Polhawn Fort: A Love Story in Stone, Sea, and Soul

Perched dramatically on the edge of the Cornish coast, nestled within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and embraced on three sides by the sea, Polhawn Fort is not just a wedding venue—it’s a portal to another way of being. A place where time slows, the senses awaken, and nature gently pulls you back to yourself. Owned by Teresa Wicksteed and her husband for over three decades, this historic Napoleonic fort has quietly evolved from romantic retreat to sacred space, holding memories, milestones, and now, the promise of profound wellbeing.

“We’ve owned the Fort for about 35 years,” Teresa shares, her voice both grounded and filled with wonder. “Our first wedding here was 30 years ago. The couple is coming back this November for their anniversary. They hadn’t returned since the day they were married. It was deeply emotional—it reminded us how timeless this place is.”

Their wedding, in fact, was one of the first ever civil ceremonies in Cornwall outside of a church or registry office—a groundbreaking moment in the history of UK weddings, and a serendipitous shift for the Wicksteeds, who never initially imagined the Fort would become a sought-after wedding venue.

“When we bought Polhawn, we were living in London. My husband fell in love with the building— not so much for me,” Teresa remembers. “He saw its potential, even though it had been uninhabited for a while. It was cold, damp, with only one bathroom, no heating, and thick defensive stone walls built to withstand invasion. But to him, it was an incredible restoration project.”

As the financial tides turned during the late 80s economic downturn, the couple made a bold decision. “We sold our London home and moved to Cornwall, moving into the bungalow near to the Fort. It felt drastic, but also somehow inevitable.”

After experimenting with holiday lets and a short-lived restaurant (“a bit like Fawlty Towers,” Teresa chuckles), everything changed when the UK’s wedding laws were updated. The Fort was one of the first two venues in Cornwall to be licensed for civil ceremonies. Suddenly, the wild romanticism of the sea-swept fortress became a dream destination for couples seeking something elemental, raw, and unforgettable.

“We’ve never seen Polhawn as a hotel. It’s not that. It’s a home—but not ours. It becomes yours for the days you’re here. That’s always been important to us. We don’t hover, and we don’t dictate how people should celebrate. We give them the space to make it their own.”

That ethos of freedom and authenticity is now flowing into something new: Polhawn Fort is slowly opening its ancient doors to wellness retreats and soulful gatherings. And it feels like the most natural next step.

“We’re surrounded by nature here—really in it. The sea is a constant presence. Guests are always drawn to it first. The sound of the waves, the expansive skies, the garden that rolls down toward the cliff edge… It’s healing. Even before we called it wellness, people felt it.”

Teresa and her daughter have begun to intentionally nurture the wellness potential of Polhawn. From building a cedarwood sauna nestled on the path to the Fort’s semi-private beach, to launching intimate retreats like The Wild Artist—an immersive weekend of creativity, nature connection, and soul work—there’s a new rhythm emerging at the Fort.

“The sauna has been transformative,” Teresa says. “Guests sit in its warmth, looking out to the sea, and something just shifts. During one retreat, a couple of women spotted dolphins swimming past. You couldn’t script that magic.”

A trained sound therapist, Teresa’s personal wellness journey has unfolded alongside the evolution of the Fort. Inspired by a near-death experience during childbirth, she later pursued painting, a fine art degree, and ultimately trained with the UK College of Sound Healing. Now in her 70s, she offers one-to-one sound healing sessions and intimate sound baths in a beautiful yurt near the Fort, using Tibetan bowls, shamanic drums, her voice, and even an ocean drum that mimics the rhythm of the tide.

“I think if you’ve had a brush with death, you don’t waste time,” she says. “You go for it. That’s what the Fort taught me, too—it’s a place of rebirth. Of creativity. Of possibility.”

With offerings from local yoga teachers, shamanic practitioners, labyrinth walks, massage therapists, and even trained sauna masters, wellness at Polhawn isn’t a rigid program—it’s a curated menu of healing experiences available for guests who feel called to them.

“We’re not trying to build a spa,” Teresa clarifies. “We’re inviting people into a deeper relationship with the land, the sea, and themselves.”

Upcoming plans include bespoke pre-wedding rituals, such as a mother-daughter sauna ceremony using sacred oils and heartfelt blessings the day before a wedding. “Some people will resonate with that, some won’t,” Teresa says. “It’s never about pushing—it’s about offering.”

Retreat organisers would be welcome to inquire about using the Fort, though space is intimate. With six large double rooms and two singles, it’s ideal for small, soul-led gatherings that embrace community, creativity, and connection to the natural world.

“Polhawn Fort isn’t for everyone,” Teresa smiles. “But for the right people—for those drawn to the sea, to stillness, to something a little wild—it’s everything.”

DISCOVER: polhawnfort.com