Aerial photography

Mawgan Porth

Mawgan Porth is more than a beach village between Newquay and Padstow. Behind the sand and surf is one of Cornwall’s most important early medieval sites.

Historic England records an early medieval settlement at Mawgan Porth, first discovered in 1934 when building trial pits uncovered walls and a burial. The settlement dates from around AD 850 to at least 1050 and appears to have been abandoned as sand encroached. Because it was not repeatedly built over, the site survives unusually well.

These aerial prints place Mawgan Porth in its wider setting: the beach at the mouth of the valley, the Atlantic swell, the cliffs at either end and the fields beyond. A good choice for anyone drawn to coastal views with both openness and history beneath the surface.

Print offer £10 off your second print · any A4 or A3 unframed, applied at checkout

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  • Mawgan Porth — Looking North from the Sea

    Mawgan Porth — Looking North from the Sea

    Mawgan Porth — Looking North from the Sea
    From £25
  • Mawgan Porth — Beach, Village and Headlands

    Mawgan Porth — Beach, Village and Headlands

    Mawgan Porth — Beach, Village and Headlands
    From £25
  • Mawgan Porth — Head-On Summer Colour

    Mawgan Porth — Head-On Summer Colour

    Mawgan Porth — Head-On Summer Colour
    From £25
  • Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Blues

    Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Blues

    Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Blues
    From £25
  • Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Colour

    Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Colour

    Mawgan Porth — Low Tide Colour
    From £25
  • Flooded Winter Sunrise — Newquay Airport

    Flooded Winter Sunrise — Newquay Airport

    Flooded Winter Sunrise — Newquay Airport
    From £25

Greeting Cards

Fridge Magnets

Where these Mawgan Porth photographs are taken from

Mawgan Porth sits in a valley between Newquay and Padstow, with the village gathered around the beach and the River Menalhyl crossing the sand. Most of these views are flown from out at sea looking straight in, so the beach, the river and the village sit in one balanced frame. One is taken from the north side with Watergate Bay visible down the coast, and one looks north from the sea across the reefs. There is also a winter sunrise over Newquay Airport, just inland of the bay, after days of rain.

Tide and colour

Low tide is when Mawgan Porth works best from above: the beach opens out, the river winds across broad golden sand, and in summer the shallows show emerald and turquoise over the dark reef. The April, May, July and August 2026 photographs run from spring light through to late-summer colour.

Choosing a Mawgan Porth print

The head-on summer views are the most recognisable for anyone who knows the beach from the village. The August image with the river, the village and the headlands is the fullest picture of the place. All prints are made to order as unframed prints, framed prints or canvas.

Found a favourite view? Read our guide to choosing a print size for your room.

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