Cornwall


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-nbsp-nbsp">WHY?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In common with a lot of Cornish towns, Penzance went through a low period, but is now firmly on the up (and up) – it was voted best place to live in Cornwall in the Muddy Best Places to Live Guide 2023, with <em>The Sunday Times</em> following suit the next month. Not to be outdone, <em>The Times </em>named Penzance (and neighbouring Newlyn) one of the best places to live by the sea in 2024. The gateway to the far west of Cornwall, arty Penzance is full of culture, including a multitude of art galleries, music venues and theatres. In 2021 Penzance was named one of four Cornish towns to be a recipient for funding from the government’s Town Fund programme and a new <a href="https://cornwall.uk/the-penzance-creative-cluster/">Creative Cluster</a> is due to be opened soon.</p>



<p>Areas of Penzance have seen gentrification in recent years and the architecture in this town is some of the best in the county with stunning&nbsp;townhouses with views towards St Michaels Mount, cute cottages as well as traditional listed detached houses on the outskirts of the town. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeK4mJP34KPmKXN2hlP8AEhOkhQelLUU9kQbh59f8eTfWroEJSL3mhVMxada-v_d80-V3x9bGDVQHsxZjEQe77PxO4d7i9oHOEPCdJsy1WsJvG7pUo7NiGa2VuYoXVLCX4iNNCjZu03T7VD2ybwQDJy-kw?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Argoe restaurant Penzance" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Argoe</figcaption></figure>



<p>In the town centre itself you’ll find small plates at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/barbicanbistro/">Barbican Bistro</a> which is tucked behind the Jubilee Pool. The Cornish Hen deli is in Market Place, owned by one of the makers of Penzance’s own gin, and locals love <a href="https://www.instagram.com/45queenstreet/">45 Queen Street</a> café/bar/restaurant just off Chapel Street, also home to another Cornish gin maker – Tinkture. <a href="https://www.frasersfishandchips.co.uk/">Fraser’s</a> was named in the top 50 fish and chip shops, as well as the most sustainable. We also like <a href="https://www.artistresidence.co.uk/penzance/eat-drink/">The Cornish Barn</a> at the Artist Residence on Chapel Street. Bruce Rennie&#8217;s The Shore came to an end as we knew it, but is now taking bookings for his re-opening. Catch monthly supper clubs at Chapel House.</p>



<p>Just down the seafront at next-door-harbour town Newlyn (where the sobriquet <em>Stoke Newlyn-ton</em> is bandied around) alongside generations of fishing families, you’ll find a host of hipster delights. Ben Tunnicliffe’s pub, <a href="https://tolcarneinn.co.uk/">The Tolcarne Inn</a> has a Michelin guide listing. At <a href="https://www.argoenewlyn.co.uk/">Argoe</a> (above) which opened in 2021, ex-Rochelle Canteen chef Ben Coombs cooks up the fish which literally comes straight off the commercial quay and onto the grill. Wine is by <a href="https://www.lovetts-newlyn.co.uk/">Lovetts</a>, a little wine bar, from which you can also watch the queue at the <a href="https://mackerelskycafe.co.uk/">Mackerel Seafood Bar</a>. Foodie Newlyn is also home to the Newlyn Fermentary, Jelbert’s (famous clotted cream ice cream) and a greengrocer.</p>



<p>If pubs are more your thing, just out of town you’ll find <a href="https://www.victoriainn-penzance.co.uk/">The Victoria Inn</a> at Perranuthnoe, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/muddy-eats-the-mexico-inn-long-rock/">Mexico Inn</a> at Longrock and <a href="http://www.oldcoastguardhotel.co.uk/">The Old Coastguard</a> at Mousehole or head the other direction towards <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/my-ultimate-destination-pub-the-gurnards-head/">The Gurnards Head</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="1280" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280.jpg" alt="Blanket on boat from Ebb Flow Cornwall Pemzance" class="wp-image-35017" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280.jpg 1280w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ebb Flow Cornwall</figcaption></figure>



