The pretty and unspoilt twin villages of Cawsand and Kingsand are famed in Cornwall for their fishing and smuggling history. Situated on the most south easterly peninsular in Cornwall, the Rame peninsular remains one of Cornwall's most unspoilt coastal areas. It is also rich in Cornish history. Cottages cluttered together and  built partly from old ships timbers hang on the rocks that form tiny coves and inlets around the village.

Early smuggling in the mid 1700s was notoriously dangerous. Ten oared rowing boats would leave the Cawsand beaches to row the near on 70 miles to France to pick up their contraband. Some sail might have helped them on their way but it was their brawn that they needed to rely upon to guarantee them their return home.

As the trade became more lucrative, so too did the investment in faster and bigger sailing boats. Larger village cottages were built reflecting the increased prosperity brought by the illegal trade in contraband goods, mostly ankers of French spirits. Conflicts with the Excisemen were many and often bloody and by the end of the 1800s smuggling had been almost eradicated from the villages leaving behind  the memories passed down to the chosen few of the families involved.

Girt Beach Cottage is a former smugglers’ and fishermen’s cottage with much character. The owners are direct descendants of the Cawsand smuggling and fishing families of the 1700s and 1800s. The cottage is littered with copies of old records, pictures and information about the era for the interest of our guests.