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Accommodation 

We have two en-suite doubles, one en-suite family room, six one bedroom apartments, with either a double bed or a double and single bed, bathroom and lounge. Finally there are two x two bedroom apartments with a double bedded room and another bedroom with two single beds. All apartments except Flat 8 have a bed settee in the lounge. The accommodation is on four levels with views over the front of the property towards the stream and road, or down towards the village. Polperro is in a valley, and unfortunately the valley takes a turn near the harbour, preventing sea views.

Access to the village is restricted during the summer because the streets are so narrow, and vehicles could be a danger to the visitor. Crumplehorn Inn is the first property in the village, and restrictions apply after Crumplehorn. We have reserved car parking for guests on our own premises.

Access to the rooms is from the outside and each room and apartment has its own external front door. You are free to come and go as you please, with no restrictions. We do ask that you respect our other guests who may be sleeping, if you arrive back very late.

Angling is excellent in Cornwall, fabulous sea fishing, fresh water reservoirs, Carp and Trout lakes. You catch it, and we will cook it.

Allergies & Asthma
To alleviate allergies, all Crumplehorn bedding is allergen free, with hollow fibre pillows and continental quilts, over freshly boil laundered, and starched white cotton sheets. Rooms are vacuumed daily with a high specification hypo-allergenic appliance.

Art for Sale

We have a selection of water-colours in the bar, which are for sale. The artist is Beth Altabas, a very colourful lady, who once ran a number of London massage parlours, and has been shipwrecked in the Bermuda triangle! She is also a black belt at Judo, still holds a ladies over 50's rowing record and swimming record.

Art Supplies for your painting holiday can be obtained from the Mayflower Gallery in Looe, who carry an extensive range of artists' sundries. Polperro has probably one of the most painted harbours in Cornwall.

B

Beer. The Crumplehorn prides itself on its beers, which are mentioned in detail elsewhere. Beers in the UK are graded in strength by alcohol by volume (ABV), an average 'session' bitter or lager is 3.8% - 4.1% ABV, premium beers from 5%, strong beers from 6%.

Beds at the Crumplehorn are either a single bed, (3' wide), or double, (4' 6" wide), and are contract quality deep base divans, with superior firm mattresses.

Booking can be made by e-mail, fax or telephone. E-mails are normally answered within two hours between the hours of 12.00 and 23.00 UK time, often within minutes. A deposit is taken and the booking confirmed in writing to allay your fears. 

Bird watching is popular in Cornwall, and there are Buzzards nesting close to the Crumplehorn, and you can 'talk' to Owls most nights in the summer. Cornwall is famous for the Chough, a very unusual bird. Small birds of prey can often be seen hovering above the fields on the steep hill out of the village.

Beach. There is a small sandy beach when the tide is out of the harbour, as well as a rock swimming pool, that is cleaned out with each tide. There are small sandy coves nearby at Talland Bay, deserted coves at Lansallos, and Lantivet. The largest sandy beaches are at Looe, (yellow sand), and there are miles of black sand at Downderry, and Seaton. The north coast is only 45 minutes away and has the finest beaches in the country.

Babies. I like babies, but I couldn't eat a whole one. The Crumplehorn welcomes children, of all sizes, and radio baby alarms work very well in all rooms, with transmission to the bar and restaurant areas. The twin room of Flat 4 is directly over the restaurant.

Bar Hours are 11.00am to 11.00pm Saturday to Friday. 12.00 to 10.30pm Sunday. Residents are permitted to drink 24 hours a day but within reason, some of us have to be up in the morning! We ask that any guests who do wish to drink after hours come into the bar before closing time to avoid embarassment with the locals who are only able to drink until permitted hours.

Blind? You can still enjoy the sounds and smells of Cornwall. We have two rooms that are especially suited to the blind or partially sighted, both on the ground floor.

Brochures. A full colour brochure is available by post for those who don't have access to the Internet. You must have, but your friends might not :>) Our website contains everything in the brochure and tariff plus about 60 times more.

Budweiser used to be on sale in the bar, but as it proved conclusively that 'mericans can't brew beer, we now sell Becks and Holsten Pils <g> OK, so I gave in and we now sell Budweiser as well!

Bus Services. There are two local companies, Hambleys Coaches, and Polruan Community Community Bus, and also Western National, who operate a service to Plymouth and Liskeard. There are also coach excursions to other Cornwall resorts during the summer and a twice weekly shopping trip to Plymouth.

Beauty Treatments are provided in Looe at West Side Health and Beauty, which is located in Hannafore Point Hotel. Hairdressing services are provided by Head Case which is by the side of West Looe River opposite West Looe Square. The proprietor gets a three minute hair cut there once a month, his wife spends considerably longer at 8 times the cost!

Bridal Suite. Yes we have one, The Bridal suite is in the 14th Century part of the Inn. The room is full of character, and has 18" thick walls, and slate windowsills. There is a curious slope on the bedroom floor, there is a new double bed in the bedroom, drapes around the head of the bed, a pine headboard. There are two steps to a bathroom with a shower and toilet, and there is also lounge, and small kitchen area. The room is above the bar so there is a certain amount of noise until midnight, but it isn't normally a problem.

C 

Canadians, we like them, the ex-landlady was from Missisauga, not far from Toronto. She and Andrew met on the Internet in the summer of 1996. They were married in Canada on 12th June 1998 and left the Inn in June 2005.

Cancellations. We offer a comprehensive cancellation insurance policy for a small extra charge, arranged by a national company. We do not take 'provisional' bookings, and all bookings form a contract between the guest and the proprietor. We will always try to be fair to the guest and re-let rooms that have been cancelled in advance. If a guest fails to arrive without advance notification, the first nights accommodation becomes payable, as well as any other un-let nights.

Checking in Time. It is always difficult to predict, as it depends on a lot of things, who leaves first, and who leaves last, plus the condition of the rooms when the previous guest leaves. Saturdays in August are big changeover days, so the best is 1.00pm, and the latest is 4.00pm. In the normal scheme of things, some rooms become ready before others as the chambermaids move from room to room. They won't skimp on cleaning even if incoming guests have arrived at 7.30 a.m.! If you arrive and the room isn't ready, you can park up and enjoy the hospitality of the village. Out of the main season, rooms are usually ready by 1.00 p.m.

Cornwall is the most south-westerly part of the United Kingdom, and as it is a peninsular, benefits from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Cornwall has a very mild climate, and near the coast, snow is a very, very rare occurrence. There is much to do and see, or just relax and take in the sights, sounds, and very essence that Cornwall has to offer.

Cream especially of the clotted variety, is a hallmark of a Cornish holiday. Cornish clotted Cream, is a thick rich cream that is spread like butter, onto scones, or as an accompaniment to a dessert, wonderful. If you want to make it yourself, I have the recipe.

Cats. We had four, two of them were Cornish cats, and have thumbs, and are reputed to be witches cats, and the thumb helps them to hold on to the broomstick. In honour of this, we have a weathervane on the roof of the Inn, with a witch and a cat. Sadly Jimmie, the ginger cat died in May 2005, but Ollie, Ceefur and Sweetie now enjoy retirement and live in Canada with Andrew and Jo-Anne. Ollie still receives Christmas cards.

Characters. Polperro and the bar is full of local characters. Most are named by their first name and trade, so listen out for Tim the Fish, Harry the Sweep, Bob the Shed (sadly deceased), and Gooey (don't ask). Hopefully you will be able to understand the Cornish dialect. 

The Inn sells a really good farm cider made locally in Lerryn at Haye Farm by Colin and Rita Vincent. This cider is made with locally farmed apples, using very old and obscure Cornish apple varieties. The apples are picked by hand, chipped, and then pressed through straw in a 100 year old, hand cranked 80 ton, twin screw press. The pure apple juice is then stored in old rum, port and madeira barrels purchased from St Austell Brewery. The liquor is stored for at least 6 months, and could then ready to drink, but it is kept in the Oak or Chestnut barrels for at least 12 months. Annually they pick 100 tonnes of apples producing 60,000 litres of cider,  The three year old versions often reach 6-8% alcohol. It is a powerful brew that is deceptively easy to drink. We have seen many people drink it, decide to go to bed and collapse on the floor laughing! 

