Harlyn ( kw, ar-Lyn, meaning ''facing a pool'') is a small village on the north coast of

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, England, United Kingdom. It is situated inland from Harlyn Bay ( kw, Porth Lys, meaning ''court cove'') three miles from

Padstow Padstow (; kw, Lannwedhenek) is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately northwest of Wadebridge, northwest of Bodmin and ...

and about one mile from St. Merryn. Harlyn Bay is a family and surfing beach and is suitable for novice surfers. Near the beach are a caravan park and a

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

called The Harlyn Inn. Many of the houses in Harlyn are holiday lets. East of Harlyn Bay is the village and beach of

Trevone Trevone ( kw, Treavon, meaning ''river farm'') is a seaside village and bay ( kw, Porth Musyn, meaning ''Musun cove'') near Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. Geography Trevone Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It contains fo ...

and west of Harlyn are Cataclews Point ( kw, Karrek Loos, meaning ''grey rock''),

Mother Ivey's Bay Polventon Bay ( kw, Poll Fenton, meaning ''pool of a spring''), Mother Ivey's Bay is a bay and bathing beach on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The bay is on east side of the headland, Trevose Head and within the parish of St Merryn. ...

and

Trevose Head Trevose Head ( kw, Penn Trenfos, meaning ''farm of the wall's headland'') () is a headland on the Atlantic coast of north Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately west of Padstow. The South West Coast Path runs around the whole pr ...

. Further west, the beaches at

Constantine Bay Constantine Bay ( kw, Eglos Costentin, meaning ''church of St Constantine'') is a village and beach on the Atlantic coast of north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately three miles (5 km) west of Padstow and is ...

Porthcothan Porthcothan ( kw, Porthkehodhon) is a coastal village between Newquay and Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. It is within the civil parish of St Eval. Porthcothan lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third ...

and

Treyarnon Treyarnon (, meaning ''Garnen's farm'') is a hamlet west of St Merryn in Cornwall, England, UK near Padstow. Treyarnon Beach is a small beach nearby with a caravan park, Youth Hostel and café. Treyarnon Bay Treyarnon has a car park (often fu ...

are linked by the South West Coast Path. Harlyn lies within the

Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers in Cornwall, England, UK; that is, about 27% of the total area of the county. It comprises 12 separate areas, designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 for ...

(AONB). The village is comprised to a large extent of second homes, and is quiet for much of the year.

The Gold Lunulae of Harlyn

In 1865 a labourer found two wafer-thin crescents of gold known as lunulae at Harlyn Bay. They probably date from the early

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...

, and were probably deposited as

grave goods Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are the items buried along with the body. They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the afterlife or offerings to the gods. Grave goods may be classed as a ...

, as there are several prehistoric burial mounds nearby. The shape of these lunulae indicates a symbolic meaning. They represent the crescent horns of the moon, and may thus have been objects of great ritual and ceremonial significance. The site of the finds was above Onjohn Cove, a small cove between Harlyn Bay and Cataclews Point at . They are preserved at the

Royal Cornwall Museum The Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro holds an extensive mineral collection rooted in Cornwall's mining and engineering heritage (including much of the mineral collection of Philip Rashleigh (1729-1811), Philip Rashleigh). The county's artistic her ...

, Truro. In 2014, after heavy storms had battered the cliffs of Harlyn Bay, local residents and beach users discovered the storms had uncovered an ancient burial cist containing human remains. The remains were recovered for further investigation, but it is assumed that they belong to a female from either the Iron or

periods.

References

External links

{{authority control Villages in Cornwall Beaches of Cornwall