Attention has now turned to the many small but significant restoration jobs that now need completing before signing off with Historic England at the end of the month. One of these is the pinning and pointing of large edge stones in the western slip.
This small slip gives access to the Old Quay from the south. In southerly storms it would have faced the full force of heavy seas which would have poured up the slip and into the old harbour causing huge problems for any vessels moored there. Despite all the protection from the south pier, built in 1884, some of the edge stones in the slip have become forced upwards and outwards over the years.
This close-up of one of the larger edge stones shows just how much it had moved over the years. Even with protection from the South pier there is a considerable storm surge in the harbour in severe conditions
The current work includes re-positing and stapling key stones in place – a method used elsewhere in the harbour to secure the integrity of the stonework for hundreds of years.
Many of the stones at the working end of the Old Quay have been stapled together to prevent being moved in storm conditions. As far as is known, the ones in the photo were put in place after the quay was repaired and lengthened in 1732.
Forged iron staples were made to fit four of the stones in the slip. Holes some 6 inches deep were drilled to accommodate the staples before they were put in place prior to the final fixing.
The stales will prevent the stones from moving and preserve the integrity of the slip.
The tangs of the staples were positioned and an epoxy filler used to fix the staples in place.
Next to be drilled and fitted were pins and rings to be used to moor larger historic vessels that will, in future, makes use of the restored harbour. This is one of several mooring rigs made from recycled wrought iron by the good folks at nearby Pencarn Forge.
This photo from Penlee House & Gallery shows just how busy the Old Quay was at times with the lugger fleet – note also the large two-masted schooner against the quay!. Later this year, Mousehole hosts its bi-annual Sea, Salts & Sail festival – the Cornwall Maritime Trust has extended a welcome to any vessels headed for Mousehole to make use of Newlyn before or after the festival – so maybe we could see a sight like this again!
Using a similar photo as the basis for an AI animation to give some idea what the inside of the harbour would have been like in a sou’easterly storm – back when the south pier was a thing of the future!