St Buryan Holidays

If you’re looking for the peace and quiet of countryside living but within easy reach of the coast, a holiday in the small village of St Buryan offers guests a slice of traditional Cornish culture just a few minutes drive from Mousehole, Penzance, Marazion, Sennen and Porthcurno.

Did you know? A local’s guide to St Buryan holidays…

St Buryan Attractions

Centring around its the Grade I listed church (which features the heaviest peal of six bells anywhere in the world! ), life in St Buryan is slow-paced and picturesque. The four stage granite tower which can be seen for miles on the landscape, was used for centuries by seamen and shipping as a major landmark, and it is one of only 5 four stage towers in Cornwall so well worth a visit when you’re in the area.

The village has its own pub too – the St Buryan Inn; a traditional county pub, serving up good pub food in a relaxed atmosphere, with a selection of Cornish ales on offer so if you’re feeling peckish after your day out, this is the place to grab a hearty meal and a refreshing drink.

Lovers of nature can explore Trewidden Garden which is just 9 minutes by car, and if you’d like to enjoy a Cornish cream tea in one of the county’s prettiest villages, Mousehole will delight you with its charming harbour, Lamorna stone cottages, and quaint atmosphere.

Historic St Buryan

For those visitors keen to discover the historic significance and ancient connections of the area, a short one-mile hike to the north of St Buryan leads you Boscawen-Un, a neolithic stone circle containing 19 stones around a leaning central pillar. The circle is also associated with two nearby standing stones or menhirs.

A more accessible stone circle, The Merry Maidens, lies 2 miles to the south of the village in a field, and only several hundred yards from the site of the Merry Maidens lies a Bronze Age burial chamber.

Beaches close to St Buryan

Situated between two sections of coastline means you’ll be spoilt for choice for things to do in the area. Head southward to the lovely village of Porthcurno; home to PK Porthcurno Museum of Telecommunications, The Minack open air theatre, and a world-famous beach with turquoise waters and sparkling white sand.

Further along the coast, the fishing port of Newlyn is ideal for a seafood lunch or a browse around its art galleries, while neighbouring Penzance with its heated lido and flat coast path walk over to Marazion, makes the perfect place for family days out.

Famous St Buryan writers and personalities

This tiny Cornish parish has appealed to many a creative over the last few centuries, some of whom are famous the world over. Espionage novelist David John Moore Cornwell, better known as John le Carré, (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) lived in St Buryan for more than forty years.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the parish attracted many painters from the Newlyn school, particularly at Lamorna where a small colony led by Samuel John “Lamorna” Birch was established and included painters such as Alfred Munnings, Laura Knight and Harold Knight who lived and painted there.

Probably one of the most-loved by locals however was singer and comedian Geoffrey Rowe who was born in the village, and made his name performing as Jethro.