Contact. We can be contacted by e-mail, fax or telephone. When you are a guest, you can have your own temporary e-mail address at Crumplehorn Inn. All rooms have direct dial telephones, for either telephoning or access to the Internet. Calls are charged at 20 pence per metered unit.

Crumplehorn is a hamlet in its own right, separate to Polperro. Originally, it was just the farm and a slaughterhouse and a row of five small cottages with just one room downstairs and kitchen, with one bedroom upstairs. Over the years Polperro and Crumplehorn have joined up to become one village.

Children are welcome at Crumplehorn Inn. The restaurant and lounge bar area is ideally suited to families. The only prohibited areas are the bottom bar, pool table, and the table directly in front of the bar. The liquor licensing laws prohibit children under 14 being present at a bar counter.

Coffee, is available in the bar, you don't have to drink alcohol to enjoy the atmosphere in the pub.

Credit Cards. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB.

Currency in Great Britain is the pound (£), which is divided into 100 pennies. To convert your own currency to GBP: CONVERT MY CURRENCY

D 

Darts is played in the bar from October to May. The ladies play on Wednesdays, and the men play on Fridays.

Departure Time. Guests are requested to vacate their rooms by 11.00 a.m. to allow the chambermaids to prepare rooms for incoming guests. You are welcome to leave your car on our premises to pay a last visit to the village and collect last minute gifts, cider and Cornish pasties. 

Devon is only 30 minutes away, by crossing the Tamar Bridge at Saltash, or the ferry at Torpoint. A fee is payable on the journey from Cornwall to Devon, but nothing is payable from Devon to Cornwall. The capacity of the Tamar Bridge was increased in 2001 as two decks were added as outriggers to the main bridge. The trade-off in weight was achieved by replacing the main bridge decking with a new compound lightweight steel composite.

Deposit. A deposit of 25% is payable on all bookings and then confirmation is sent to the guest. For short notice bookings a credit card number is taken to ensure arrival, as the room will be held for you until the following morning at 11.00am. The Inn has invested in a secure https server for the submission of credit card numbers to the Inn. We give a greater level of security than that of major banks and financial institutions.We can also send you a digitally signed receipt.

Discounts can sometimes be given for group bookings and long stay bookings out of the main summer season.

Doctor. There is a surgery in Polperro, that is part of a clinic in Looe. An after hours, call out service is available through a service called 'Kernow Doc', who will ascertain whether a call is necessary. The chemist in Polperro provides a 24 hour prescription service on instruction from the doctor. 

Dogs can be accommodated in all but four of the rooms and apartments. There is a small charge of £5.00 per dog per night. This reflects the extra time involved in cleaning rooms to our very high standards.
.
The Inn's policy on dogs sharing guests rooms is as follows;

Guests must use their own bedding for dogs.
Dogs must be kept off our new furniture and hotel beds.
Dogs must not be left in the room unattended as experience has shown this to cause the dog to fret, and cause damage. Dogs that bark when left alone cause an unacceptable annoyance to guests in adjacent rooms.
Dogs should be kept on a lead in the hotel grounds.
Dogs are permitted in both bars, but not in the restaurant. We will lay a table in the bar for your breakfast so that your dog may accompany you.
Dustbins are provided at the bottom of the stairs for disposal of waste.
The room should be left free of pet hairs, and if there is a lot of extra cleaning required, this is chargeable. All damage caused by dogs will be charged at full replacement cost or repair.

Driving. In the UK we drive on the left-hand side of the road. On traffic roundabouts, and at Give Way signs, priority is given to traffic approaching from the right. The speed limit is 30 mph unless signs say otherwise. The speed limit on a Dual Carriageway is 60 mph, and 70 mph on a Motorway, unless illuminated signs say otherwise.

Dietary requirements can usually be catered for, and there is plenty of choice for vegetarians.

Disabled. Polperro as a village is not ideally suited to the severely disabled, as the valley is steep sided and runs downhill to the sea. The Inn has three rooms on a lower floor, but there are still steps to access the room. The rooms and bathrooms are a little tight for wheelchair access.

Deaf. No problem if you can read or lip read. We try to accommodate everyone. Unfortunately, at this time we do not use sign language.

Diesel fuel is available at Polperro Park Filling Station, which is two minutes out of the village towards Looe.

Diving. There is a Diving Centre in Looe, which can provide full instruction, equipment, to ensure the safety standards that are required by law. Falmouth, to the west of Polperro, also has a number of Diving Schools. Cornwall with its rugged coastline, and clear seas is the ideal diving location for diving on the many thousands of wrecks that litter the sea bed and are a source of many prizes. Here is an excellent source for Diving in the UK, and this one is specific to Cornwall. The Inn is close to Looe Divers, who are an acreditted full service PADI 5 star CDC dive centre to the H.M.S. SCYLLA artificial reef. 

E 

Eclipse. There was a total eclipse of the sun visible in Polperro on Wednesday 11th August 1998.A summary of what happened is covered in more detail on the 'News' page. 

Emergencies. We can not be held responsible for cancellation due to emergencies beyond our control. If you have some form of emergency, we will do our utmost to help and be sympathetic.

E-mail. Our preferred form of contact.

• bookings enquiries - reception@crumplehorn-inn.co.uk
• culinary enquiries - chef@crumplehorn-inn.co.uk
• general enquiries - office@crumplehorn-inn.co.uk
• Proprietor & direct management host@crumplehorn-inn.co.uk
• NB  all promotional and advertising e-mail must be sent to the specific address listed below  All other e-mail addresses are filtered at the server, so sales and promo data will be automatically deleted unless sent direct to sales@crumplehorn-inn.co.uk

Electricity. We apologize that this section is large, but electricity kills. We give full credit to Tom & Evelyn Moore in Limerick, Ireland, for providing this information. He has a great Bed and Breakfast establishment and very impressive Web site.

                             Electricity Supplies in Europe 

                                          Introduction

In Europe we use a voltage which is twice that of the US. It is about 240 Volts, at high amperage, and this is potentially lethal. It kills hundreds of people in Europe every year - mostly in domestic accidents, usually through mis-understanding or carelessness. And every year the list of tragedies includes some unwary visitors from North America. This page is designed to inform you about our electricity supply and to give some hints to you in using it safely during your holiday. 

DISCLAIMER: We give this page in the hope that it will make you cautious in dealing with 240 Volt systems. We are not electrical engineers and we do not have any specialist knowledge about electrical safety, so this advice is just based on our own fallible common sense. Please use your own common sense and do not suppose that our advice is ever the best. 

                                Differences versus North America

There are three main differences between the European electricity supply and that in North America. 

240 volts Firstly the voltage is twice has high. In fact it varies a little from country to country. In England it is 240 Volts, in Ireland it is 220 Volts, and in some other European countries it is 200 Volts. Appliances designed for use in one European country may be used safely in any other European country. However appliances
designed for use in North America will melt, or go on fire, or suffer irreparable internal damage if plugged into our sockets. 

Plugs & Sockets The second difference is the type of plugs and sockets used. In fact, these are designed to prevent the accidental connection of North American appliances into our sockets. As is the case with our languages, our currencies and other necessities of life, the electric sockets differ from one European country to another. They are all different, but none are anything like North American sockets! 

50 Hz The third difference is subtle and only important for appliances containing electric motors in which speed is critical (electric clocks are one example). The frequency of alternating current in North America is 60 hertz (60 cycles per second), while that in Europe is 50 hertz. This means that your North American clock will show only 50 minutes passage of time between 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm; it means that your vinyl record player will deliver a deep sounding Shirley Bassey, but give you six minutes worth for a five minute song! Running any electric motor designed for 60 Hz AC on a 50 Hz AC supply will eventually damage the motor severely.

