The Christmas lights were started in 1963 by Mousehole-based artist, Joan Gillchrest - a string of coloured bulbs were put along both quays to make the village a bit brighter at Christmas time.
From those early days the displays grew very quickly having caught the imagination of the village. Some of the designs, like the sea serpent, are still featured at Christmas although they are not the original pieces.
There is a live webcam on Mousehole Light's website - you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says 'Mousehole Harbour Webcam' and click the play button to watch the feed. Please note this may take a few moments to load.
Click the on the video below to watch a sped up version of the light installation, taken a few years ago.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Our Societies support hundreds of local arts and heritage projects. Each day we highlight a grant given in 2021.
The Arts Society Clapham Common recently awarded a grant to the Clapham Omnibus’ Routes programme, a free school holiday theatre program for 8-11 year olds offered to children who receive free school meals. This program is an opportunity for local children to explore their creativity in a theatre setting as well as benefit from a nutritious meal and snacks during the school holidays.
All donations from the Artvent Calendar will go towards The Arts Society’s grant giving fund, which awards grants to help preserve our artistic heritage, support the skills of artists and makers, and improve access to the arts for all.
Please click here to support projects like this one by making a Donation.
Comments
The most uplifting and joyful of the 26 Artvent calendar talks.....
Hello Judith, Thank you for mentioning the Solomon Browne Penlee Lifeboat Disaster which was a terrible tragedy in which 16 people died, and which is solemnly commemorated each year in West Penwith. The lifeboat station itself was decommissioned after the event but preserved as it was that night as a memorial to those who were lost, complete with the everyday paraphernalia to which they were never to return. It's a powerful and poignant reminder of the sacrifices RNLI volunteers are prepared to make for those in peril at sea.
Very appropriate for the 19th December as it is the 40th Anniversary of the loss of the RNLI Penlee Lifeboat The Solomon Browne with it's crew and some of those it had rescued. I listened to an excellent drama doc about it on Radio 4 today (20th). They said that every year on the anniversary they turn off the lights for an hour between 8pm and 9pm to remember the loss of the crew many of whom came from Mousehole.
These are wonderful. Wish we had similar light display in Hastings at Christmas.
Wonderful, I loved the whale.
Made me smile on a cold winter’s morning; can’t be bad!!
what a lovely way to celebrate and lighten the dark nights
we visited Mousehole in May , it was lovely then, it is even lovelier. now. Well done you citizens of the lovely village
Hello Jan Pain, sounds like you're having a problem. Could you explain please?
I was only thinking of Mousehole today how fitting to see a super bit of footage. Such a joy for everyone who visits the delightful Cornish village.