the compass and offer an entirely different experience.

dogriendly

Dog Friendly

The area around St Merryn has some fabulous places to visit and many your dog will enjoy too. The Padstow area along with the Newquay area have some of the best dog friendly beaches in Cornwall.

food

Local Food

Within walking distance of Cowries, St Merryn has two pubs, restaurants and award winning takeaways. Padstow is home to Michelin starred and family restaurants, cafes and bistros. Not to mention vibrant tapas bars, cosy tearooms and welcoming Cornish pubs.

golf

Golf & Leisure

There are plenty of golf courses and driving ranges within a short distance of St Merryn, but why travel when there is a championship 18 hole course plus 2 short courses on your doorstep. The Trevose Golf and Country Club is just down the road in Constantine Bay.

Connect With Us

You can contact us by phone, email, enquiry form or social media messages. These are available during office hours or you can leave a message and we’ll get back to you.

    Contact Us

    Address
    Cowries, 19 Fairfield, St Merryn,
    Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8FQ

    Phone: 07770 965575
    Email: contact@cowriesstmerryn.co.uk

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