Local history and heritage

Built in the 1830s the Heron Inn was originally known as the Park Inn and took its name from the Park estate on which it was built.

Heron inn at Malpas TruroA one acre piece of land was leased from the Park estate by a carpenter named James Trenhaile in 1835. The Park Inn was erected to serve as a “good, firm and substantial dwelling house” and appears to be the first building built on this site with the remainder of Trenhaile Terrace being completed by 1840.

The name Malpas comes from the French ” Le Mal Pas” (late 12th/13th century) meaning “the difficult crossing” and has been a crossing place for at least 800 years though possibly even since Roman times. It was once famous for its ship building and oyster dredging and for centuries has been the hub for ferry crossings to the areas of St Michael Penkivel ( the land opposite left), Kea (opposite right) and Falmouth. In 1877 Queen Victoria visited Malpas on her way back from granting Truro city status and it is after her that Victoria Quay in Malpas is named.

Historically, the village is perhaps best known for its ferry service across the waterway to the Roseland and Tregothnan estate. It is said that this is the crossing Isolde (from the Cornish legend Tristan & Isolde) made to King Marks’s palace.

In the past to summon the ferry one would ring a bell which would inform the ferryman in his cottage on the St Michael Penkivel bank (the white cottage opposite the pub) that there were people waiting, he would then collect them d’reckly (at his own pace!) in the aged rowing boat named ‘Duckweed’. The bell is still located on the left wall of the slipway by the marina and the ferryman can still be seen at times to answer the bell.

Main Source “In and around St Clement Churchtown” Truro Buildings Research Group 1991