Between Gorran Haven and Dodman Point there is a deep, sweeping curve of beach. It is a beach strewn with ‘treasures’ – the tides bring in driftwood, scoured by sea and sand, bleached white as bone. There are shells of course, tiny cowries if you are lucky, and the remains of crabs, shining sharp orange, a sign of some ravenous offshore creature of the deep perhaps. The seaweed fans out on the pale quartzy shingle in impossibly bright shades of neon pink and green. To me these little things are all pocket treasures that make the walk to this isolated shore worthwhile but what other stories does Vault Beach have to tell us?
That is what I set out to discover.
“Vault was not a sandy beach. The water runs like coloured light over shelly shingle through which the waves are sucked in stormy weather with a wild music never rendered in words . . .” – Anne Treneer, Schoolhouse in the Wind, 1944
Why Vault Beach?
Like so many places in Cornwall Vault Beach has two names, it is also known as Bow Beach because of it arching shape. However, its more common name has darker connotations, as you might expect for this tumultuous stretch of the coast, with ‘vault’ in this instance referencing a tomb or burial chamber.
Dodman Point, often also called Deadman, at the beach’s most westerly flank, was once a notorious hazard to shipping. In turn Vault Beach is said to have gained its ominous name because the bodies of those who were shipwrecked near the headland would often surface on the sands of this sweeping cove. The currents would deposit them, again and again, on this beach.
Anne Treneer, who grew up in Gorran Haven and wrote a memoir of her childhood here, describes how the children were somehow frightened of the Dodman and never played there and that she felt that Vault Beach “kept its memory of storms” stored up in its sands. She writes:
“Deadman and Vault; the names were permanent reminders of shipwreck and distress . . .” – Anne Treneer, Schoolhouse in the Wind, 1944
Legends of the Armada
Beyond the notorious reputation of the Dodman, the newspapers of the 19th century also record several wrecks that occurred on Vault Beach itself, including the Memel in February 1834 and the Victorine in March 1881. But one of the strangest stories connected to Vault Beach are the rumours associated with Spanish Armada.
While it is common knowledge that the enemy fleet was spotted all along Cornwall’s south coast on 29th July 1588, triggering a chain of beacons to be lit warning of their arrival, there are some stranger less verifiable claims too. There are various local legends associated with these momentous events, not least the tale of the Falmouth fishermen who had a close encounter with the fleet and that the wooden beams in the Jolly Sailor pub in Looe are from an Armada ship.
But for some reason there is also a story that either the Armada was anchored off Vault Beach for some reason or that one of the enemy ships was wrecked there and a number of drowned Spanish sailors were laid to rest above the beach.
“One of the ships engaged with the Spanish Armada ran aground there and it is believed that those who were drowned were buried there” – Western Morning News, 4th June, 1931
There is no evidence of this story actually being based in anything more than legend and some local fancy as far as I have been able to establish, we do known that there was a lot of confusion at sea, stories that the flagship of the Andalusian squadron, commanded by Pedro de Valdés, collided with another Spanish vessel and suffered severe damage during the initial skirmishes. It is said that Sir Francis Drake, of the Revenge, captured the disabled galleon just off the coast of Devon . . . There is also a legend that a damaged Spanish ship limped into Looe, hence the salvaged timbers. Whether any of this is true I can’t honestly say.
But what is true is that it is very likely that the Armada was spotted by people watching from this stretch of coast, Dodman or Vault Beach perhaps, and that, throughout history, any bodies that were washed up on the coast would have been buried in the nearest patch of dry land, as was the tradition until the law was changed by the Gryll’s Act or the Burial of Drowned Persons Act in 1808.
In the All Together
About half way down Vault Beach is a large boulder, high above the tideline, that is painted with a white cross.
In recent years this cross has been adapted to represent the St Piran’s flag but, just as a little word of warning, this symbol was placed there for an all together different reason than natinal patriotism! That end of Vault Beach, the western end, the furthest from where the track descends on to the sand, has long been a nudist beach.
