Confirmed · Mid Cornwall and Bodmin Moor · Village
Charlestown Harbour
Truro and Falmouth harbours; St Mary's, Isles of Scilly in Poldark. Open to visitors; allow 1.5–2 hours.
- On screen as
- Truro and Falmouth harbours; St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
- Series and episodes
- Series 2
- Access
- Open to visitors
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Where
- Charlestown, near St Austell, Cornwall
On screen
How Charlestown Harbour appears
Charlestown is Poldark's port town. Its Georgian dock and quaysides play the harbours of Truro and Falmouth, where Ross and George do business and ships come and go. In series 2 the beach and slipway outside the harbour wall stood in for St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly. Truro's streets were a different place altogether: Corsham High Street in Wiltshire. So the fictional Truro is a composite, with Charlestown for the waterside and Corsham for the town.
The real place
What you can visit
Charlestown is a small Georgian port built for exporting copper and china clay, now a conservation village with a working dock that often holds traditional sailing ships. You can walk around the harbour, out along the harbour wall and down to the two small beaches either side. The village has pubs, cafés and a shipwreck museum. Parts of the dock are a working site, so some areas may be closed, especially when filming or ship work is under way. Check Charlestown Harbour's website for visitor information.
The quay edges are unfenced and a long drop to the dock floor at low water: keep children close, and respect any closures around working ships.
Visit Cornwall: 15 Poldark film locations ↗There is a pay car park at the top of the village, a few minutes' walk down to the harbour. St Austell railway station is about two miles away, with buses and taxis to Charlestown. The quaysides are mostly level but have uneven setts, steps and unfenced edges.
Common questions
Planning a responsible visit
Where was Truro filmed in Poldark?
In two places: Charlestown Harbour for the waterside and Corsham High Street in Wiltshire for the town streets.
Are the tall ships at Charlestown always there?
No. Ships come and go, so what is berthed in the dock varies. Check the harbour's website or local news before visiting if you want to see one.
Where were the Isles of Scilly scenes filmed?
Charlestown's beach and slipway stood in for St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, in series 2.
Plan your visit
Build it into the day.
Bodmin Moor near Minions, or the north coast at St Agnes.
Booking.com links are paid links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Map
Days out including this place
Continue with a prepared day out
Nearby
