Lansallos

Lansallos is a small coastal parish on Cornwall’s south coast, set between Polperro and Fowey. The village sits above the cliffs in farming country, with narrow lanes dropping down to the shore. Lansallos appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Lansalhas,” and the parish includes the hamlets of Landaviddy and Raphael.

The parish church of St Ildierna dates to the 15th century and has a six-bay nave with north and south aisles, a south porch, and a west tower. The name Lansallos itself comes from a monastery once dedicated to St Salwys. The area has old connections to smuggling - the secluded coves and wooded valleys along this stretch of coast made it well suited to the trade.

A National Trust circular walk from the village follows the South West Coast Path along the clifftops, with views across to Looe Island and the south-east Cornwall coastline. Lansallos Beach, reached by a steep path through woodland, is a quiet sand and shingle cove that rarely gets crowded even in summer. Polperro is around 2 miles to the east along the coast path, and Fowey is a similar distance to the west. Both towns have harbourside pubs, restaurants, and boat trips. The parish sits within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the combination of coastal walking, sheltered coves, and low-key rural surroundings gives it a distinctly unspoilt feel.