                             Plugs and sockets in Britain and Ireland

It is also a requirement in Britain and Ireland that all appliances, no matter how small must have a three pin fused plug for connection to the mains. This plug is about 2 inches square by 1 inch thick. The fuse in the plug should be rated to suit the appliance. A 3 amp fuse is used for low power appliances such as razors and computers; a 5 amp fuse is used for appliances up to one kilowatt; and a 13 amp fuse is used for all other appliances including hair dryers, kettles and travel irons. 

There is also a 1 amp fuse, which is used in a shaver adapter - this looks like a plug but has a socket in it suitable for the US two pin plug. It should ONLY be used in conjunction with dual voltage appliances rated at 200 Watts or less, such as razors, video camera battery chargers and portable computers. 

You will not be able to put anything other than a three pin plug of the approved format into a wall socket here. The socket has an internal guard, which is opened only by inserting the correct three pin plug. The earth pin is longer that the other two and opens the guard to admit the power pins into the socket. 

Our bathrooms have a correctly designed voltage converter for the use of shavers only. We STRONGLY discourage you from using the two pin transformer type voltage converter in the UK, and we would advise you not to use it at all. 

By the way, sockets are prohibited in bathrooms apart from the specially constructed shaver socket, which will not power any appliance other than an electric razor. Even light switches are prohibited unless they are mounted high on the wall and are operated by a remote pull cord. So always look for the water immersion heater switch on the wall outside the bathroom, or in the bathroom cupboard. You will find that all light switches are by a pull cord inside the bathroom.

                                       Voltage converters

                                         220 V >>>> 110 V

There are three ways to "convert" electric voltages for the holiday maker: 

   1.The dual voltage appliance 
   2.A purpose designed electronic voltage converter 
   3.A 220 to 110 Volt Transformer 

1. Dual Voltage Appliances

There are three types of dual voltage appliance 

Ones with Automatic Sensing Transformers  Examples of this type usually have a power supply separate from the appliance itself. Examples include modern portable computers, and chargers for video camera batteries. The transformer will have a rating plate on the underside, showing 220/110_Volts and the word Automatic or Auto sensing. All you need to use one of these in Europe is a plug adapter to enable you to plug it into our sockets. 

Ones with Manual Switches Examples of these are travel appliances such as electric irons, hair dryers and other heating appliances. You MUST set the switch to 220_Volts before using the appliance in Europe. Failure to do so will at least cause a thermal cut-out to operate, and possibly damage the appliance permanently. 

Ones which can operate at either voltage There are very few such appliances. The only type I have seen are some travel kettles, and in fact these are deigned to operate at 220_Volts but will heat much more slowly at 110_Volts. Again all you need to use one of these in Europe is a plug adapter to enable you to plug it into our sockets. 

2. Electronic Voltage Converters

There are two types of electronic voltage converters: 

Low Power for Small Electronic Equipment  This type can be bought in Radio Shack and many travel stores and electronics stores for about US$15-00. They contain a small voltage transformer, and are double insulated - the body of the transformer is fully enclosed in the device, and the plug for the wall socket is either built into the body or the plug lead is permanently attached to the device. They are usually rates at a maximum of something between 6 and 35 Watts, and are suitable for use only with low power electronic appliances such as radios, personal CD or cassette players and electronic clocks. Please check the Wattage rating on your appliance and compare it with the Wattage rating of the converter. If your appliance has Wattage rating higher than that of the converter, you must not use it. Moderate Power for Small Heating Appliances  This type can be bought in Radio Shack and many travel stores and electronics stores for about US$10-100. It consists of a high voltage diode and a large heat sink all enclosed in a plastic case with two circular pins. These are rated at up to 1600 Watts and can drive any small heating appliance. They cannot be used continuously - one source suggests that one hour minimum for cooling is necessary after ten minutes in use. Some appliances with motors may behave erratically when used with this type of converter. 

3. Transformer Voltage Converters

Please take care with transformer voltage converters. If the device you want to use is similar to those which I saw in electrical/electronic stores in California recently, I ask you to consider leaving it at home for your own safety. 

The voltage converter devices, which I saw, were for two pin plugs only, and were not earthed. There were several sizes available - including 100 Watt and 300 Watt capacity. All were uncased - that is, the body of the transformer was exposed. In Europe it is a legal requirement that all appliances which are not double insulated must have an earth wire and be used with a three pin plug. These transformers did not appear to be double insulated. Unless your appliance bears a double insulation code, or has the words 'double insulated' marked on the body of the appliance, you must not use it without having it earthed. This type of converter is a crude transformer, which takes in electricity on one side and gives out voltage of half the input level on the other. If you reverse the connections it gives double the input voltage on the output side. This means that if you connect it wrongly you get 440 volts on the output side and this will blow your appliance to pieces, and possibly injure the user in the process. 

And unfortunately, the converters, which I saw, did not have any protection against reversing the connections. 

And furthermore, the arrangement of the connections made it possible for the user to have an electrically live connection in their hand while setting up the converter. All in all, a recipe for disaster. 

As a guide to acceptable transformers, the standard type of 220/110 Volt transformer used in Europe is for power tools. It weighs about 20 pounds, and is mounted in a thick heavy plastic case with a carry handle. This is definitely not suitable for holidaymakers! 

                             Surge Protection in Britain and Ireland

Surge protection of computers seems to be considered essential in North America (at least by the shops which sell the protectors). This is not the case in the UK and Ireland. For example there are about two thousand computers working off the raw mains in the place where Tom works, surge protectors protect none, except the most critical dozen computers. In the UK and Ireland we are definitely not subject to the types of surges and brownouts which appear to be commonplace in North America. 

The following two paragraphs were contributed by David L. Williams recently to a discussion on surge protection in several Internet Newsgroups: 

Most surge protectors employ a device called a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that is attached across the input power line and under normal conditions (in this case 120V) has an extremely high resistance. As the voltage increases, usually to about 150 VAC rms the resistance starts to decrease until a certain voltage is reached (perhaps 190 to 200 VAC r.m.s.) at which time the resistance falls sharply and any surge currents are diverted through the varistor. I have seen the results of a 120V surge protection circuit plugged into 220V mains. Smoke City!!! The varistors were reduced to charcoal and actually caught fire. Do Not Try This At Home ....or Europe. 

I suggest a step down transformer of the proper VA rating. These transformer can be obtained from Panel Components in Iowa (800-673-5000) or several other outlets. Your surge protector can be then plugged into the output of the transformer and perform as intended. Also, be sure to get the type of plug required for the country you are going to. The UK and Ireland use a different plug from most of the rest of Continental Europe, but even then, there is variation between Italy, Switzerland, Denmark and the rest of Europe. Do not use a voltage changer that is designed to work with hair dryers, curling irons, etc. They put out a pseudo sine wave output that is rich is harmonics and noise and drive switching power supplies, such as used in portable PC's, absolutely crazy. Severe damage can result. Lastly, in some countries, such as in Eastern and Southern Europe the voltage supply can vary and a lot of transients on it, therefore, the surge protector is more important to use there than in the good old U. S. of A. 

If you want to use a surge protector in Eastern or Southern Europe, wait until you are in Europe before buying it, and preferably do so in the country in which you intend to use it. Please take note of the warning above, regarding transformers, and we will give the last word to Judy Nicholls of http://www.4windstravel.com from Illinois who wrote in July 1998:

You can buy very inexpensively a 220-V in-cup heater in hardware stores or department stores in Europe. My husband uses rechargeable razors that are 110-220v convertible, as is our laptop, so all we need is a plug converter. Hair dryers that convert are available in a drug store in a nearby small town in the western suburbs of Chicago. Some converters are made for low power devices and some presumably for high power. I advised a friend to purchase a 110/220 V hair dryer, but she insisted her converter would work. It blew up on the first use. 

