"Mousehole" a Mousehole Travel Page by angelis

The little fishing village of Mousehole lies just around the point from Newlyn. The harbour is tiny and the small sandy area at the far side provides safe swimming for the little ones. It becomes quite crowded during the summer months.

Mousehole is protected by St Clements Isle, a long, low ridge of rocks, just offshore, where a hermit is supposed to have maintained a guiding light. The village was originally called Porth Enys - Port of the Island - probably in reference to the rocks.
There is some arguement over Mouseholes' name. Does it refer to the large foreshore cove or to the tiny harbour itself, both of which resemble a mousehole? Others say it derives form the Cornish "maew" meaning gull and "holh" meaning basin, which, having been deafened by the seagulls, I could well believe.
One local man I have spoken to says the name was originally that of the stream that runs into the harbour and the village was named after it. I am still trying to find someone else who agrees with this theory although a second translation from Cornish is stated as Moeshayle or "at the mouth of the river of woman, which ties in with the old guys explanation.

A view of Mousehole beach taken outside the little harbour. The winter that we moved to Newlyn the most incredible storm blew up and raged for three days. A boat mistook St Clements Isle for Newlyn Harbour and was wrecked here, her broken hull lay on these rocks for several months until further storms washed them away.