Mullion, Cornwall Totally Explained

Everything about Mullion Cornwall totally explained

Mullion (Cornish: Eglosvelyan) is a village, civil parish and small fishing harbour in the Kerrier district of Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom, situated on the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula. The parish encompasses the Churchtown (now known simply as Mullion) and four smaller settlements, Mullion Cove and Predannack to the southwest, and Trewoon and Meaver to the east. The parish also encompasses a small uninhabited island approximately half a mile offshore from Mullion Cove, home to large colonies of seabirds and owned by the National Trust. Mullion is bordered by the parishes of Gunwalloe and Cury to the north, Grade-Ruan to the east, Landewednack to the south, and by the sea to the west. The village is approximately six miles south of the town of Helston, and is reached by the A3083 Helston to Lizard road.
The parish is located within the Lizard Peninsula region of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and includes two designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within the parish boundary, 'West Lizard SSSI' and 'Mullion Cliff to Predannack Cliff SSSI'. In addition most of the Lizard National Nature Reserve (NNR) falls within the parish boundary. The parish is also important historically, with evidence of prehistoric burial mounds, celtic crosses and ancient chapel sites, and in more recent times evidence of copper and china clay mining and a World War II airfield at Predannack. Today Mullion is the largest village on the Lizard Peninsula and is an important centre for local services and amenities as well as a popular tourist destination.

Geography

The parish comprises of land, 8 acres of water and 55 acres of foreshore . The main village of Mullion is situated in the north of the parish, approximately 65 metres above sea level and about inland of the coast which is to its west. The village sits at the end of two river valleys which run southwest from the village, descending steeply to meet the sea at Polurrian Cove and Mullion Cove. North of the village is a third river valley descending west to east and meeting the sea at Poldhu Cove. This river defines the boundary between Mullion and the neighbouring parish of Gunwalloe. The geology of this part of the parish consists mainly of Hornblende Schists, only changing to Slate north of Poldhu Cove. The land around the village and on the upper slopes of the river valleys is mostly fertile land cultivated for arable crops and livestock grazing. The small hamlets of Trewoon and Meaver are situated about half a mile to the east of Mullion village. To the south of the village the land gently rises up and levels out into a plateau at a height of around 85 metres above sea level. In contrast to the northern part of the parish this area remains as natural heathland, the growth of which is encouraged by the change in geology south of Mullion Cove to Magnesium rich Serpentine rock. This area is called Predannack Downs, and is part of the Lizard National Nature Reserve. In the centre of Predannack Downs lies the former World War 2 Predannack Airfield, now a satellite of nearby RNAS Culdrose . The southern extent of the parish is marked by a steep and narrow river valley cut into the downs, meeting the sea at Kynance Cove. The coastline along the edge of the Downs between Kynance Cove and Mullion Cove consists of high dramatic sheer cliffs with the exception of a deep narrow cleft cut into the Downs at Gew-graze, also known as Soapy Cove. This cove is named after Soapstone, a type of Serpentine rock found around the cove which was quarried near here in the 1700s.

Etymology

The parish name has evolved over the years, with references in the parish records to St Mullyon, St Mullian, Mullian, Mullyan, Mulion, Mullyon and St Mullion. In the Valor Ecclesiasticus carried out in 1535 the village name is recorded as Melyan.
The parish takes its name from Saint Melaine, the Breton Bishop of Rennes who supposedly took office in 519. He was a man of many aliases including the Latin version, Saint Melanius. Reference to early publications and the 1908 Ordnance Survey maps show that the parish church was actually known as St Melan's until at least the start of the 20th Century..
In the late 19th century, Edmund Harvey, Vicar of Mullion, proposed that the parish took its name from 'Mellon' which he believed was an alias of Saint Malo. Saint Malo was a Welshman who moved to Brittany (possibly with his cousin, Saint Samson) where he became Bishop of Aleth (the region now called Saint-Malo) around AD 541. Harvey's ideas have since been discredited. However, an area near one of the ancient chapel sites was known as St Malo's Moor at the time of Reverend Harvey, and nearby were two fields known as Sampson's Crofts.

Famous residents

James Erisey was born at Erisey House near Mullion. He was a famous British privateer.
Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Wellum DFC was a British fighter ace from 1939 to 1961 and now internationally known author.

Further Information

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