Entertainment. At certain times during the year, we have a small amount of entertainment in the bar area, while this might not suit all, it is arranged by the proprietors with their own wide interests at heart. During 10 days in June, there is the Polperro Music and Arts Festival. This is a cultural mix of music and arts, parts of it will appeal to everyone. The Crumplehorn is very involved, with entertainment of some description every day, either inside or outside. Last year, we had four Morris Men troupes, a ladies Clog Dancing Team, a stilt walker, fire eater, magician, eight sessions of folk music, and Martin the Mad Hatter, singing and changing hats to suit, as well as an exhibition by local artists inside the Inn. 

Euchre. I used to describe this as a 'Cornish game of Whist', until my Canadian wife said that she plays it back at home. The Euchre team plays on alternate Monday evenings throughout our quiet season 

Exchange your currency here: CONVERT OUR CURRENCY We can cash Sterling Travellers Cheques at no charge, and travellers cheques in a foreign currency for a small fee. 

F 

Fish. The Crumplehorn prides itself on the wide range of locally caught fresh fish that is offered to our guests. Far too many people only know 'cod and chips', or 'scampi and chips', which is a terrible shame. Once you have tried a fillet of Sea Bass, or a nice piece of poached Turbot with a sauce of prawn and cucumber, or a mackerel, grilled with slices of lemon, or perhaps a Cajun Shark steak, you will be hooked.

Fishing. Angling is excellent in Cornwall, fabulous sea fishing, fresh water reservoirs, Carp and Trout lakes. You catch it, and we may be able to cook it.

Footwear. If you wish to walk the Cornwall Coastal Path, it is best to wear proper walking boots, if it has been raining or if rain is expected, as the terrain can be slippery, and to the west has many steps. During the summer, stout training shoes will be fine. Please remove your walking boots before entering your room. 

Fax. Our fax number is 01503 273148. Or from another country 44 1503 273148. You are welcome to use this method to contact us. If you require faxes to be sent to the Inn, either before you arrive or during your stay, please ask the sender to include your name and date of arrival. 

Normal incoming faxes are printed to low resolution. If you are expecting important faxes, these can be captured by the computer, and then laser printed on plain paper. We can sent outgoing faxes to any destination world-wide.

G 

Garden. We do not have a garden as such, but we do have a seating area next to the stream, where you can sit under the shade of the trees and enjoy a pint of fine Cornish ale and a bite to eat. We also have a raised patio in front of the Mill, where you can sit and watch the world go by. 

Gardens. No trip would be complete without seeing 'The Lost Gardens of Heligan', near St Austell. I am not really into Gardens per se, but I go every year. Apart from being a garden, it is a restoration project. The house and gardens flourished around the turn of the century, and 12 of the 15 gardeners were killed in the first world war, and the gardens became somewhat neglected. The family who owned the gardens died and years later the house was sold on its own, and the gardens bequeathed to someone else. In 1994 the person who subsequently inherited the gardens went to see what he had, and found a mass of rhododendrons, and returned the following week with a friend to hack into the shrubbery, and found the walled garden, overgrown, but completely intact with all the glasshouses and tools in the tool shed! They planned a major restoration project, and found a crystal grotto, an Italian Summerhouse, and a man made ravine. Surprisingly, some of the customers in a local bar had ancestors that worked there and they found plans of the gardens. The found a spot were a path was supposed to be, and dug down through 18" of leafmould and found the path. They just rolled up the leafmould and found the paths in remarkably good condition complete with terracotta tile edging. Each year more of the features have been restored, and one of the latest is a three tiered lake complex, surrounded by exotic ferns and palms. It is a truly wonderful story, and a magical place to visit. No guest of mine has ever been disappointed. It takes about 4 hours to walk around the lot, and you are close to Mevagissey, which has a pretty harbour, and a great little antique shop. http://www.heligan.com If you stay with me, I have a guide book I can lend you in English, Dutch, or German.

Then there are the 'Great Gardens of Cornwall', some of which are owned by the National Trust, and consist of Anthony House, Caerhays, Cotehele, Glendurgan (I've been), Heligan (mentioned above) Lamorran, Lanhydroc, Trebah (I've been), Trelissick, Trengwainton, Tresco (on the Isles of Scilly), and Trewithen. The smaller gardens are not open all year.

Gas. (We call it petrol) is available at Polperro Park Filling Station, which is two minutes out of the village towards Looe.

Gay? No problem. Some of our best friends are gay. We just ask that you respect the feelings of others in our public areas. There is a hotel in the village that specializes in single sex, female bookings although the new owners may not realise it :>)

Ghosts. The Crumplehorn Inn is haunted and that's official! 

In early November 2001 the Inn was visited by The Ghost Research Foundation who did various tests using sophisticated electronic equipment including a zero lux video camera that can take video footage in virtual darkness. Many tests were done after midnight, when the bar was closed. As we were watching what the camera was seeing and recording to tape we saw small balls of light crossing the screen. The lights are called 'orbs', and an indication of manifestations. The three researchers stayed overnight in one of our apartments where unexplainable things have happened before. When they went upstairs to check on their other camera, the hall light had been turned on. When they awoke in the morning, the window in the bedroom had been opened. 

As far as the ghosts are concerned we have a few! One seems to frequent the bar, you just catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of your eye, although a few years ago my stepdaughter was working in the bar one Sunday evening and thought everyone was out of the bar. She turned the lights off, and headed for the kitchen and as she went past the door to the toilets, the door opened all the way open, (it has a spring closer and doesn't open easily). Thinking she had locked someone in, she said 'sorry, I thought every one was out', the door closed, so she went into the toilets and there was no one there. All the windows were closed and there was no wind. 

In one of the flats there is a ghost that turns on lights during the night. One guest was sitting on the end of the bed putting her make up on and saw someone go into the bathroom, she thought it was one of her children and asked if they were OK. There was no reply and when she went into the bathroom there was no one in the bathroom. One night during her stay, when she woke up, all the lights were on in the lounge, even a table standard lamp, and the lights were on in the hallway and the bathroom. One of my staff stayed there, and when she woke up, the light in the hallway was on. She thought I had done it as a prank, (I hadn't), and she didn't mention it for months, thinking I would own up! 

In August 2001, I had a very level headed gentleman called Graham who works in the IT department of the Bank of England. He has stayed here on two other occasions, and in the first week in August he stayed here with his two sons who are 16 and 20. They stayed in Flat 4 and had an enjoyable week. a week later, he stayed here with his wife in the Bridal suite which is next door to Flat 4 also in the 14th century part of the Inn. My wife asked if anything odd had happened while he stayed in Flat 4 of an unusual nature. He said 'funny you should say that'. Apparently, on one occasion, they went to bed, and when they woke up the front door was wide open and the window in the twin bedded room was open. On another morning, they woke up and all the lights were on in the lounge, hall, bathroom and toilet, even the standard lamp in the lounge. During one night, Graham woke up, alone in the double bedded room and was freezing cold and he recalled seeing his frosty breath when he breathed out. This is a week of the best weather we have had all year with high daytime temperatures, and mild nights. 

The best incident was in my own accommodation, the 16th Century mill house, I woke up one morning as it was getting light and saw someone standing in front of the mirror with a cigarette in their hand clasping their forehead as though they had a really bad headache. I thought it must be my wife and asked if she was OK, there was no answer, so I said 'Ann, are you all right', the person didn't move, so I looked to my left and Ann was in bed next to me. When I looked up the person was gone. I did actually think that it looked like a man, but thought it could only be my wife. I sat up in bed looking at the mirror and the dressing table, to see if there was anything that could have made me think there was a person there, but there wasn't anything. Ann had cancer at that time, and died about 6 months later. 

My late wife was a very psychic lady, and on a number of nights, we lay in bed and could hear what sounded like a man and a woman whispering in the loft of the Mill, and one night, the sound of a door latching, but there is no door in the loft! My wife thought it was soldier from WW1 who had deserted, and was hiding in the attic, talking to his love. He was captured returned to France, and was killed in the trenches.

