aerial photograph of Charlestown Cornwall England UK originally a small fishing community called West Polmear the harbour was built in 1799 by Charles Rashleigh. In 1793, a gun battery was built to defend the harbour and it remained in use until 1898.The harbour was primarily used for shipping China Clay, an activity which continued up until the year 2000. The town is one of the top tourist destinations in the area and frequently appears on TV and in films.