welcome to
the three pilchards

Oldest Pub in The Glorious Cornish Seaside Village of Polperro

Situated On The Quay The Pilchards Takes Its Name From The Catch That Made Polperro A Hub Of Vibrant Activity In Years Gone By.

The Pilchards Is A Family Friendly And Dog Friendly Pub With The Emphasis On Making Sure That You Will Want To Return Again And Again. A Haven For Both Holiday Makers And Locals Alike.

 In The Summer Take Your Lunch In The Pilchards With Some Wonderful Views Of The Village From Our Rooftop Harbour View Beer Garden, In The Winter, Cosy Up To Our Log Fire And A Good Smuggling Story.

We Specialise In Selling The Freshest And Most Heartening Home-Made Seafood You Have Ever Eaten. All Of Our Fish Is Freshly Caught And Will Arrive At Your Table With Barely Enough Time To Stop Flapping! We Serve A Range Of Well Kept Wines, Beers And Lagers, From Local Favourites To Standard Lagers And Bitters.

Whilst Supping And Eating We Provide Entertainment Second To None. So, Don’t Just Look At The Website, Come And See Us And Say ‘Hello’ At The Bar.

OUR HISTORY

Built In The Early 16th Century, The Three Pilchards History Is A Little Murky. However, The Village Has Always Been Full Of Rumour And Intrigue (As Every Little Cornish Village Is) About This Beautiful Little Pub. Much Of Its History Is Speculation, But That Only Adds To The Charm…

The Below Information Is Not All Substantiated – So Think Of It What You Will – And Make Your Mind Up For Yourself…

It Is Said That The Pub Itself Relates To The Rich Fishing History Of The Village And Harbour And ‘The Three Pilchards’ Derived From Three Pilchard Factories In The Village. Pilchards Were Caught In Abundance, And At The Time Brought A Lot Of Prosperity To The Village. Two Italian Brothers Settled In Polperro And Exported Pilchards To Their Home Country Of Italy. Some Locals Believe The Italian Brothers Inspired The Name Of The Pub; It Was Said That When The Brothers First Arrived, They Stayed At The Pub And Wanted To Try Pilchards From Each Of The Three Factories To Determine The Best Ones To Take Home.

Smuggling Is Also Part Of The Rich History Of Polperro’s Harbour. One The Three Pilchards’ Landlords, Charles Jolliff, In The 19th Century Was Rumoured To Have Sold Contraband Liquor Over The Bar Of The Three Pilchards. It Was Said That If Locals Saw His Mare Saddled Outside, Then It Was Likely He Would Have A New Shipment Of Smuggled Goods To Purchase Such As Tea, Gin, Brandy And Tobacco Across From The Channel Islands.

Today The Harbour Is Still Fully Functioning Though Pilchards Are Rare; The Main Catch Is Seasonal And Today The Catch Can Include Lemon Sole, Monkfish, Gurnard, Bass, Mackerel, Pollock, Cod, Haddock, Squid And Much Much More! The Harbour Is Unique As It Is Owned And Maintained By The Village Itself, Which Keeps The Traditions Of The Village Alive And Adds To The Rich Community In Polperro.