The Paranormal Research Association visitied the Inn for the night in October 2004 and also found interesting anomilies.

Goonhilly, on the Lizard peninsula, houses British Telecom's International telephone routing centre. All telephone calls to the US are via Goonhilly Earth Station. It is also the home of the UK's first radio telescope, is open to the public and a very interesting place to visit. It is also very close the the legendary first trans-atlantic radio message, sent by Marconi. The grounds of Goonhilly are a site of special scientific interest (SSI), and hold much native flora and fauna, including our only poisonous snake the Adder. Do not worry though, they are extremely rare. You may see a bronze coloured snake-like creature, this is a 'Slow worm', and is harmless.

Golf is well catered for in Cornwall. There is an excellent 18 hole course at Looe, with fabulous elevated views over Looe Bay, designed by Harry Vardon There is a links course at St Austell, plus a parkland course, and a new course at Lostwithiel Golf & Country Club. For those who are very good, there is St Mellion, the home of the Dunhill Masters, and a fine course designed by Jack Nicklaus. For a full list of the 32 courses in Cornwall, click HERE.

Granite. Cornwall is famous for its granite and slate. Granite gives off a radioactive gas called Radon, and prolonged exposure in un-ventilated rooms can cause cancer. The Inn is built on slate so this does not apply. 

Guests usually return as friends. Many of our guests stay more than once per year, many return, year after year, and many, return after years. We had guests in 2004 that spent their honeymoon here 25 years ago. We had a couple who proposed marriage in the restaurant here, and now live in Polperro. Malcolm and Gail came for one week every year and have now retired to Polperro. We also have couples whom now stay here with children, which were conceived here!

Garage services are provided at Polperro Park Garage. They offer full, servicing and breakdown facilities, as well as petrol (gas), diesel, gas (propane), automatic car wash, vacuum, and tyre services. In a village where 'service' is the keyword, your car would normally be collected and delivered.

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Hairdressing services are provided by Head Case which is by the side of West Looe River opposite West Looe Square. The proprietor gets a three minute hair cut there once a month, his wife spends considerably longer at 8 times the cost!

Horsebus. The Polperro Horsebus, drawn by a magnificent Clydesdale, heavy horse, which leaves from the main car park, and takes visitors halfway to the harbour. They make a great photo opportunity. There is also a shuttle bus during the summer months, for those who don't wish to walk.

Horse Riding is catered for at St Veep Riding School
St,Veep, Lerryn, LOSTWITHIEL, Cornwall. 01208 873521
Lerryn is a pretty hamlet at the highest tidal level of the Fowey River between Boddinick, Fowey and Lostwithiel. There is a pub there on the river where you can watch the tide turn and feed the ducks, and a very good cider farm!

Hospital services are provided at Passmore Edwards Hospital in Liskeard, although Accident and Emergency services are provided at Plymouth Derriford Hospital.

Hiking in Cornwall and Devon is breathtaking, from the splendour of the Cornwall Coastal Path, to the desolation of Bodmin Moor, and the vast open spaces of Dartmoor, with remnants of the tin industry. The Inn keeps, and will loan copies of larger scale Ordnance Survey maps for Polperro, Looe, Fowey and district.

History. The history of Polperro and particularly the Crumplehorn Mill and Inn, is very interesting, and could run to many pages. There are a couple of fascinating books available from Polperro Post Office. The first is 'The History of Polperro', by Jonathan Couch, and 'The Smugglers Banker', by Jeremy Rowett Johns, which is the story of Zephaniah Job, who owned Crumplehorn Mill, and financed the fishing, and smuggling fleet. The Crumplehorn Inn and Watermill used to be a farm, although the Mill dates from the 14th Century. The Inn used to be a counting house during Elizabethan times when privateering was a legal occupation. Ships' captains could plunder Spanish and French ships legally and split the proceeds with the Crown. The Crowns part went to fund the Navy in further attacks against the French. The Queen's Treasury officer Lord Burleigh came to Polperro to 'count' the ship's cargo and take away the Crown's share. The mill's alehouse was also home to Zephaniah Job, who was know as the Smugglers Banker and even issued his own banknotes, one of which is displayed at Truro Museum.

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Itinerary. I can provide an itinerary for guests using Microsoft Autoroute Express for their journey to Crumplehorn Inn. This excellent program can tell you the shortest or fastest route, together with details of the mileage, the estimated driving time, and the cost of fuel. We now have a fully printable itinerary service provided by the AA. Please click here for details 


Inn Sign. From Jonathan Couch's 'History of Polperro'. Witches are supposed to have the power of changing their shape, and resuming it again at will. A large hare, which haunted the neighborhood around Crumplehorn had on numerous occasions baffled the hounds, or carried off unhurt incredible quantities of shot. One luckless day it crossed the path of a party of determined sportsmen, who followed it for many weary miles, and fired several rounds with the usual want of success. Before relinquishing the chase, one of them, who considered the animal as something beyond an ordinary hare suggested a trial of silver bullets, and accordingly silver coins were beaten into slugs for the purpose. The hare was seen again and fired at, and this time wounded, though not effectually as to prevent its running round the brow of the hill and disappearing among the rocks. In searching for the hare they discovered instead old Molly, reputedly a witch crouched under a shelving rock panting and flushed by a long chase and nursing a small wound. She left muttering, and from that day forward had a limp in her gait. The Inn has a two sided sign, which depicts the story. This type of sign are fairly rare in the UK.

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Journey. Take plenty of time to complete your journey, better to arrive in one piece than to rush and take risks. If you are arriving late at night, please let us know and we wait up for as long as it takes you to get here, as long as we are certain that you are coming.

Jukebox. There is a CD quality Jukebox in the bar that carries a wide range of music appealing to those in the 25 to 60 age group, and features music of the sixties, eighties, and middle of the road, dance, and pop.

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Kaolin. One of the great industries of this part of Cornwall, sometimes called 'English China Clay'. The clay is mined in Cornwall using high-powered water jets, filtered, fired in ovens and ground. The resulting, fine white powder is used in the manufacture of fine china crockery, but also in the pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The area where the clay is mined around St. Austell, and the resulting lunar landscape, has featured in many films. The clay is shipped all around the world in large bulk cargo ships, which load their cargo at Charlestown, and Fowey. 

Kernow is the Cornish Language name for Cornwall, and you will see it on the back of cars belonging to locals, together with a flag of a white cross, on a black background, called St Piran's Cross. 

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Landlord. The Landlord is me, Andrew Taylor. I was born in Birmingham, and lived in Shirley, from age 4, until leaving college in 1971. I studied at Birmingham College of Food, and attained City and Guilds qualifications in Cookery, Waiting (with credits), and The College Diploma at First Class award. I have worked in a number of hotels, in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, Droitwich, Worcestershire, and finally Stonehaven in Scotland. I then went into sports centre catering, and then management, at Dunstable Park Recreation Centre. Within the same local council authority, I was made Deputy Manager of the Queensway Civic Hall and, after a short time was promoted as the manager of The Bossard Hall in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. After staying at Crumplehorn in 1987, and falling in love with it, I have come full circle back to the kitchen! I am married to Jo-Anne, a Canadian citizen who I met on the Internet.

Lands End is the most westerly extremity of Cornwall, and has a wild and rugged coastline, responsible for many shipwrecks. 

Late-bookings are no problem to us, and in fact we take many guests off the street, who are enchanted by the sight of the Crumplehorn Inn. We are pleased to say that many guests extend their stay after spending just one night here, the record being a guest who came for a 'perhaps a couple of nights', and stayed for 20!

