Wild unspoilt moorland village
Web: www.morvah.com
The small village of Morvah straddles the B3306 road and consists of housing, an art gallery, a cafe, a dairy farm, a sizeable Wesleyan chapel and the parish church of St. Bridget's which was originally dedicated to St. Morwenna. The population of the village was 49 at the 2011 census.
The village is situated approximately eight miles south-west of St. Ives and five miles north-west of Penzance.
In 1884 during quarrying for building materials at Carne Farm, a hoard of gold ornaments was found dating from the late Bronze Age.
In earlier days Morvah was much larger than today as the population was swelled by the many miners who lived and worked here and the area southwards towards Pendeen and Botallack Mine.
Morvah was prior to the 20th century the home of the Morvah Fair (held on August 1st every year) which has been described as the biggest Lughnasadh celebrations outside Ireland. The fair was attended by a large number from across West Cornwall. The fair was also associated with the legend of "Jack the Tinkard". In the late 19th century the then priest of Morvah lead a successful campaign to ban the celebrations due to the excess of drunken and promiscuous behaviour. Morvah Pasty Day is a 21st century alternative to Morvah Fair.
The 9000 tonne MV 'Karin Schepers', a Dutch cargo ship, with a cargo which included petroleum ran on to a sandy beach under Trevean Cliff at seventeen knots on 3rd August 2011. The crew managed to re-float the ship and continue on its journey from Cork to Rotterdam. This stretch of coast has been the scene of many shipwrecks.
Just north of here are the cliffs of Bosigran where the Commandos trained during the second world war, and is now much used as a practice area for climbers.
Also nearby in the surrounding moorland are the ancient sites of Chun Castle, Chun Quoit and Men-an-tol.
Morvah Pasty Day - August
Botallack Pendeen Zennor St. Just The Coastal Footpath The Penwith Peninsula