Mawnan Smith

Mawnan Smith is a village about 3 miles southwest of Falmouth, sitting on high ground between the Helford River and Falmouth Bay. The medieval church of St Mawnan stands in a churchyard overlooking the mouth of the Helford River, surrounded by ancient trees. The village has the Red Lion pub, a village store, and a community hall. The surrounding lanes are lined with subtropical planting that thrives in the mild climate.

Trebah and Glendurgan - two of Cornwall’s most important gardens - are both within the parish. Trebah is a privately owned 26-acre ravine garden with giant tree ferns, rhododendrons, and a beach on the Helford. Glendurgan, owned by the National Trust, has a celebrated laurel maze and runs down its own valley to Durgan, a tiny hamlet on the river. Both gardens are at their best from March to June but have interest year-round.

The coast path runs through the parish, linking Maenporth beach (about a mile east) to Helford Passage (about a mile south). Maenporth is a sheltered sandy beach with a cafe. Falmouth, with its maritime museum, Pendennis Castle, and high street shops, is a short drive or bus ride east. Mawnan Smith offers a village setting with good walking, gardens, and beaches within a compact area, and properties here tend to have larger plots than those in Falmouth itself.