Looe. Our local 'postal' town. Looe is separated into two distinct parts, West Looe, (our side of the river), and East Looe, (t'other side), and there are tales of great rivalry, and people who had never crossed from one side to the other. You will notice that on each side, trades are duplicated, two bakers, butchers, grocers, and post offices! There has been a bridge between East and West Looe since the early fifteenth century. The original bridge was a fifteen arch construction, a hundred yards seaward of the present bridge, and as was common in those days housed a chapel in the centre. A violent storm, coupled with spring tides and heavy surges in the winter of 1547, damaged the bridge so badly that the local churches were forced to sell their silver plate to pay for the repairs. A few years later the chapel fell into disuse, and was later removed. By the late seventeenth century, the bridge was again in need of major repair. The town could not afford the work, and the County Magistrates, ordered the County purse to pay the bill. To record their generosity, a plaque dated 1689 can be seen in the wall of the car park on Fore Street near Boots the Chemist. The 'new' bridge, which is the subject of many postcards and photographs, was born out of the East and West Looe Harbour and Bridge Act of June 1848, authorising the Looe Commissioners to demolish the existing wooden bridge, and erect a stone one. The foundation stone was laid at 2.00pm on Tuesday 13th June 1854, by John Francis Buller, a gentleman, and town benefactor from Morval, on the outskirts of Looe, and who's name is given to the Buller Quay, and a pub of the same name. The trees alongside the river were planted in his honour, at the dedication ceremony, with much merriment, and, rowdiness. Flags flew from all the boats in the harbour.  In 1996, the bridge was extensively excavated, and strengthened to meet the new European standards for 44 tonne lorries, and was found to be still in fine order. 

Liskeard is our local 'market' town, and is just 12 miles away. There is still a livestock market once a week, and an excellent outlet for farming equipment and sundries. Liskeard also holds the administrative office of our local government authority, Caradon District Council. The West Country's main railway line, on its route from London to Penzance serves Liskeard, and at a small branch line across the road from the station, serves Looe.

Lizard Peninsula. The Lizard peninsula houses British Telecom's International telephone routing centre. All telephone calls to the US are via Goonhilly Earth Station. It is also the home of the UK's first radio telescope, and is open to the public and a very interesting place to visit. The grounds of Goonhilly are a site of special scientific interest (SSI), and hold much native flora and fauna, including our only poisonous snake the Adder. Do not worry though, they are extremely rare, and not life threatening. You may see a bronze coloured snake-like creature, this is a 'Slow worm', and is harmless. The most southerly part of the UK is at Lizard Point and a wild place it is in the winter. It is also famous for Serpentine, sometimes called, Bluejohn, a soft marble which is mined in the area and the craftsmen of Lizard point who carve it, an turn it on lathes, into interesting objects for you to take home.

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Mill. The Mill is the Landlord's private residence, and is a very interesting building retaining much of its original character. It is a modest three bedroom house, with a bathroom and an open plan, combined lounge and kitchen. The kitchen counter with its lights above is reminiscent of a bar counter, but that is not coincidental. The Mill was used as a resident's bar, in the days when the building now used as the bar was in fact four self catering flats, and the bedrooms in the Mill were used for bed and breakfast. The internal walls in the lounge are rough stone, and there is a semicircular area inside the door where the millstones were located. Half of one of the millstones, is used as a decorative feature above the fireplace, and the other half is used as a step to the top bar door.  Another stone is used as a step down to the stream, and as they are made from French granite, they are extremely hard, will not wear. The beams in the ceiling of the lounge are original, and show wear in one area, where the sacks of grain were hoisted to the upper floor to be tipped into the shute feeding the stones. Directly above this area in the loft, is the cast iron pulley, which was used to haul the sacks. It stills turns perfectly, and to one side of it is a smaller wooden pulley. The Mill is a grade two listed building, and can not be altered externally. On a recent visit to the Inn, the author, Jeremy Rowett Johns presented us with the plans of gear train for the mill workings dated 1921. The Mill was mentioned in the Domesday Book and was in use as a corn mill until the 1950's, the old wooden wheel collapsed with age. However, a similar wheel, made at the George Harris Foundry in Wadebridge, was brought from Tregonjohn Farm, near Grampound in Cornwall and carefully restored to working condition. The wheel is of the type known as 'overshot' and gives a wonderful sense of power.

Meat used at Crumplehorn Inn is purchased from Malcolm Sargent our local butcher in Looe. His produce is locally farmed, expertly butchered, and 'hung' for the correct length of time to ensure the correct flavour and tenderness. The turkeys used at Christmas time are also locally farmed and are always first class. Malcolm also makes excellent sausages and burgers, and ready prepared meat dishes, his barbecue chicken wings and spare ribs are particularly good.

Mail may be sent to guests at the Inn. Please ask senders to include your name and date of arrival, in this style, to the following address;

Miss J Madden (arriving 16 March)
Crumplehorn Inn
POLPERRO
Cornwall 
PL13 2RJ
UK (if mailing from abroad)

We also sell stamps to guests, and have a daily collection by our village postman, around 10.00 a.m.. There is also a post-box across the road with a collection at 9.30, and 4.40. We have complimentary colour postcards of Crumplehorn Inn and Mill available to our guests.

Mead is a traditional Cornish wine fermented from honey. The word honeymoon comes from the old tradition to give newly wed couples mead, to loosen the bride, and provide energy and merriment. We sell Cornish Mead wine at 14%ABV supplied by St Austell Brewery.

Mining was one of Cornwall's major industries, for tin, copper and arsenic. Poldark Mine, at Helston houses a wonderful mining museum, where you can travel deep underground and experience the arduous life that the miners had to endure. Morwelham Quay was a copper and arsenic mine, and has a train that travels through the rock, with mining tableau, illuminated along the journey. Ore and prepared arsenic from Morwelham Quay, which is the highest navigational limit of the River Tamar was transported along the river to Plymouth. Needless to say the life expectancy of an arsenic miner was not very great.

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Nightlife, what nightlife! If you want to 'go clubbing' Plymouth has many to choose from including a club for the more mature, and a great pub that does 60's discos on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Polperro is rather more sedate but does have a lot of nightly entertainment, both in and out of season, at the Blue Peter, Mill House, Ship Inn and the Noughts and Crosses. For information about Crumplehorn nightlife see ENTERTAINMENT. 

Newquay is the surfing capital of Cornwall, and hosts the British Surf Championships. It is young person's town, and you will see many colourful youngsters, whizzing around on skateboards. There are many excellent ethnic shops and restaurants, and one good night-club. There are five beaches and harbours all with different characters, and sea states. Newquay is host to the 'Run to the Sun' over the Late May Bank holiday and provides a fun weekend for owners of customised or prestige Volkswagon Beetles and Camper Vans.

New Years Eve. In a 1994 poll in The Times, people were asked where their best NYE had been spent, Looe and Polperro, came third to Trafalgar Square and Edinburgh! All of Polperro is one big party and is also a fancy dress zone on New Year's Eve, and 90% do dress up to get into the spirit of things.

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Orienteering. Plenty of scope at either Bodmin Moor, or Dartmoor. See WALKING. 

On the Bill. Guests may charge food and drinks to their room account for payment at their stay. Guests must tell staff their name, room number, and also present their room key to the staff member.

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Parking. There are 15 car parking spaces available on-site at Crumplehorn Inn for resident's use. Nine of the spaces are numbered 1 to 9 with the proprietor parked in number space No.1. Residents arriving at the Inn can park in any of the numbered spaces as they aren't allocated by room number. If the numbered spaces are filled, residents can park in the un-numbered spaces.

During the summer months, traffic is forbidden to enter the village because the roads are so narrow and twisting. A large car park is situated at the top of the village on the right hand side for the benefit of day visitors.

Patio. We have a raised patio in front of the Mill, where you can sit and watch the world go by with a nice cool drink, and a bite to eat, while listening to the waterwheel turning under the weight of water. We also have a seating area next to the stream, where you can sit under the shade of the trees and enjoy a pint of fine Cornish Ale. 

Penzance is an interesting town on the southwest coast of Cornwall, famous in name for the play 'The Pirates of Penzance'. It also has a deep water harbour, and shipyard, and in contradiction a Causeway to enable you to walk to St Michael's Mount at low tide. Penzance is the location of departure to The Isles of Scilly, either by helicopter or ferry. Visit St. Ives and Lands End on the same day as a trip to Penzance.

