Travel: Celebrating an evil giant's failed love story in Cornwall

Tucked away on the craggy north coast along the Atlantic Ocean is Cornwall’s best kept secret: St Agnes.

Situated along the protected St Agnes Heritage Coast, the village is the veritable essence of rural Cornwall, a ceremonial county on England’s rugged southwestern tip that encompasses wild moorland and hundreds of gorgeous beaches. Cornwall is known for its many picture-perfect fishing villages, and St Agnes is as charming as they come. Rolling hills laden with gorse and heather lead to a scattering of stone cottages, their slate roofs weathered by salt and wind. Narrow lanes wind through the heart of the village, past stone cottages, cosy cafés, art galleries, and indie shops.

I stop at St Agnes Bakery, hunkering down with a buttered slice of Cornish Hevva Cake (heavy cake that’s light as a feather!) and a cup of coffee to learn more about the history of the village. “Evidence of human settlement near St Agnes dates back 7,000 years. The region has a rich mining heritage, focused on tin, copper, and arsenic. It also grew on the back of fishing and seafaring trade,” says Sarah Hudson, proprietor of the bakery.

The village was originally called Bryanick, a Cornish word that translates to “pointed hill”, presumably a reference to St Agnes Beacon, the hill that looms high over the village and the coast.

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Hudson says the present name comes from an interesting local legend. “A mighty giant named Bolster was known for his reign of terror in the region; he frightened the villagers and ate their children and sheep. But things changed when he fell in love with a beautiful young woman called Agnes and wanted to marry her—despite being a married man,” she says.

Agnes, a girl who had her wits about her, decided to use the opportunity to free her village from the giant’s tyranny. She asked Bolster to prove his love by filling a hole in the rocks by Chapel Porth, a wild and rocky beach, with his blood. “Bolster didn’t know that the pit opened to the sea, and that even if all the blood drained out of his body it wouldn’t be enough. He died in the attempt to prove his love and Agnes was hailed as a heroine. The village ultimately ended up taking her name,” Hudson says.

In a macabre twist, the cliffs at St Agnes are said to be stained with Bolster’s blood to this day. “On really sunny days, a red tinge can be seen, but that’s most likely on account of the village’s mining heritage,” says Jenna Reid, the woman at the till at Cornish Farm Shop.

St Agnes hasn’t forgotten Bolster the Giant. Every year, on the Sunday of May Day weekend, villagers re-enact the legend with a procession of the giant and all the characters from the story through the village.

“The annual event has been held for 20 years now and brings back how Agnes saved our village from a tyrannical giant. The re-enactment is set to song and dance and is a community celebration, one that the village looks forward to all year round,” Reid says.

Apart from the legend of Bolster the Giant, St Agnes—affectionately called Aggie—has much going for it.

Located about 16km southwest of Newquay, it is surrounded by history and heritage—from the Bronze Age burial sites on St Agnes Beacon to Wheal Coates, the Instagrammable ruins of one of Cornwall’s most iconic mining heritage sites.

The ancient parish church rises tall at the heart of the village, with its tower being a steadfast landmark against the vivid backdrop of the sea and sky. Not far, a historical row of nine Grade II listed 18th century cottages, charmingly named Stippy Stappy, lead to a wooded valley that runs down to Trevaunance Cove, surrounded by wild and rugged cliffs.

I walk over to St Agnes Hotel, located in the middle of the village and established aeons ago by a mining company for its workers. At Aggie, the vibrant in-house pub, I learn why the village and its sights seem so familiar. It’s Poldark country!

“St Agnes played a huge role in Winston Graham’s Poldark series of novels. Graham moved to nearby Perranporth when he was 17 years old and wrote his 13 novels while he lived there, finding inspiration in the landscape and characters around him,” says Jory Trethowan, the server at the pub.

It may be a set-jetting location now, but over centuries, mining shaped the landscape and economy of St Agnes. The ruins of the mines, the harbour where coal was received and ore was shipped, and the stately houses of the mine owners tell the story of the village’s past. The tiny St Agnes Museum spotlights the region’s mining and maritime history.

The sleepy village also offers a variety of coastal, valley, and inland walks.

Early one morning, I find myself walking towards St Agnes Head, perched above the Atlantic Ocean on the clifftops. A network of footpaths showcases a variety of terrain and striking sea views. The South West Coast Path runs around the head and down to a coastguard lookout station. After the sun sets, the designated Dark Sky Discovery Site offers outstanding stargazing opportunities.

I walk away from Chapel Porth Beach Café, enjoying the most popular item on the menu: an “iced hedgehog”, a signature ice cream topped with clotted cream and coated with honey-roasted hazelnuts to resemble the spiny animal.

As evening falls on the beach, the world softens into a wash of colour and sound. St Agnes, with its dramatic cliffs, golden beaches, and winding lanes, isn’t for everyone. But it’s just right for those seeking slow soulful travel. Be it beautiful walks along the shore, the thrill of exploring hidden coves, the joy of browsing indie shops, or simply looking for stars in the night sky, St Agnes has a way of making you feel far away and yet warmly at home.

Teja Lele writes on travel and lifestyle.

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