The Old Court House
From:
3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
Woodburner / Open Fire
Garden / Patio
Wi-Fi
Watersports
Family Friendly
At a Glance
About
Step into history and coastal charm at The Old Court House, a beautifully restored Cornish cottage just steps from the beach in the heart of St Mawes. Sleeping up to eight guests, this characterful three-bedroom holiday home blends centuries of heritage with stylish modern comfort, offering a truly special escape on the Roseland Peninsula. With whitewashed stone walls, a pretty flowering garden and sea views from almost every window, it's the kind of place that instantly slows you down.
Gallery
Facilities
High-quality bed linen and towels are provided at all Pure Cornwall properties. Where a cot is supplied, guests are kindly asked to bring their own cot bedding.
Facilities
- Bedrooms: Three bedrooms with large windows and lovely sea views, sleeping up to eight guests.
- Bathrooms: Family Bathroom with a deep bathtub for long, relaxing soaks, plus ensuite shower room. There’s also a downstairs WC.
- Living spaces: Two sitting rooms: a main lounge with a large stone fireplace plus a separate snug with TV.
- Kitchen: Fully equipped self-catering kitchen with quality appliances and crockery.
- Dining: Peaceful dining room with table, plus the option to eat outside in the garden.
- Outdoors: Flowering garden with outdoor dining and comfy loungers for sunbathing and sundowners.
Location
Location is approximate
Activities
Picturesque St Mawes (from the Celtic St Maudez) sits on Cornwall’s beautiful Roseland Peninsula, opposite Falmouth, and it’s a brilliant base for a luxury holiday in Cornwall — though you’ll really want a car to explore properly. Often dubbed one of the “hippest” places in Cornwall (and beyond), this compact fishing village is wrapped by gentle hills and the sea, with a strong community spirit centred around the harbour and waterfront. Expect cobbled, narrow streets, a lovely arcade of independent shops and galleries, and plenty of places to linger over the sea air and seriously good seafood.
For food, St Mawes punches well above its size. The Watch House is great for harbourside fish and chips or moules (and becomes a smart restaurant in the evening), while the wider village is packed with seafood-forward menus. For a proper foodie adventure, head to The Hidden Hut above Porthcurnick Beach for feast nights and “bring your own” events, and for something sweet down on the harbour try Fudge and More. You can even make lunch an outing with a boat trip along the Fal, or try a culinary cruise on Tethra.
There’s plenty to do beyond eating (though no judgement if that’s your main sport). St Mawes is gloriously pretty, looking out over the Fal with steep lanes down to the harbour, pastel cottages and some seriously smart coastal homes. The ferry to Falmouth is a favourite for browsing independent shops and galleries before returning to the calm of St Mawes.
Families are well catered for: try a fishing trip aboard the Madeline Rose, burn energy at St Mawes Recreation Ground (skate/scooter ramp), or enjoy the ferry commentary en route to Falmouth. Watersports here lean more to kayaking, boating and stand-up paddleboarding than surfing — and you can hire with St Mawes Sit on Kayaks.
Art lovers can browse The Square Gallery in the arcade by the main car park, plus nearby Veryan Galleries, The New Gallery, Portscatho and Spindrift, Portscatho. Beaches are small and rugged rather than long sandy stretches: Tavern Beach is great for rock pooling (steep in places; no dogs in summer and no lifeguards), while Summers Beach is larger, south-west facing, and has rock pools plus a floating platform kids love (also no summer dogs and no lifeguards).
Rainy day? Try The Hidden Cinema, or hop over to Falmouth for the Maritime Museum. For something different, visit Lamorran House Garden for its lush planting and sea views, or explore St Mawes Castle, one of Henry VIII’s best-preserved coastal fortresses. Walkers can follow the coast path to St Just Church (around 45 minutes, fairly level), tackle the St Just to St Mawes circular (about 6 miles), or head out on the St Anthony Head walk (National Trust) for big Carrick Roads views.
Our editor’s journal shares more favourite ways to spend your time in Cornwall. Read more, here.