Pottery, is available just across the road at Crumplehorn Pottery and Gift Shop. There are many famous potters originating from Cornwall including Bernard Leach who had a studio at St Ives, and his work can be seen in The Tate Gallery in St Ives.

Payment(s) for full week bookings which are booked in advance, are payable on the day of arrival, after seeing your accommodation. Any extras such as restaurant meals and telephone calls can be made at the end of your stay. Any guests who wish to depart very early in the morning can settle their accounts the previous night. We accept all major credit cards, personal cheques up to the limit of your guarantee card, and traveller's cheques. 

Pool. We have a pool table in the lower bar, which is available for a friendly game. We are participants in the Looe and Polperro Pool League, who play at Crumplehorn Inn on alternate Sunday nights from October to May. As this is a championship table, and must be maintained to a high standard we regret that under 16's are not permitted to play on the table. 

Potable-water. Cornwall is fortunate to have reservoirs high on the moors, which provide us with a soft water supply. South West Water filter and purify this water and supply it to our taps. You can be rest assured that the water in all the taps at Crumplehorn is suitable for drinking. Water supplied to Crumplehorn Inn is metered, and we ask you to conserve water and not waste it. Cornwall does have hose-pipe restrictions if drought conditions are implemented.

Petrol (gas) is supplied at Polperro Park Garage. They offer full, servicing and breakdown facilities, as well as diesel, gas (propane), automatic car wash, vacuum, and tyre services. In a village where 'service' is the keyword, your car would normally be collected and delivered.

Pets can be accommodated in most of the rooms and apartments. There is a small charge. Guests are requested to keep their dogs under control in the public areas, keep their pets off furnishings, and clear up after them outside. We have also permitted guests to bring cats on holiday with them, and the chambermaids are very careful to ensure the cats do not escape, or if you prefer we will not enter your accommodation at all. Full information regarding dogs is listed above under 'Dogs'.

Pollen. We are fortunate in Polperro that the Pollen Count is generally a little lower than elsewhere, once again one of the benefits of being on a peninsular, coupled with clean sea air. 

Postcards. We have complimentary colour postcards of Crumplehorn Inn & Mill available to our guests.  We also sell stamps, and have a daily collection by our village postman, around 10.00 a.m.. There is also a post-box across the road with a collection at 9.30, and 4.40. 

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Quoin. These are very large stones used in the construction of buildings like Crumplehorn Inn and the Mill. You will notice one under the dart board, and these stones span from the inside of the building to the outside. Tradition dictates that when these stones are laid the mason places a coin of the realm under them. Please don't try to remove these stones!

Quoits are part of Cornwall's ancient historical standing stones, and ancient graves. 

Trethevy Quoit near Liskeard is the closest. This quoit, locally known as The Giant's House, is one of England's most impressive dolmens. The capstone is 3.7m (12 ft) long and, in its half fallen state, 4.6m (15 ft) high. There's also a natural hole that pierces its highest point. The function of this port-hole is still a mystery, but experts speculate that it was used for astronomical observations. 

Men-an-Tol is at Madron (just north of Penzance). This is a strange collection of standing stones with a circular holed stone standing between them. Apparently it was the custom to pass children through the hole in the circular stone in the belief that it would cure rickets and other diseases. The stones are an easy (no steep hills and sign posted) 15 - 20 minutes walk from the lay-by.

Lanyon Quoit, on the eastern side of the same road from Morvah to Madron mentioned above, but roughly halfway between the two. This quoit is easily seen from the road and can be visited by those with less enthusiasm for walking. It used to be possible for a man to ride on horseback beneath the capstone, but the tomb was destroyed during a storm and was re-erected in 1824, evidently a good deal lower. The remains of foundations of the mound that would originally have covered the tomb can be seen in places and give a good idea of how large the site would have been when first built.

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Rough-fishing, none of the fishing in Cornwall is rough. See Fishing.

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Satellite or Cable television is provided in the rooms, for that rainy day, or a day when you just want to relax. The selection varies, from sports to films, and other foreign selections including 24 hour news from the USA.

Sea-life is plentiful in, and around the Cornwall coast. There are excellent Sea Life Centres in both Newquay, and in Plymouth. Newquay's is overlooking Towan Beach in the heart of Newquay, you'll see over 70 species from sea horses and rays, sharks and octopus.  New for 1998 is "Fin Zone" - an undersea adventure trail. There's a full programme of feeding demonstrations and talks, a cafe and gift shop. At the 'touch pools', under supervision, your can handle certain crabs, starfish and other marine creatures. The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, is not only a public viewing facility but also a major scientific source for marine conservation and knowledge. It has one of the tallest glass viewing tanks in Europe. It was the first aquarium in the United Kingdom to be set up solely for the purpose of education, conservation and research. It remains Britain's foremost aquarium and in the four years it has been open it has attracted over one and half million visitors through its door and thousands of enquiries by letter, telephone, fax and email. 

Sea-food is where we excel, and why we are renowned for our food, and just one more reason why our guests return again and again. Locally caught fish is available on a blackboard of changing 'specials' all year round. During the summer season our bar snack menu, and blackboard features fish for those on a budget. In the off-season dishes that are a little more expensive like Sea Bass are featured.

Shipwrecks in Cornwall.

Shuttle bus. There are small electric trams, converted from old milk delivery vehicles that run from outside the Inn to the centre of the village. The journey is from the Inn to the harbour is only an 8 minute walk, but the shuttle bus will ease the journey for the tired, elderly or infirm. The Shuttle Bus runs from two weeks before Easter to the end of October, every few minutes up to 11.00pm during the summer and up until about 7.00pm either side of the main summer season. There is also a horse bus, drawn by a magnificent Clydesdale, heavy horse, which leaves from the main car park, and takes visitors halfway to the harbour.

Smoking Many of our rooms and apartments have been totally decorated, and refurbished with new carpets, and furniture. These rooms are now non-smoking. Rooms where smoking is permitted rarely smell of tobacco and are always well ventilated and freshened after each guest departs.

Smuggling. Though common in the 18th and 19th centuries in many areas of the country, smuggling is synonymous with Cornwall's past. In any study of the local history of Cornwall's coastal villages, you will consistently find references to fishing and smuggling as the chief employers of these small communities.
Smuggling centred on the south coast, ranging from Cawsand in the east, noted as a smuggling village due to its close proximity to the ready market of Plymouth, through to the small coastal villages of Lamorna and Mousehole in the far west. There was some activity on the northern coasts, though the geography and less sheltered coastline meant that trade here centred on Ireland, rather than France and mainland Europe as in the south. The hundreds of tiny inlets and shores capable of landing and, if necessary, storing contraband, as well as the fishing communities' need to supplement their poor incomes, meant smuggling was inevitable. The poorly paid farm labourers and the hard living mining communities ensured there was a constant demand for cheap goods, including tea, brandy, gin, rum and tobacco.

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Taxi Service. There is a list of Taxi operators elsewhere within the site based on the Landlord's personal experiences. The list is also displayed in the alcove in the upper bar, which is in fact in an old fireplace, the chimney of which can be seen in the old photograph taken in 1876.

Tea total? Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available in the bar. You don't have to drink alcohol to enjoy the pub.

Travel around Cornwall is very easy, and travel to Polperro by car is no longer the long, arduous drive that it used to be, in the sixties and seventies. Major improvements to the UK motorway system, and the A38 Expressway, have resulted in main arterial roads direct into Cornwall from all over the UK. Once in Cornwall, the A38 and A30, enable travel to the western-most part of Cornwall in a relaxed and stress free manner. As one American visitor commented recently, 'the main roads are fine, but if you happen to get lost, I sure wonder if these roads are really meant to be two-way'. ?

Trout. We are fortunate to have a customer who catches beautiful, large, Rainbow Trout, from Bake Lakes at Trerulefoot. Details for fishing are available in reception.

