Mixtow: A History

A small community surrounding a tidal inlet just above Fowey in Cornwall,Mixtow has a long and varied history. Martin Sheppard has discovered a wealth of material about all aspects of Mixtow's past. He gives a detailed account of Mixtow's history, ranging from the activities of the notorious Mixstowe pirates in the middle ages to its part in the writing of The Wind in the Willows. Since the 1860s Mixtow has faced Fowey Docks, as they have expanded, giving it a privileged view of traffic on the river. In the Second World War, when the docks shipped large quantities of explosives, Mixtow was used by the US Navy to repair landing craft. Over the last 150 years Mixtow's principal activities have changed from farming and fishing to holiday letting and yachting. A readable and highly enjoyable account of a small but intriguing area, Mixtow: A History is a revealing reflection on the history of Fowey and of Cornwall.