The Net Loft

The building is believed to have been a Chapel. By the fourteenth century Polperro was a busy port, and the village fishermen became rich enough to build their own chapel in 1391, dedicated to St Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. The chapel initially stood on Chapel Point above the harbour (in the grounds of the property 'Mont St Pierre'), but it is believed that it was moved some 200 years ago to Peak Rock, the site of the Net Loft today. 

In 2015/16 the Trust's in-house building team undertook to restore the Net Loft.

Over the course of around 12 months they worked to stabilise the building and make it watertight again, insuring against the effects of the weather on this very exposed site. The entire refurbishment used a kilometre of wooden batten, 2500 roof slates, nine tonnes of sand, stone and lime, 40 light fittings and seven new windows, all transported by hand along 100m of coast path out to site. It is entirely off-grid; the roof is integrated with 45 solar PV tiles, there is low energy LED light throughout.

This building, that once stood empty at the edge of the harbour, is now be available for the community and we welcome ideas from everyone for its use.

Since the renovation was completed we have had a series of art exhibitions. You can get a taste of what has been going on with these videos made by artists Sue and Philip Bennetta.

• Net Loft, joint residency 2016
• Response to place

...and the building was the perfect setting to show off up and coming artist, Amie Scott's glass work.

If you would like to have an exhibition or have another idea to use the space in the Net Loft, please get in touch. Once the shutters are thrown open visitors to Polperro soon flock over to see what's going on. Facilities are simple, lighting is powered by the solar panels on the roof and from all the windows around the building and that's more or less it.

The upstairs space is one open room, punctuated by the stairwell to the lower floor (which is just storage and not accessible for the public). It easily lends itself to being an exhibition space or artist in residence space. It could also work well for small groups to meet up in the warmer months.

South East Cornwall ranger team 01726 870146