Hidden in one of Cornwall’s most westerly parishes, St Hilary, the rocky inlet of Prussia Cove has become the stuff of legend in the history of smuggling and piracy. For many years it was the hideout of the notorious Crater brothers, two men who were celebrated smugglers and who ruled the waters on this part of the Cornish coast during the 18th century.
Just beyond Cudden Point, on the eastern edge of Mount’s Bay, is a stretch of rocky shoreline with a series of coves, one beside another – Piskie Cove, Bessy’s Cove, named after Bessy Bussow who ran an inn there, and Prussia Cove. The story goes that the unusual name from this cove comes from Captain John Crater, who was apparently given the nickname ‘King of Prussia’ as a boy because he liked to play soldiers with his brother, Harry, and fancied himself as Frederick the Great, the then crowned monarch of Prussia!
Smuggling legends – the Crater brothers
These two men, John and Henry (Harry) Crater grew up to dominate the already well established smuggling trade in west Cornwall, running rings around the authorities from the 1770s until around 1810. Harry captained their fast and heavily armed ships, often outgunning and outrunning the revenue boats, while Captain John lived at the cove and arranged the distribution of the contraband. They were both considered men of honour, honesty and integrity by their peers and strangely by the authorities too.
There is rather amusing anecdote about John Carter that illustrates this well. On one occasion, while the brothers were away, the Penzance Excise officers raided Prussia Cove and seized a cargo of smuggled goods, including a large amount of brandy, and took it back to the Custom House in the town. On his return John was not happy at the loss and decided to get back what was his. He and a number of men broke into the Custom House in the dead of night and recovered their contraband, lugging it all back to the cove. In the morning when the officers discovered what had happened, they knew immediately who the culprit was because everything else in the lock up was untouched. They are quoted as saying “John Crater had been there, and they knew it, because he was an honest man who would not take anything that did not belong to him.”
That is not to say that the Craters weren’t willing to resort to violence when they deemed it necessary however. In January 1785 the Sussex Advertiser reported that “a large smuggling lugger mounted with 20 guns and commanded by a noted outlaw appeared off Helford.” The ship, captained by Harry Carter, was spotted by the Revenue men in the village who, despite being outnumbered, tried to prevent the smugglers from landing their goods. The officers were driven off, some were “mortally wounded” and others forced to swim to shore. The newspaper reported that this outlaw captain “visits where he pleases with impunity.” On another occasion the smugglers actually attacked a royal naval sloop, HMS Fairy, who had come to raid Prussia Cove. They fired on the ship from a battery of cannons they had assembled on the shore. Eventually the navy sent a landing party and these guns were seized but the brothers escaped capture.
However, time and luck were running out for the Carters, in October 1788 a £300 reward was offered for Harry’s capture. This is equivalent to about £25,000 in today’s money so he realised that it was only a matter of time before someone gave him up and so he emigrated to America to escape arrest. John Carter retired from his adventurous life around the same time and settled on a farm near Rinsey where it is thought he died in 1829.
Today Prussia Cove is a popular place for sea swimming and walking. Cornish choughs are often spotted on this part of the coast, and the area offers wonderful views to go with its colourful history.
There is a small car park near Prussia Cove, accessed by some very narrow roads. Alternatively, it is possible to walk there from Praa Sands or Marazion, following the coastal path.