The Haven

02/01/1906

These PDFs were compiled by Brian and Jenny Oaten, as published in issues 237, 238, 239 of The Link magazine.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

In 1906, The Haven was the first house constructed in Trebetherick, which was then primarily open farmland with farms, farm cottages, and barns. Following its construction, other houses, guest houses, and eventually hotels were built in the area. The entrance pillars to The Haven, which now appear to be at an odd angle to the road, were built in 1906 parallel to the old road. In the 1960s, the old road was altered into the current layby, and a new, wider, and straighter road was constructed.

Bill Tucker from Trewornan Farm, a horse coaching enthusiast, used to conduct pleasure trips that passed by The Haven, sounding a long, shining copper coaching horn at corners and other suitable points along the route.

The Daymer Bay Garage, located at the junction of Worthy Hill and Daymer Lane, was operated by Norman Cleave, a motor car enthusiast and the father of Leadville Cleave and grandfather of Jon Cleave, both from Port Isaac. The garage included workshops, garages, and a petrol pump. Norman also managed the Clock Garage at Rock. Below the garage on Daymer Lane, Worthy House ​was built ​and served as both a Post Office and a telephone exchange, playing a central role in the village’s communication. Just above the Daymer Bay Garage was one of the village duck ponds ​which served as a watering spot for working horses, was drained in the 1930s after mains water was installed, making way for the ​new and larger Trebetherick telephone exchange.

The Haven itself was rendered ​on the outside using sand and shingle containing small shells, which were brought up from the beach by pony and cart. ​With one of these loads, the Trebetherick Point defense cannon was brought up for safe​keeping. It was mounted in the front garden until 1999, when Naval historian ​Tim Parr, who was researching Henrician Cannons, visited. He was instrumental in arranging for its preservation and subsequent display at Prideaux Place, where its sister cannon from the Padstow side is also located.

Looking uphill, almost at The Haven entrance Old Farm is the house you can just about see in the centre View of the junction between Daymer Lane and Worthy Hill The gable end of the set of 4 garages~2 The old coastguard houses on the right on th way to Polzeath through Trebetherick Looking up the middle section of Worthy Hill, Flaraldene is on the right This was looking up, at the top of Worthy Hill, Daymer Bay Garage, might have been built before WW2 but it was derelict in 1956 Mabyn Oaten on the balcony of _The Haven_ before it was removed in the late 1950s The Haven, Trebetherick, as it was when first bought by Lewis and Mabyn Oaten in the mid 1950s with first floor west-facing balcony Screenshot_20250819-172308~2 Screenshot_20250819-172220~2 Screenshot_20240503-181033 Screenshot_20240504-074920~2 P1070671 PXL_20250828_080716208 Post Card Face~2 P1070672 20211104_141411-COLLAGE Screenshot_20220202-141059 Mabyn Oaten on the balcony of _The Haven_ before it was removed in the late 1950s~2 View of the junction between Daymer Lane and Worthy Hill The gable end of the set of 4 garages P1070673 At the top of Worthy hill looking downhill, Daymer Bay Garage is on the right and The Haven entrance is on the left Looking up Daymer Lane almost at the top, this was a set 4 garages~3 Almost at the top of Worthy Hill, The Haven entrance is on the left Looking up Daymer Lane almost at the top, this was a set 4 garages At the top of Daymer Lane, at the junction with Worthy Hill, this view is looking along the road to Polzeath Almost at the top of Worthy Hill, The Haven entrance is on the left~2 Opposite The Haven entrance, looking down Worthy Hill, in the mid 1960s only The Coppice had been built down to the cream house, Floradene

THE TREBETHERICK CANNON

This 3 pounder gun was mounted in the Trebetherick Battery at Greenaway, 20 feet above the High Water Mark, on the East side of the Camel Estuary, as part of the defences of Padstow. It is very badly corroded as it was exposed to salt spray in every gale in the prevailing South West wind for at least 200 years.​ It is thought that the guns on their wheeled carriage may have been kept in St Enodoc Church to be rolled out and up onto Greenaway when needed.

The gun was brought up from the Battery in the early 1900’s, by a farmer Mr.​ Barton, with his last load of shingle from Greenaway beach​. The gun was set on a concrete plinth ​at the ​south west corner of The Haven in Trebetherick​ in 1906.

​Brian Oaten kindly arranged with Tim Parr naval historian, for the gun​s safekeeping to be displayed ​at Prideaux Place, where it has been conserved and has now been mounted on a ​1600 replica “bed and bracket” carriage​, for display.

While the degree of corrosion makes it difficult to be precise about its date, or its history, based on its proportions and the shape of its trunnions it is considered likely that it was cast in the 16th century, and is therefore another early cast iron gun.

This gun, with the three “Finbankers, which lay in Pentire Farm, formed the Trebetherick battery, which was a part of the defences of the “Safe Haven” which was established in Padstow, in 1780, to shelter British ships being pursued by American Privateers, as described in the panel on the War of American Independence.

IMG_20160525_125707 IMG_20160525_125626 Unknown woman with Lewis and Mabyn Oaten by the Trebetherick Point cannon at _The Haven_ in the mid 1950s~2 20250820_135354-COLLAGE IMG_20160525_124932~2 1965 77 1965 74 PXL_20250828_080716208~2 IMG_20160525_125558