Truro, is situated halfway along the length of Cornwall and mid-way between the county's north and south coasts. The city of Truro stands in a strategic position and one that has led to its development as Cornwall's centre of administration and its more recent growth as a touring and holiday centre. Its good road and rail links put it within easy reach of almost every part of Cornwall. 

The city's natural position close to the confluence of the Truro and Fal rivers led to its early importance as both a port and a tin mining centre. As a port it was for centuries the rival of Falmouth for seafaring trade and it was, too, one of Cornwall's "stannary" towns where tin had to be brought for testing and stamping. Eventually the shipping trade was lost to Falmouth but tin and copper mining remained important until the 18th century, a period that saw Truro become Cornwall's centre of high society and home of numerous famous and wealthy people. 

In 1877, the ancient Cornish See was at last re-established with Truro as its centre. That year saw Truro become a Charter city and then three years later work began on building the cathedral, a task that lasted for thirty years. The cathedral, which incorporated part of the original parish church, was completed in 1910 having taken over 30 years, but was consecrated in 1889. The planned cloisters were never built. Half a century later, in 1967, the Chapter House was added to give the Cathedral its present appearance. The towers and spires of the cathedral is its major feature. The great central tower and spire rise to 250 feet and the western towers and spires reach 200 feet. The west front has a rose window in the gable and the porch is adorned with statues of the first three Bishops of Truro, Bishop Temple of Exeter and four of our monarchs. 

Truro has many fine and unusual shops and a Pannier Market, with plenty of off road parking.

Telephone. There is a sophisticated telephone system installed at Crumplehorn Inn, which allows guests to make telephone calls direct from their rooms. If you are using the line for access to the Internet, please remember that in the UK, local calls are not free! Calls from the rooms are charged at 20 pence per dialled unit. There is no charge for incoming calls, transferred to rooms. There is a public phone at standard British Telecom rates located over the road behind 'Millies' cafe. There is a fax service available to guests. Normal incoming faxes are printed onto thermal paper. If you are expecting important faxes, these can be captured by the computer, and then printed on plain paper. We can sent outgoing faxes to any destination world-wide.

Tin, and mining the tin, was the primary trade in Cornwall, and testimony to this trade can be seen all over Cornwall, in the remains of mine pumping and lifting equipment, and care should be taken around these workings. The Cornish beam engine, was developed by Richard Trevithick, and became a familiar sight all over the county, pumping out gallons of water daily and enabling the search for tin to go deeper than ever. Dolcoath, Queen of Cornish mines, at 550 fathoms (3300 ft.) is still one of the deepest metal mines in Britain.

In 1201, a Tinner's Charter set down the rights and considerable privileges of those engaged in the tin industry. Tinners had the right to search for tin on any un-enclosed land, as well as being exempt from ordinary laws and taxes, and from military service. In return they were subject to their 'Stannary' laws. (Stannary comes from the Latin word for tin, 'stannum') Under the Charter, Cornwall was divided into four districts, or Stannaries. Each had six Stannators who made up the Tinners' Parliament, which tried any cases relating to the industry, and each had its Coinage Town to which all tin from the district had to be taken to be weighed and taxed ('coined') before it was sold. The 'Coinage' was really a tin market, the streets piled high with gleaming and valuable ingots of tin, and was the occasion of great festivity. But it took place only twice, and later four times, a year, and such infrequent sales of their product placed the tinners under great financial strain, forcing them to borrow money in the intervals, so in 1838 it was replaced by a tax paid at the smelting house. 

Geevor Mine has a very interesting museum, as does Poldark Mine at Helston which not only houses a wonderful mining museum, but you can also travel deep underground and experience the arduous life that the miners had to endure. 

Sadly, the last working tin mine in Cornwall, in the extreme southwest of England, is to close, ending an industry that dates back centuries. South Crofty, near Camborne, the only commercial tin mine in Europe has become a victim of falling tin prices and the strong pound. 

U 

Undersea. If you fancy swimming around under the sea, there is a Diving Centre in Looe, which can provide full instruction, and equipment, to ensure the safety standards that are required by law. Falmouth, to the west of Polperro, also has a number of registered Diving Schools. Cornwall with its rugged coastline, and clear seas is the ideal diving location for diving on the many thousands of wrecks that litter the sea bed and are a source of many prizes. Here is an excellent source for Diving in the UK, and this one is specific to Cornwall. The Inn is close to Looe Divers, who are an acreditted full service PADI 5 star CDC dive centre to the H.M.S. SCYLLA artificial reef. 

V 

Village life is wonderful, and we hope that you will enjoy your time in Polperro. Please remember that we only have a few shops, so if you have specific requirements or your needs are complicated, bring them with you. You will find that the locals are very friendly, so if someone says 'Good Morning', please don't think they are mad, or have mistaken you for someone else, they are, in fact, talking to you. 

W 

Water. Cornwall is fortunate to have reservoirs high on the moors, which provide us with a soft water supply. South West Water filter and purify this water and supply it to our taps. You can be rest assured that the water in all the taps at Crumplehorn is suitable for drinking. Water supplied to Crumplehorn Inn is metered, and we ask you to conserve water and not waste it. Cornwall does have hose-pipe restrictions if drought conditions are implemented. 

Water-wheel. The Mill was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. Once a corn mill and in use until the 1950's, the old wooden wheel collapsed with age. However, a similar wheel, made at the George Harris Foundry in Wadebridge, was brought from Tregonjohn Farm, near Grampound in Cornwall and carefully restored to working condition. The wheel is of the type known as 'overshot' and gives a wonderful sense of power. Contrary to popular belief the wheel is still powered by water which is sucked up from the stream to the pump and then pushed up to the top shute where it turns the wheel by gravity and is returned back to the stream.

Walking in Cornwall and Devon is breathtaking, for the splendour of the Cornwall Coastal Path, which is easy, towards the East to Talland Bay, (40 minutes), and to Looe, (1 1/2 hours). Walking westward is a little more challenging, with its many steps, but well worth the effort, as you will see caves, blowholes, and a waterfall. Then there is the desolation of Bodmin Moor, and the vast open spaces of Dartmoor, with remnants of the tin industry at every mile. 

What's-on? Lots, check out the attractions page, there is much to see and do for children, and visitors of all ages. 

Wheelchairs. Polperro as a village is not ideally suited to the severely disabled, as the valley is steep sided and runs downhill to the sea. The Inn has three rooms on a lower floor, but there are still steps to access the room. The rooms and bathrooms are a little tight for wheelchair access. 

Wrecks (ing). Diving. There is a Diving Centre in Looe, which can provide full instruction, equipment, to ensure the safety standards that are required by law. Falmouth, to the west of Polperro, also has a number of Diving Schools. Cornwall with its rugged coastline, and clear seas is the ideal diving location for diving on the many thousands of wrecks that litter the sea bed and are a source of many prizes. Here is an excellent source for Diving in the UK, and this one is specific to Cornwall. The Inn is close to Looe Divers, who are an acreditted full service PADI 5 star CDC dive centre to the H.M.S. SCYLLA artificial reef.

Washrooms. Toilets as we call them. There are fully equipped bathrooms in all of our accommodation units, and in the Inn, as part of our continual improvement scheme, the washrooms have been completely refurbished. 

X 

Xanadu (Kublai Crockford's Palace). Difficult to deal with 'X', xcept to say that you will have an xcellent stay in an xtraodinary 16th Century Inn. 

Y 

Youth. Check out the attractions page, there is much to see and do for visitors of all ages. 

Z 

Zennor, Zelah, yes we have places that complete the A - Z.  Zennor is famous for its mining history and the legend of the mermaid, and for Zennor Quoit is a chambered tomb, built around 1600 BC, high on the moors above Iron Age field. Zennor, a tiny hamlet between St Ives and St Just, is close to the wild, rugged cliffs of Gurnards Head, where there is another Iron Age camp, and the lighthouse of Pendeen; it has its own museum and a church in which you'll find the carving of a mermaid. 

Updated 13th June 2005                                                                    (FTP1)