<p>Chapel Street has the loveliest indie shops including <a href="https://thehandworkedshop.com/">The Handworked Shop</a> (sister to No.56) comfy pants makers Knickerhood and newcomers the hat makers <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shadedthelabel/">Shaded the Label</a> (all at no 61- 62) and<a href="https://ebbflowcornwall.co.uk/"> Ebb Flow Cornwall</a> (home to a pastel array of beach towels and ponchos) next door, as well as others including antiques, vintage, kids, indoor plants and more. You’ll find Muddy Award-winning bookshop <a href="https://edgeoftheworldbookshop.co.uk/">The Edge of the World</a> on Market Jew Street.</p>



<p>More indies at Causeway Head (including Zennor Wild with blooms, coffee and gifts, as well as a cheese shop) and right at the top is the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roundhouse_pz/">Roundhouse</a> – a super little café in the old taxi station kiosk, run by Joel – serving up delightful focaccia sandwiches, sweet treats and excellent coffee. <a href="https://newlynartgallery.co.uk/">The Exchange Gallery</a> in the town also has a good gift shop and café. The rest of the streets in the centre have more of the usual high street brands. Penzance is home to several out-of-town supermarkets and some of the lowest petrol prices in the Duchy. Handy as petrol stations are few and far between.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rising_embers_sauna_/">Rising Embers</a>, a community sauna, is now at Newlyn Green, near the art gallery &#8211; every Friday morning Jenny runs a Stretch, Sauna, Swim session at 9am at Newlyn Art Gallery. Boutique guest house <a href="https://www.chapelhousepz.co.uk/treatments">Chapel House</a> offers treatments including massage, as does the Jubilee Pool.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>Many groups love to swim off Battery Rocks, next to the pool, and locals led by women’s sea swimming collective <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morswimmy/?hl=en">Mor Swimmy</a> fundraised to install a swimming platform just off the rocks last summer. </p>



<p>Montol is Cornwall’s traditional festival of midwinter on 21 Dec (the Winter Solstice) in Penzance. Dancers in full disguise, called Guisers, parade the streets, accompanied by music from peccadillos, drumming and burning torches. Muddy Awards finalist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/golowan_festival/?hl=en">Golowan Festival</a> takes place to celebrate mid-summer complete with parades, events and fireworks. September 2024 saw the launch of the first Penzance Food Festival.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeqxQUvbNU5C9M9MYMKIXY4i8F0ArQWWaDy5VXqBhzUJp0vC1_xXbHsXJToYb0wjQ2nihtA8-VQqFN7fcnm3OF4zJJU2rD7GN-565hKtkRty1vTVy5zPAAY5pa_W2mT4HhzPibswmCEvAEu6AvlRfxdh84?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Penzance from above" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Penzance</figcaption></figure>



<p>On the sea front between Penzance and Newlyn you’ll find the Foster-Bolitho gardens as well as the skate park. Head out of town for the bigger sub-tropical gardens of <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/trengwainton-garden">Trengwainton</a>, <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin">Godolphin</a> and <a href="https://www.tremenheere.co.uk/">Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens</a>. Don’t miss the art-deco <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/jubilee-pool-penzance/">Jubilee Pool</a> (above), now open from May to the end of October. The geothermal heated sea pool was the first of its kind in the UK – alongside a sauna and during the summer months, an inflatable slide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Take a drive round the West Penwith coastal road down to Porthcurno (where you’ll find Muddy Award-winning theatre <a href="https://www.minack.com/">The Minack Theatre</a> as well as the <a href="https://pkporthcurno.com/">PK Porthcurno</a> museum, offering a fascinating look into Britain’s role in global communications (as well as Cornwall’s least kept ‘secret’ beach, Pedn Vounder). From there you can head round to Lands’ End, pausing <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/muddy-walks-nanjizal-beach/">to walk to Nanjizal</a>, and then again at St Just to catch Muddy Award-winning gallery the <a href="https://www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com/">Jackson Foundation Gallery</a>, and Moomaid ice-cream.</p>



