Polgooth

Polgooth is a village about 2 miles west of St Austell, spread along a valley that was once at the centre of Cornwall’s tin-mining industry. The Polgooth mine operated from the 16th century until the late 1800s, and traces of the old workings - engine houses, spoil heaps, and mining leats - are still visible in the surrounding landscape. The village has a pub, the Polgooth Inn, which serves food and has a beer garden, and a community-run village hall.

The Pentewan Valley Trail, a traffic-free cycling and walking path, runs from the outskirts of St Austell through Pentewan to the coast at Pentewan Sands, passing about a mile east of Polgooth. The Eden Project is roughly 3 miles north, and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are about 4 miles to the south. Mevagissey, a working fishing harbour with narrow streets and good fish restaurants, is about 4 miles southeast along the B3273.

Holiday properties in Polgooth are typically converted cottages and farm buildings in the village and surrounding countryside. The central position between St Austell’s services and the south coast beaches - Pentewan, Porthpean, and Charlestown are all within 3 miles - makes it practical as a base. St Austell has a mainline rail station with direct services to London Paddington, and the town’s brewery, St Austell Brewery, offers tours and a visitor centre.