Constantine

Constantine is a village about 5 miles southwest of Falmouth, set on a ridge above the Helford River. The village has a Norman church (St Constantine), a primary school, the Tolmen Centre community arts venue, and the Queen’s Arms pub. Constantine Stores serves as the village shop. The surrounding landscape is a patchwork of farms, woodland, and the wooded creeks that feed into the Helford River below.

The village takes its name from Constantine of Cornwall, a 6th-century local saint. Polwheveral Creek and Port Navas, two inlets of the Helford, lie below the village and are accessible by footpath through the woods. Port Navas has a yacht club and was historically known for its oyster beds. The area is peaceful and rural, with narrow lanes and limited through traffic.

Constantine works as a countryside base for visiting the Helford River area, Trebah and Glendurgan gardens (about 2 miles east), and Falmouth (15 minutes by car). The Helford River is navigable by kayak and small boat, and the creeks are popular with birdwatchers. Gweek, at the head of the Helford, is about 3 miles south and home to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. Holiday properties in the parish tend to be rural conversions in quiet settings.