Mousehole Harbour Lights And The Story of The Mousehole Cat

The story of the Mousehole Cat is written by Antonia Barber. It is set in the beautiful fishing village of Mousehole, which is onwards from Penzance and Newlyn, with its narrow streets, quaint little harbour, chocolate box cottages and the Ship Inn pub. The story features Tom Bawcock, an elderly man who lives alone but for his black and white cat, Mowzer.

The two face fears and become heroes as they  head out together into treacherous conditions to bring home fish for the villagers. Working together as a team they try to tame the storm and hope that it will allow them to pass safely back through the small gap in the harbour wall, the ‘mouse hole’.

The villagers were so worried about old Tom and Mowzer once they realised where they had gone, they set out with lanterns to help guide the heroic pair back into the safety of the harbour wall.

Each year there is an incredible static light display, which started back in 1963, in and around the harbour every December run by the Mousehole Harbour Lights. This year, it will run from the 12th of December until the 5th of January.

The lights display is well worth a visit and will help get even the grumpiest Scrooge into the Christmas spirit. The little shops and cafes stay open later, the pub is a hive of activity and warmth and there are often carol singers walking around the harbour. There is no cost to visit however the harbour lights are run by donations and fund raising events so please consider taking change with you to put into the collecting buckets in the village or make a donation online to keep this wonderful Christmas event going for years to come.

We suggest parking in the car park or parking bays on the outskirts of the village if coming from the Newlyn/Penzance direction and walk in. The streets are incredibly narrow and busy, so we highly recommend not driving through. There is also a reliable bus service to Mousehole which will drop you off on the edge of the village. Timetables can be found online.

Mousehole Harbour at Christmas. Photo Credit: Paul Watts

If you are looking for some celebratory party vibes in the lead up to Christmas Day, why not head to Mousehole for the annual celebration of Tom Bawcock’s Eve on the 23rd of December?

This event is in memory of Tom and Mowzer’s return with their catch. In the story, the villagers made a special fish pie that had the heads and tails of the fish sticking out of a pastry top. Each year on this day, the Ship Inn serves up this same famous ‘Starry Gazey’ pie, there are lantern processions, and Tom Bawcock’s song is sung. There is a really fun, party-like atmosphere which welcomes all!

For both adults and children alike, there is the most beautiful and magical re-telling of the story by the very talented theatre company, Cousin Jack.

The play is performed in the Solomon Browne Hall in Mousehole and is brought to life on stage in a really intimate and rustic way with wonderful puppetry, singing, and acting from a small and talented cast. The way the stage is set, the audience feels part of the performance. It is absolutely worth booking tickets in advance. The performances run from the 14th to the 31st of December and tickets and information can be found here.

Arrive with plenty of time to park and walk to the hall and enjoy a wonderfully magical evening full of twinkly lights, storytelling and feel good warmth that I am sure will leave you feeling festive, blessed and joyful. Which, let’s be honest, is exactly what we are looking for at this time of year.