Many Cornish villages describe themselves as unique, but few have a stronger case than Flushing for such a claim.
Flushing stands on land that has been owned by the Trefusis family since the 12th Century. The village itself dates back to the mid-17th century when John Trefusis engaged Dutch engineers to build quays that would attract shipping. The first of these in around 1640 was probably in front of what is now the Harbour House pub. The Dutch method entailed laying blocks of stone end-on to reduce the effect of tidal erosion. 380 years later it is clear that their methods were very effective.
Town Quay, where the ferry operates, was built later and by 1650 the Dutch had named the area after their home town of Vlissingen, anglicised to Flushing.
In 1660, following the restoration of the Monarchy with Charles II, Sir Peter Killigrew of Arwenack was able to call in many favours due to his support for the Crown in the Civil War. He was granted harbour rights for Penryn and Truro, made Captain of Pendennis and was awarded Royal Charters to found the new town of Falmouth in 1661 and for the Flushing Ferry.
The village’s significance was greatly enhanced by the arrival of the Packet Service in 1688 when war with France prevented overland communication with Spain and Portugal. The Packet Ships carried diplomatic and private overseas mail, bullion, valuable cargoes and passengers and were designed to be lightly armed and very fast. Within the next 150 years the Service extended across the Atlantic, to North and South America and throughout the Mediterranean.
By the end 1700s there were up to 40 Packet Ships sailing regularly from Falmouth and most of their Captains and crews lived in Flushing on the warm and sunny south side of the Penryn River. The Trefusis family developed the village to accommodate this and by 1790 the population of the village was said to be over 2,000 (it’s now around 750). The Packet crews brought huge wealth and revelry to the village with “dinners, balls and evening parties held every night of the week” and “not a night passed in which there was not 3 or 4 dances held for sailors and their favourite lasses”. The village also boated 11 pubs and numerous “kiddlywink” home-bars at that time.
Many of the most famous Packet Ship Captains lived in the houses named after them along St. Peter’s Hill above the Royal Standard pub and in Trefusis Road towards where the Sailing club now stands. England’s most famous Naval Commander after Lord Nelson, Sir Edward Pellew, lived on St Peter’s Hill for 10 years from 1785 while in command of a squadron of frigates based at Falmouth.
After the Packet ships left Falmouth in 1851, replaced by steamers operating from Southampton which had a rail link to London, the village became renowned as a Spa Resort for the treatment of Consumption or TB. Several of the grand houses built between the main village and Kiln Quay beach were originally nursing homes and “bathing in all its modifications” was encouraged due to the exceptionally mild climate of the village.
In the 20th century the village was mainly supported by fishing, oyster dredging and boat building.
The Village Club, at the heart of the village, has been used by the community for many and varied activities.