Mousehole

Mousehole (pronounced Mowzel) is a tiny fishing village in West Cornwall. Its narrow, winding streets and beautiful harbour are full of charm (but a nightmare to drive around!) and it is easy to see why Dylan Thomas declared Mousehole, where he spent his honeymoon, to be ‘the loveliest village in England’. Sitting within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is picture-postcard picturesque and a delightful place to spend some time.

There are things to notice round every corner. A plaque on the wall of the Ship Inn stands as a memorial to Charles Greenhaugh, a previous landlord of the pub, who was lost along with the rest of the crew of the Solomon Browne lifeboat whilst on a rescue mission. Another marks the house where Dolly Pentreath, possibly the last Cornish speaker, is thought to have lived. The village is host to a number of festivals and celebrations.

One of these is Tom Bawcock’s Eve. This annual festival, held on the 23rd December, celebrates this local fisherman who braved a ferocious storm to catch enough fish to feed the starving villagers. Seven types of fish were caught and on his return, these were baked into a pie with the heads of the fish poking through the crust- known as Stargazy pie, now a key part of the festivities along with a lantern parade . These events are the basis of Antonia Barber’s wonderful book, ‘The Mousehole Cat’ which is full of stunning illustrations by Nicola Bayley.

In Barber’s retelling , Tom is joined by his black and white cat, Mowzer, who sails out with him into the storm which is represented by the great Storm-Cat. Mowzer soothes the giant cat by singing to him, allowing Tom to safely bring his catch home to the people of Mousehole.

Scenes of the harbour are easily recognisable in Nicola’s exceptional illustrations, adding to the joy of a wander along the sea wall. First published in 1991, the book remains a perennial favourite in schools for good reason. Not only is it beautifully illustrated, the text is lyrical, capturing this old legend for everyone to enjoy. It was lovely to see this book widely available in bookshops across Cornwall.

The Mousehole Cat

Antonia Barber, illustrated by Nicola Bayley

Walker Books ISBN: 978-1406390902