Porthmeor Studios

Victorian pilchard cellars and art studios.The building is on a popular beach. 18th century pilchard cellars constructed in stages between 1810 and 1880. There are 4 cellars 1 x 60sq m, 2 x 85 sq m, 1 x 380 sq m. There are stone walls, timber ceiling, sand floor. Interesting range of fishing gear, and ceiling timbers supported by old masts, tree trunks and cast ipron popes from the mines – it is poorly lit though. The artists studios: 19th century artists studios, most probably dating from the 1880s, although there is one from the early 1800s. They are possbily the oldest artists’ stduios in the UK, and previous tenants have included Ben Nicholson, Patrick Heron, Francis Bacon, and Wilhemina Barns-Graham. THere are 12 studios, 40-90 sq m, mostly timber construction and north facing onto the beach. They have panelled walls and are very well lit.