# Mabe, Cornwall

Mabe (variant: La Vabe, Cornish: Lannvab) is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is situated one mile (1.6 km) west of Penryn. The village is known locally as 'Mabe Burnthouse'.
Mabe parish is bounded by Stithians and Ponsanooth to the north, Budock to the east, Mawnan and Constantine to the south and Wendron to the west. Mabe parish is twinned with the Breton town of Primelin. Mabe parish population was 2,936 at the 2021 census, whereas the ward population covering a larger area was 5,802
The parish lies at the eastern edge of the Carnmenellis Granite intrusion. It is surrounded by several working and closed quarries which date back to the 1800s. The Argal and College reservoirs, managed by the South West Lakes Trust, lie to the south of the village.
The settlement of Mabe Burnthouse is situated on a hill overlooking Penryn and to the southwest is the location of the parish church, the Church of Saint Laud, which is dedicated to Saint Laudus, Bishop of Coutances.

## History

Mabe was located in the Deanery of Carnmarth and belonged to the hundred of Kerrier. Its population was approximately 512 in 1837. In addition to the chapel, there was an almshouse.
There are granite quarries at Carnsew which belonged to the firm of Freeman & Macleod. As of 1972 the Trolvis quarry was still working.
The nearby Tremough university campus - now host to several university facilities as well as spectacular historical gardens - is home to Tremough House.

## Culture and Community

A Community Primary School with 176 pupils serves the area. Near the Antron Hill cross-roads, there is a pub, "The New Inn" and a Post Office General Stores. The village also benefits from a children's playground for mixed ages, and two community halls which are used for a range of events and community activities throughout the year.
Mabe Ladies Choir was founded in 1931 by Edgar S. Kessell MBE and continues to this day. Other active community groups include a climate-focused action group and a bio-diversity group, Bloomin' Mabe.
The village is located adjacent to the shared campuses of the leading creative arts institution Falmouth University and the University of Exeter, situated within the parish boundary and opened in 2004.

## Parish Church

The 15th-century tower and porch survived a lightning strike. The remainder of the church was re-built from 1866, under the direction of Piers St. Aubyn. In the churchyard, there is an ancient menhir and a Celtic cross. The latter was found in the vicarage garden and installed near the porch, at some time between 1919 and 1930. There is another cross at Helland, a farm where there was a garden formerly the site of an ancient chapel.

## Cornish Wrestling

Cornish wrestling tournaments, for prizes, were held in Mabe in the 1900s.

## Notable residents

Sam Toy, former chairman of Ford of Britain was born here, as was Roger Hosen, the Cornwall and England rugby player. Thomas Tregosse, Puritan minister, sometime Vicar of Mylor and Mabe, was ejected from his benefices for his religious views.

## Local Interest

The village enjoys a spectacular elevated position, offering sweeping views across Falmouth Bay, the Carrick Roads, and the distant Lizard Peninsula. On clear days, the panorama stretches from the rolling fields of west Cornwall to the waters of the south coast, making it a stunning vantage point for residents and visitors alike. Mabe is surrounded by scenic countryside and offers several walking routes that showcase the area's natural beauty and historical sites.
The nearby Argal and College Reservoirs provide several trails popular with walkers, birdwatchers, and anglers, with views across the water and surrounding woodlands. The village is also close to the historic granite quarries of Carnsew and Trenoweth, which played a significant role in Cornwall’s mining heritage. Walkers can explore local trails, bridleways and public paths, some of which lead to the adjacent parish of Stithians or the nearby coastal town of Penryn.

## Gallery

* The New Inn at the crossroads, Mabe Burnthouse
* Mabe Church from Treverva
* View across the Argal Reservoir
* View of Lamanva from Mabe churchyard
* Misty Argal
* The New Inn, Church Road
* Higher Spargo
* Halvasso to Higher Spargo
* View over Falmouth Bay from Mabe