Confirmed · The Lizard · Landscape
Gunwalloe Church Cove
The shipwreck beach in Poldark. Open to visitors; allow 1–2 hours.
- On screen as
- The shipwreck beach
- Series and episodes
- Series 1
- Access
- Open to visitors
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Where
- Gunwalloe, near Helston, Cornwall
On screen
How Gunwalloe Church Cove appears
Church Cove is where series 1 stages its wreck: a ship driven ashore and the villagers pouring down to the beach to strip it, with the little church of St Winwaloe close by. The story sets the wreck on the coast below Nampara; the real beach is on the west side of the Lizard. A clifftop cottage nearby was used as Dwight Enys's home, but it is a private property and this guide does not give directions to it. The beach and the dunes behind it are the parts you can match on a visit.
The real place
What you can visit
Church Cove is a sandy National Trust beach backed by dunes, with the 15th-century church of St Winwaloe tucked into the rocks at its northern end. The church is a working parish church, usually open in daylight; please treat it as a place of worship. Further north, Dollar Cove takes its name from a real treasure wreck. There is a seasonal café near the car park. Swimming can be dangerous here when the surf is up.
Keep clear of the dunes' fenced restoration areas, check the tide, and visit the church quietly, as services and funerals take place here.
National Trust: Poldark's filming locations ↗Park at the National Trust car park at Church Cove, signed from the A3083 south of Helston through Gunwalloe. The beach is a short walk over sand from the car park. The church is reached on a sandy path. Mullion, about 15 minutes' drive south, is the nearest base with places to stay.
Common questions
Planning a responsible visit
Which beach was used for the Poldark shipwreck?
Gunwalloe Church Cove on the Lizard, beside the church of St Winwaloe, was used for the series 1 wreck scenes.
Can you visit Dwight's cottage from Poldark?
No. The cottage used for Dwight Enys's home near Gunwalloe is privately owned, so please don't seek it out.
Is St Winwaloe's church open?
It is a working parish church and is usually open in daylight. Check locally for services and visit respectfully.
Plan your visit
Build it into the day.
Kynance Cove to the south, or Predannack Wollas for a clifftop walk.
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Map
Days out including this place
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