King Harry Ferry

It is likely that there has been a ferry of some description at the King Harry Passage for centuries, but there are conflicting stories about the origins of the name. One such story is that King Henry VIII spent his honeymoon with Anne Boleyn at St Mawes, and signed a charter for the ferry on this site. A more likely origin lies in the fact that a small chapel formerly stood on the Philleigh side of the passage. All that remains of this today is a small pile of stones, but is mentioned in 1528 as "The Chapel of St. Mary and King Henry", commemorating King Henry VI, murdered in 1471. In the 19th century, the ferry was operated by broad beamed rowing boats which had planks laid sideways…

The crossing of the River Fal has been voted one of the ten most scenic ferry trips in the world by The Independent, alongside the Staten Island Ferry in New York and the Star Ferry in Hong Kong. The Feock terminal of the ferry is adjacent to the renowned Trelissick house and garden. A toll is charged for vehicular use of the ferry; a charitable donation is invited from pedestrians. Local people purchase concession tickets to keep the price low. If the ferry is not operating, the alternative is a 26 mi detour via the city of Truro.