What smuggling was
Smuggling means bringing goods into a country, or taking them out, without paying the tax or following the rules that apply. In the eighteenth century, the British government relied heavily on duties on imported goods, and for some products the tax was high. That created a clear motive: if a barrel of spirits or a bag of tea could be landed without paying duty, it could be sold cheaply and still earn a large profit.
Cornwall was well placed for this trade. It has a long and indented coast, many hidden coves, and ports within a short voyage of France, the Channel Islands and Brittany. The county was also remote from the center of government, which made enforcement harder.
What was smuggled
The goods that were commonly smuggled were those that carried heavy duty. Brandy, gin and other spirits, tea, tobacco, wine and salt are often mentioned, and the exact mix changed as taxes and prices changed. Some goods were also smuggled out of the country, including, at some periods, wool, though the import side of the trade is the better known.
Because duties varied from time to time, it is hard to give a simple picture of how much was smuggled. Estimates exist, but they are uncertain, and it is best to say that the trade was widespread without quoting precise figures.
How it worked
Smuggling was often organized as a business. Merchants financed cargoes, ships carried them across the Channel, and landing parties met them on remote beaches. Goods were then hidden and moved inland by carts, packhorses or on foot. Hiding places included caves, cellars, church towers and farm buildings, though the details of individual stories are often hard to verify.
A great deal depended on local cooperation. In many places, ordinary families, including farmers and fishermen, took part or benefited, and the market for cheap goods was broad. Some respectable people bought smuggled goods without much concern. That broad support is one reason the trade lasted so long.
Some Cornish names are linked to the trade. The Carter family of Prussia Cove, near Mount’s Bay, are among the best known. John Carter, nicknamed the “King of Prussia,” is said to have run a well-organized operation in the eighteenth century, and the cove is said to take its name from him. Stories about him contain a mix of documented fact and later embellishment, so details should be treated with care.
The authorities respond
Revenue officers, known as excisemen or customs men, tried to stop smuggling, and the government used armed boats called revenue cutters to patrol the coast. The work was dangerous and the officers were often outnumbered on land. Courts sometimes handed out severe punishments, though juries and communities were not always willing to convict.
Over time the balance shifted. In the early nineteenth century the government reduced many duties, which removed much of the profit. It also reorganized its coastal forces, bringing various preventive services together in the 1820s into what became the Coast Guard. With better patrols and less profit, large-scale smuggling gradually declined, although small-scale evasion continued.
Violence and the other side of the story
Smuggling is often presented as harmless fun. In reality, it could involve violence, intimidation and corruption. Revenue officers were sometimes attacked, informants might be threatened, and there are recorded cases of killings in Britain connected with smuggling gangs. The trade also drew in people at the bottom of the economy, who took the risks while others made most of the profit.
It also had hidden costs. Smuggling cut government revenue, which was used for the navy and public services. Smuggled spirits were not controlled for quality, and rough handling of cargo sometimes led to losses.
Romance and reality
Why, then, does smuggling have such a glamorous image? A large part of the answer lies in fiction. Novels, films and television have used smugglers as colorful characters for generations. Daphne du Maurier’s novel Jamaica Inn, set on Bodmin Moor, helped establish a picture of the trade in the public mind, and other stories followed. Tourism has also encouraged the image, with pubs, caves and coves described as smugglers’ haunts.
Historians are wary of that picture. Some places said to have been used by smugglers have no solid evidence behind the claim, and tunnels linking pubs to the shore are a frequent feature of local stories but are rarely confirmed. The same caution applies to many dramatic tales of the coast, such as those discussed in shipwreck stories. A fair view is that smuggling was real, widespread and often supported by local people, but that it was also a criminal trade with human costs.
Seeing the landscape
Many Cornish coves and harbors, from fishing villages to quiet inlets, are associated with the trade. When visiting, it is better to enjoy the coast for what it is than to chase unverified tales. Caves and coves can be hazardous, with tides that can cut off routes quickly, so check tide times, keep away from cliffs, and follow local safety signs.