As the days have brought with them an amazing blue palette and the scents of summer lift on the breeze, there is enough to tempt visitors from all over to come to Cornwall. Our little hidden destination here at Lower Barns offers the peace and tranquillity of a summer meadow, and is just a couple of miles away from as many sea and sky tones as you can imagine.

With boutique elopement weddings and special occasions filling up the summer calendar, you could say here at Lower Barns we love a good party! It’s just as well because the Cornish sure know how to throw one. This month sees the start of Mevagissey’s annual Feast Week on the 28^th of June. With a classic, local festival vibe, this celebrates the very heart of Cornwall: its fish and seafood.

Any glance at our luxury boutique accommodation will tell you that we love bright colours, and how they reflect the impressive palette nature offers in Cornwall, so Mevagissey Feast Week is an ideal time of year to be at Lower Barns.

A little Cornish history

A celebration has always happened in Mevagissey, aside from the day to day drink ups that keep the pubs busy, and the main one used to be held in December. However, due to the cold water fish enjoying Cornwall during this season, it became a busy time for the many fishermen that have always called Mevagissey home. So in 1752, the same year that England adopted the Gregorian calendar we use today, the village decided to award their love and respect for all fishermen and celebrate the feast of St. Peter on June the 29^th. Miners were often laid off during the summer months too, so this was a good time for a feast.

At this time, the rest of England was very wealthy and so people would celebrate lavish feasts, as meat had become more accessible due to foreign trade routes being strong. However Cornwall was still impoverished in some places, so smuggling was rife, and made for a good wage when toiling tin was out of season. Making money from exporting tin, people would have made use of the fine provenance of the area then, as we still do today, but lubricated the festival with alcohol brought from France.

Feast Week in 2015

Primarily a purely religious festival, St. Peter’s Feast is still celebrated as such around the world; particularly in Catholic countries such as Italy and Spain. However, here in Cornwall in 2015, the atmosphere is inclusive and reflects more a carnival than anything adhering to any religion. Including a bright and colourful boat parade, floats and rafts are decorated within the harbour itself, whilst music and dancing takes place on the quay.

What does Mevagissey Feast Week involve?

Local shops open up to exhibit Cornish artists, there is plenty of local fish to eat and there are choirs and bands, flora dances, children’s entertainment and competitions. To round the end of Mevagissey’s most lively week off, there is a fete, which culminates in a huge firework display.

Give us a call today to discuss your luxury boutique holiday. 01726 844881.