Newquay Coastguard Lookout

During the years of Free Trade, Newquay had a reputation as a port where harbour officials could be bribed to "look at the wall" whilst smuggled goods were unloaded. Conversely the port of Padstow was very much more under the control of the Revenue men. The octagonal lookout was built on the top of the headland by the Coast Guard so that armed watchmen from Padstow could be stationed at Newquay to keep an eye on things.

Smugglers would use old mine workings to store their contraband. One area of workings near Newquay became known as the Tea Caverns due to its regular use for storing smuggled tea, which was very highly taxed from the start of the 18th Century. Due to its light weight and ease of transport, tea became even more profitable to smuggle than spirits. This continued until the 1780s, when the tax on tea was slashed and smugglers turned their attention to other commodities.