Charlestown is a complete Georgian harbour town built in 1791 by Charles Rashleigh to export the china clay mined inland around St Austell. The entire village — the harbour, the warehouses, the inn, the workers' cottages — is a single coherent architectural commission and is listed as an outstanding example of industrial heritage. The dock itself is remarkably well-preserved and still operational.
What makes Charlestown genuinely extraordinary in the 21st century is that the harbour's square rigged tall ships are still here — used as film and television locations so regularly that you'll recognise the dock from Poldark, Outlander, Doctor Who, and dozens of period productions. When the ships are in port, the harbour looks precisely as it did in 1800.
There is a Shipwreck Rescue and Heritage Centre telling the story of salvage and rescue in Cornwall waters. The beach at the base of the cliffs (accessed via the harbour) is small but sheltered and rarely busy. The Rashleigh Arms on the harbourfront is the right place for lunch.
The locals say
“Come in the early morning when the tall ships are lit by low sun and the harbour is quiet. The light between 7 and 9am is the same light that appears in every period drama filmed here.”
Getting there
Follow signs from the A390 between St Austell and Truro. There is a large (free) car park at the top of the hill above the harbour — the village is a 5-minute walk down the slope.
Best time to visit
Year-round — the drama of the harbour doesn't depend on sunshine. The ships are usually in dock from October to March.
