Flushing is a coastal village in the civil parish of Mylor, west Cornwall, UK. It is east of Penryn and south of Truro. It faces Falmouth across the Penryn River, an arm of the Carrick Roads. The village is known for its yearly Regatta week in July.
Flushing lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third of Cornwall has AONB designation, with the same status and protection as a National Park.
History
Henry VIII intended to build a castle on Trefusis Point, to accompany those built at Pendennis and St. Mawes, but due to the expensive wars was unable to finance it.
The village was founded before 1653 (Calendar of State Papers Domestic Interregnum, 1653-4 of proceedings on July 16th 1653). There is disagreement about whether there are any houses of the late 17th century extant. Nankersey, meaning valley of the reed swamp was, and continued to be, a separate dwelling on the road into the village of Flushing. the village was given its name by Dutch engineers, probably directed by Cornelius Vermuyden the elder, who built the 2 main quays in the village. The grand houses on St Peter's Hill, the road that leads into the village, were owned by captains of the packet ships (mail-boats) that docked in nearby Falmouth.
James Silk Buckingham (1786–1855) spent his childhood here and writes that most of the Packet captains and officers, and their families, as well as the crews lived in the village. Dinners, balls and evening parties were held most evenings at some of the captains' houses and there were dances for the sailors at the more humble places. Much of it paid for by prize money and the profits from the contraband carried by the Packet ships.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the village's economy mainly relied upon fishing, the two farms and former manors of Trefusis; the original seat of the Trefusis family, Barons Clinton since 1791 and Tregew, together with Falmouth Docks. Wheal Clinton lead mine started in 1854 and an engine shaft was sunk to . There was not enough ore to make a profit and the mine was wound up in 1858. There was also briefly a copper mine on Jericho beach, but extracting the copper proved commercially unviable.
Flushing is principally a commuter village for the nearby towns of Penryn, Falmouth and Truro, although some commercial fishing vessels are still based in the village. There are also several B&Bs to cater for tourists; many houses in the village now lie unoccupied for most of the year as they are used as holiday homes.
Housing and amenities
Most of Flushing's 670 residents live in the centre of the village, on Coventry Road, Kersey Road and St Peter's Hill, although there is limited housing along Trefusis Road out as far as Kiln Beach, and there are also some houses near Trefusis Farm near the border with Mylor Bridge.
The doctor's surgery is located in the Village Hall. There are two pubs, the Royal Standard on St Peter's Hill and the Seven Stars on Trefusis Road opposite Fish Cross. There is also a restaurant, The Waterside, on Ferry Quay.
Churches and schools
Anglican church
Flushing parish church (Anglican) is located on St Peter's Road and is dedicated to Saint Peter. It is built in the Norman style and was opened for divine worship in February 1842 (consecrated: August 1842). St Peter's was renovated in 1871 by subscriptions collected by Capt Nevill Norway RN, when a vestry was added. It is now a Grade II listed building. The parish is part of a united benefice with the parish of Mylor in the Archdeaconry of Cornwall and Diocese of Truro.
There is a Cornish cross in the churchyard. It was found in a farm building at Porloe in 1891 and moved to the churchyard. The head has a crude crucifixus figure on the front and a Latin cross on the back.
Methodist church
The Methodist chapel is located in Kersey Road and, built in 1816, is the oldest building in the Falmouth and Gwennap circuit. There was also a Bible Christian chapel in Kersey Road (built in 1833) and a Primitive Methodist chapel in Coventry Road (built in 1866).