Cornishman John Carter, born in 1738, was quite the character. He was fond of playing soldier games as a youngster, getting so into the spirit of these adventures that he was known as the King of Prussia, perhaps partly due to his resemblance to Frederick the Great. Fast forward a few years and that boy was on his way to becoming one of the most famed smugglers the county has ever seen.
With all the caves and crannies, it's easy to see why Prussia Cove was so popular with smugglers.
HMS Warspite, known as the 'Grand Old Lady' of the Royal Navy, ran aground at Prussia Cove in 1947, and was eventually broken up for scrap nearby.
It was a time when salt, gin and tobacco were all in high demand and heavily taxed. These rich pickings from across the Channel were frequently hidden among the caves and rocks of Prussia Cove — actually a quartet of different neighbouring coves taking its title from Carter’s nickname — which is today a place of secluded beauty among the imposing headlands of the south coast. Its evocative blend of mystery and history was added to in May 1947, when the former First World War battleship HMS Warspite ran aground here in a storm.
How to visit Prussia Cove
By car, the only car park is a five-minute walk up the road, just past Trenalls. There are limited spaces, so arrive early in the day during peak times to secure a space. You can walk from the nearest village Rosudgeon in about 20 minutes, or along the South West Coast Path from Perranuthnoe (60 minutes) or from the sandy beaches of Praa Sands (50 minutes).
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
-
'Sir David Beckham came to see our cattle a couple of years ago. He was fascinated': The stockman at the Glympton EstateTrevor Kirk, a Scottish stockman who now tends the Aberdeen Angus herd on the Glympton Estate in Oxfordshire, is one of Sir David Beckham's rural heroes in the special guest-edited issue of the magazine. He spoke to Julie Harding.
-
Ashford Castle review: The fantastic five-star hotel in Ireland that the Guinness family once used to show off their wealth and influenceYou’ve seen ‘The House of Guinness’ — well here’s the castle.
-
‘Activities are of the derring-do variety, and the weather is unreliable year round, so it’s useful to be a good sport’: A memorable road trip to the tidal island in Scotland where J. M. Barrie liked to holidayThe opening of three new hotels in Scotland was all it took to convince Jo Rodgers to journey northwards on a road trip with her husband and three young children in tow.
-
Here is where to stay on the ancient stretch of Italian coastline that people in the know are calling 'the new Amalfi'The handsome Villa Talamo in quieter-than-Amalfi south-west Tuscany is now available for exclusive use hire — and it's surrounded by ancient Etruscan history.
-
'The sight of my semi-comatose teenage son draped like a rag doll over the back of a mule has left its scars': Pamela Goodman on the perils of high altitude hikingThe Himalayas are calling Pamela Goodman's name (again), but she knows not to underestimate altitude sickness.
-
Furs class travel: The hotels, superyacht designers and airlines setting new standards for pet-friendly travelThere’s no longer any need to leave your favourite four-legged friend behind when you go on holiday.
-
What is everyone talking about this week: The most beautiful city in Britain, according to AISomeone asked ChatGPT, Gemini and four other AI systems what the most beautiful city in Britain is — but does the answer spell the end of tour operators?
-
The new rat-pack: the Gen-Z team saving shearwaters and killing invasive species on a remote island in the Irish seaMeet the twenty-somethings trading clubbing and pub quizzes for bird ringing and hard graft on the Calf of Man.
-
Western Europe's oldest capital wears its ancient history and rich heritage lightly: The Country Life guide to Lisbon, PortugalLong-time Lisbon resident Mary Lussiana reveals where to stay, what to eat and what to do in the Portuguese capital.
