What a magical place! The village clings to either side of a long, narrow gorge which leads down to the sea. Visitor's motor vehicles are not allowed in the village, so you have to park up and walk down to the harbour, but take a horse-drawn bus or a converted electric milk float back up the hill - and that seems perfectly in keeping with the old, pretty fishing village. Motorcycles are well catered for in the village car park, with the bike park space not only being highly visible, but also having a roof! Nice! Most car parks shove us in some little corner out of the way. Polperro makes you feel welcome.
Halfway down to the harbour is a Cornish Pasty shop, and I have it on very good authority (me) 😄 that they are very good.
Polperro is a 13th century fishing village, originally belonging to the ancient Raphael manor mentioned in the Domesday Book. Fishing has been the principal occupation of its inhabitants for centuries, and pilchards were often caught in abundance to be sold far and wide.
When Britain was at war with its neighbours in the 18th century, duty on many goods was increased considerably, encouraging the Polperro fishermen to smuggle goods such as tea, gin, brandy and tobacco across from Guernsey.
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