<p>From Penzance you can also hop on The Scillonian Ferry or catch a flight (or helicopter) to the Isles of Scilly. Not enough time? If you head to Marazion you can walk over the causeway to St Michael’s Mount, or around to Mousehole to see the famous Christmas lights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXedVwTga3rTFQ1VfE2077fB7FqW9Duc1xc_ddiJVmcmngzkSc8oEPi8X2_LY6vpBKNyd5twbJZZRtCrZypetNDFzJpsITEAiZZBgPjmmh9ok5NlHTjnXpxvev1jn1EqcX_hIXvZeXA7WfsQwp3U1Fo60o0n?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Newlyn Art Gallery" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Newlyn Art Gallery</figcaption></figure>



<p>Arty colony Newlyn has plenty going on; the <a href="https://newlynartgallery.co.uk/">Newlyn Art Gallery</a> and its sister gallery The Exchange (above) have regular exhibitions and the <a href="https://www.newlynartschool.co.uk/">Newlyn School of Art</a> runs courses galore. The <a href="https://www.tremenheere.co.uk/">Tremenheere Sculpture Garden</a> just outside the town has all sorts of interesting outdoor art works, and it is not far across to St Ives, where you’ll find The Tate, Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture Garden and more art galleries than you can visit in one day.</p>



<p>In Penzance itself, find live music, comedy and theatre at <a href="https://www.theacornpenzance.com/">The Acorn</a> and just at the top of Chapel Street you’ll find <a href="https://www.cornwallcontemporary.com/">Cornwall Contemporary</a>, home to a wide range of both Cornish and visiting artists. Penlee House &amp; Gallery is also worth a visit with local exhibitions and artefacts.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Prices flirt around £323,946. Terraced houses were popular last year, costing an average of £292,388. Detached homes cost on average £541,695, with semis costing £322,405.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe-1000x666.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-35331" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe-1000x666.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe-1536x1023.jpeg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Penzance-Rohrs-and-Rowe.jpeg 1621w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gorgeous Georgian 6-bedroom residence on the outskirts of Penzance.<a href="https://www.rohrsandrowe.co.uk/property-cornwall/33071418/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> On the market for £1,070,000.</a></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.bolithonursery.com/">Bolitho Nursery</a> takes babies from 3 mths – 5 yrs, and is next door to the old Bolitho prep-school in the centre of town which closed back in 2016. <a href="http://www.alverton.org.uk/web/woodland_nursery/627924">Alverton Woodland Nursery</a> is next to Alverton Primary School.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>For secondary, the outstanding <a href="http://mountsbay.org/">Mounts Bay Academy</a> is in Penzance as well as several good rated state primaries. If you’re after private education, the choice is limited to driving to <a href="https://www.stpiranshayle.net/">St Piran’s School </a>in Hayle or up into Truro where you’ve got the choice of <a href="https://www.polwhelehouse.co.uk/">Polwhele House School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/truro-school/">Truro School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/muddy-guide-to-the-best-schools-2-truro-high-school-for-girls/">Truro High School for Girls</a> and <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/truro-prep-school-review/">Truro Prep</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p><a href="http://thebenbow.com/">The Admiral Benbow</a> pub on Chapel Street has a narrow tunnel underneath that was once used by smugglers and the entire place is decked out in items recovered from vessels wrecked on Cornwall’s coast over the past 400 years, earning the pub a CAMRA award for historical significance.</p>



<p>Brontë fans might be interested to see Branwell House on Chapel Street, the home to Maria and Elizabeth Branwell (mother and aunt of Charlotte, Emily, Anne) who were from a prominent Cornish family. The house itself is, rather unusually for the area, constructed of brick, said to be pillaged from a Dutch cargo ship.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>Penzance is the very last mainline station, so you can be at London Paddington in a not-very commutable length of 5+hrs. There’s also the option of the Night Riviera sleeper service to emerge meeting-ready at 6.45am in Paddington. Penzance is at the end of the A30 and now the road works have finished, you can whizz up to Bodmin in around 1 hr and Exeter in 2 hrs.</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Penzance

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