Boasting a tranquil bay, picturesque cliffs perfect for a long coastal walk and multi-million pound homes hidden from prying eyes, an unassuming Cornish village is rapidly becoming a highly-coveted celebrity enclave.
Located just four miles north of Newquay, the untouched bay of Mawgan Porth on Cornwall’s rugged northern coastline is a hot-spot for surfers and locals alike who enjoy its stunning sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery.
But, after it was revealed that Aquaman star Jason Momoa became the latest A-lister to try and snap up a swanky home here, it’s beginning to become clear to see why locals have dubbed it ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’.
The 44-year-old actor could soon be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett, Jason Statham and Stanley Tucci – who all have the opportunity to bring their private jets and private chefs with them.
So, what is it that makes Mawgan Porth (or Porth Maugan, which translates to ‘St Mawgan’s cove’ in Cornish), just so popular with the Hollywood elite?
When we typically think of A-listers and their fancy residences in England, you would probably imagine a beautiful mansion in Primrose Hill or Knightsbridge – but it appears the south west of England has become the new celebrity hotspot.
Cate Blanchett was the first to buy her £2million property in Mawgan Porth before Jason Statham, actress Imogen Stubbs, Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan and Hollywood actor Stanley Tucci followed her lead.
A-listers can enjoy LA-style luxury with the privacy the West Country offers.
And with mansions tailor-made for each celeb complete with their own private chefs, helicopter pads and personal walkways to the beach – it’s no wonder so many are heading to an area such as Mawgan Porth.
In 2021, it emerged Oscar-winning actress Cate, 54, had snapped up a property in the town with her agent later confirming that the news was true.
A source told MailOnline: ‘The talk of Mawgan Porth is that Cate has bought a home here!’ Cate’s PR rep simply said ‘yes’ when asked if she was about to become Mawgan Porth’s first star resident.
Since then, she is thought to have been followed by Hollywood star Jamie Dornan, known for his starring turn as Christian Grey in the ‘Fifty Shades’ film series.
Just a few months after it was revealed that Blanchett was living there, a fan couldn’t believe it when they spotted Dornan at a local petrol station.
Alongside a selfie of herself and Jamie, she wrote on Instagram: ‘I went to get fuel and thought no way it can’t be but it was Mr grey himself!'(sic)
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Moving in? Aquaman star Jason Momoa, 44, is the latest A-lister to snap up a swanky mansion in the picturesque Cornish village of Mawgan Porth, near Newquay
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On the market: Jason Momoa has been spotted by locals eyeing-up a clifftop home which the locals have dubbed Hollywood-on-Sea
Also rumoured to have snapped up a home in the village is Snatch and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Jason Statham and supermodel wife Rosie Huntington Whiteley – who hails from nearby Devon.
Actor Stanley Tucci – a self-confessed foodie who would no doubt love Cornwall’s culinary delights – is also said to have purchased a home in Mawgan Porth with his wife Felicity Blunt – sister of his The Devil Wears Prada co-star, Emily Blunt.
In 2021, the American star revealed he had been on a ‘road trip to Cornwall’.
He told Instagram followers he was enjoying his ‘Tucci eggplant parmagiana’ while enjoying the sights of the West Country.
The small village of Mawgan Porth was also the home of famed German sculptor Faust Lang from 1936 to 1949.
When news broke out that Momoa was planning on moving to Mawgan Porth, one local suggested he ‘fell in love’ with the pace of life in the scenic area after filming his blockbuster DC move in nearby Devon.
They added: ‘These kinds of home are being transformed into the luxury places you see on Grand Designs, so he would be able to make it very special. It’s the talk of Mawgan that Jason is going to be the next big star moving in.’
The West Country’s long-standing food reputation is also a factor in pushing celebs to the West Country as high-profile chefs such as Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Jamie Oliver have a number of restaurants in the area.
To go alongside that – Mawgan Porth in particular remains a largely undeveloped and unspoilt paradise boasting a close-knit and friendly community, which ensures a greater level of privacy compared to city-life.
Artist Toby Ray told Cornwall Live: ‘The amount of space there is to explore is phenomenal and the surf is real
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Jamie Dornan, pictured at the EE Bafta awards earlier this year, also has a house in the town, which translates to ‘St Mawgan’s cove’ in Cornish
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What their movie millions could buy: This six-bed mansion overlooking the beach is on the market for £2,250,000
‘I find the locals to be really friendly and compared with other spots, the line up is quite quiet even when the beach is super busy. You also have some pretty amazing clifftop walks.’
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with few building developments, Mawgan Porth truly considers itself ‘Cornwall’s Best Kept Secret’.
Its perfect surfing conditions may also have been a factor in luring A-listers familiar with the beaches of California.
And with a number of flights daily between Newquay airport and Heathrow and designated landing areas for helicopters, international travel is easier than ever for the rich and famous travelling from afar to their Cornish bolthole.
Andrew Adams, a buying agent specialising in Somerset, Bristol and Bath, told The Times: ‘Each of these airports has seen a significant increase in private aircraft usage in the past few years as the region has become more popular with high net worth purchasers.’
There are also growing numbers of designated landing areas for helicopters, making it possible to have homes in traditionally harder-to-reach rural parts of the region.
Above all, perhaps, is the village’s unrivalled privacy. Clare Coode, a buying agent with Stacks Property Search in Cornwall, told The Times: ‘Everyone wants privacy, but celebs coming here are obsessed with it.
‘One famous buyer insisted that the agents walk up every hill for miles around to ensure the house he wanted couldn’t be snapped by the paparazzi. He rejected the house in the end for that reason, even though it was perfect in every other way,’ she says.
Direct access to the water away from the masses of people is also a top priority.
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Located just four miles north of Newquay, the seaside town is a hot-spot for surfers who line its stunning sandy beaches
Along the coast of Dorset, neighbours include Harry Redknapp, Julian Fellowes and Jonathan Ross. Sean Bean and Deborah Meaden of Dragons’ Den live in Somerset while Peter Andre also has a home in Taunton.
However, while some people are ‘excited’ at the thought of going about everyday tasks and finding themselves browsing in the supermarket next to a DC superhero in Momoa, not all locals thrilled at the idea of celebrities descending on the village.
Some argue that on top of the housing crisis, the influx of holiday rentals, second home owners and celebs moving into the area is making it even harder for younger generations to stay.
According to census data, Cornwall is the most popular destination in the UK for a second home, with 6,080 holiday homes used by 14,230 people.
Across the UK, second-home owners could soon be forced to pay twice the amount of council tax as the Government prepares to hand local authorities more powers to raid holiday homes.
More than 100,000 holiday homeowners are also set to see their bills rise at the first given chance, including in tourist hotspots in Devon, the Lake District, Norfolk and Cornwall, which have already approved the change.
Additionally, some have complained it is unfair that these incredible homes are only being sold privately and the press or public are unable to see any floor plans or prices, which attracts famous buyers.
Many celebs request that selling agents remove any ‘digital footprint’ on property websites.