In fact, this is one of the earliest known naturist beaches in Cornwall, becoming designated as such for around last 50 years or so. The arrival of these free spirited folk was reported in the local papers in April 1975.
The Steamer Mishap
In June 1931 there was a very rare occurrence reported in the newspapers – a maritime mishap that was “a thrill” for those onboard rather than a catastrophic disaster!
A passenger steamer, the Queen of the Fal, was making her way from Falmouth to Mevagissey, Fowey and Looe in thick fog when she ran aground on Vault Beach. According to the papers, the captain had spotted his error at the last moment and put the engines into reverse but it was too late and the steamer hit the beach with “a bump”.
None of the roughly 30 passengers on board were hurt and the sea was like a mill pool, meaning that they could just sit there and relax until a lifeboat and tug arrived to try and pull them off the beach. According to the papers even the lady passengers didn’t panic!
While they waited for rescue several of the daytrippers set off on foot to Gorran Haven in search of refreshments. Those with cameras took pictures of the stranded vessel, I wonder if any survive, and after a few failed attempts to re-float her it was just a case of waiting for the tide to come in so that they could continue on their journey.
This has to be one of the most sedate ‘shipwrecks’ I have ever come across!
Lamledra House
The whole headland between Vault Beach and Gorran Haven is called Lamledra. It has had that name since at least 1617 and, according to Craig Weatherhill, Lamledra translates from Cornish as ‘leap cliff’. It is unclear exactly what this name refers to, although Bodrugan’s Leap is just a little further along the coast, which of course has a dramatic story of its own.
As you would expect, this coastline is dotted with archaeological remains, from Bronze Age Barrows to forgotten quarries. The track that you follow down to Vault beach is what remains of a Medieval Sanding Way, that is a track used by carts to go down on to the beach and collect sand and seaweed to spread on the fields. The sharp eyed might spot the ancient cart ruts carved into the rock just above the beach.
But the most obvious feature on the little headland today is Lamledra House. Built in 1911 it was owned by Sir John Fischer Williams and his wife Marjorie and it is where they raised their four daughters. Williams was a Liberal, a highly respected international lawyer and from 1920 to 1930 he worked in Paris on the Reparations Commission which was set up to determine the compensations due after the carnage of World War I.
It seems that Lamledra became the family’s favourite retreat and a collection of Marjorie’s letters written from the house was compiled and published by Cassandra Phillips in 2007, giving a fascinating insight into wartime Cornwall.
“The great excitement of today is a huge whale which is lurching about in the Bay, turning over and over in the hot sun. I saw him first at lunchtime and he has been there ever since. When he rises the sun catches his back and he shines like a great looking glass . . .” – Marjorie Williams – 21st April 1914 (from Letters from Lamledra, 1914 – 1918, 2007)
Final Thoughts
Vault Beach is very much an off-the-beaten-track location, it takes some effort to get here, whichever way you choose to do it (see below), but it is hard to beat as a peaceful alternative for swimming (be aware there are no lifeguards here) and picnicking away from the bustle of other south coast beaches.
Like so many places in Cornwall it feels timeless on those sands, standing there you get the impression that you could just as easily look up and see the Armada passing on the horizon or that unfortunate steamer heading for the shore. Or, if you are really lucky, the shimmering, glossy back of a whale . . .
Visiting Vault Beach
There are a several ways to reach Vault Beach, the walk from Gorran Haven along the coastal path is always spectacular and takes about 30 to 40 mins depending on your pace. You can also park at the National Trust carpark just above the beach (PL26 6JS) and walk down from there, following that medieval track.
Alternatively you could park at the car park for Dodman (PL26 6NY) and combine your walk to the beach with a visit to this impressive headland!
Whatever you decide, always remember to check the tide times!
Further Reading
For an truly detailed study of Dodman, Vault and Lamledra the Historic Environment Service produced an Archaeological Survey, ‘The Dodman and St Austell Bay’, written by Cathy Parkes in 2008, a copy is available to borrow from Cornwall Council Library Service.