East Cornwall Smugglers’ Pubs

During the 18th century a crime wave swept over Cornwall. The devastating consequences eventually threatened to bankrupt the whole country. The government called it smuggling: the Cornish people called it ‘free trading’. At its heart was the village pub which became the nerve centre of clandestine operations. The smugglers’ pub served as a meeting place, secret storage facility, distribution depot and valued customer. It was here plots were hatched, arrangements for transportation agreed and ‘smuggling runs’ commissioned. Constructed in part using timbers from ships wrecked on the storm-lashed coast many of these notable buildings with their low-beamed ceilings, flagstone floors, inglenook fireplaces and secret hiding places still survive. The fascinating story of smuggling in East Cornwall is revealed here in this superbly illustrated guide.