Is Poughill a good place to live? Yes, if you want a pretty, peaceful village with a pub, a medieval church and the beach a walk away, a mile from the centre of Bude. Poughill is on the north Cornwall coast, in the EX23 postcode. And it’s pronounced “Poffle”.
Poughill at a glance
| Where | North Cornwall coast, on the north-east edge of Bude |
| Postcode | EX23 |
| To Bude | About 1 mile, five minutes by car |
| Nearest transport hub | Bude |
| In the village | The Preston Gate Inn, St Olaf’s Church, village car park |
| Nearest beach | Northcott Mouth, within walking distance |
| Say it right | “Poffle”, to rhyme with “offal” |
Poughill is the village that Bude grew up next to. It’s in the Domesday Book, it’s full of cob and thatch, and it has 17 listed buildings in a village you can walk round in ten minutes.
It’s the closest thing to a chocolate-box village you’ll find this near a surf beach.
St Olaf’s: the village’s treasure
St Olaf’s Church is Grade I listed and dedicated to a Viking king of Norway, which is not something you hear every day in Cornwall. Inside are two huge 15th-century wall paintings of St Christopher, facing each other across the nave. They were painted over at the Reformation and rediscovered under the whitewash in 1894.
Look down as well as up: there’s a collection of late medieval carved bench ends that’s among the best in the county. The church is usually open during daylight.
The pub, the paths and the beach
The Preston Gate Inn is the village pub, recognised by CAMRA as a heritage pub. From the village, footpaths and quiet lanes take you down to Northcott Mouth, a National Trust beach with rock pools and far fewer people than the town beaches. Join the South West Coast Path there and you can walk south to Crooklets and Summerleaze, or north to Sandymouth.
Everything else is a mile away in Bude. Read the full Bude guide.
Homes and house prices in Poughill
- A bit of history: cob, stone and thatched cottages in the old village around the church.
- Family homes: detached houses and bungalows on the roads between Poughill and Bude.
- Coast and country: farmhouses and conversions in the lanes out towards Northcott Mouth and Stibb.
Village peace a mile from the beach doesn’t come cheap, and Poughill is one of the more sought-after spots around Bude. Buying a second home? Since 1 April 2025, Cornwall Council has charged double council tax on second homes. Budget for it before you offer.
For the latest local figures every month, read Plot & Shore.
The honest bit
Poughill is small, and for the weekly shop, the GP and the school run, you’ll be heading into Bude. Thatched and listed homes are beautiful, but they cost more to insure and maintain and come with extra planning rules. Get a specialist survey. The lanes are narrow, and the paths to the beach get muddy in winter.
Living in Poughill: quick answers
How do you pronounce Poughill?
“Poffle”, to rhyme with “offal”.
Where is Poughill?
A village on the north Cornwall coast, about a mile north-east of Bude town centre. Its postcode is EX23.
What’s the nearest beach to Poughill?
Northcott Mouth, a quieter National Trust beach within walking distance. Crooklets and Summerleaze in Bude are a short drive.
What schools are near Poughill?
There’s no school in the village. Families use primaries in Bude and Stratton, and Budehaven Community School in Bude takes students from 11 to 18.
Do second homes in Poughill pay extra council tax?
Yes. Cornwall Council has charged a 100% premium on second homes since 1 April 2025.
About the author. Mat Loach has worked in estate agency for 20 years. He lives on the Devon and Cornwall border between Bude and Holsworthy, and spends most weekends on the beaches and cliff paths of north Cornwall.
Sources: Historic England; National Churches Trust; Britain Express; CAMRA; Visit Bude; Cornwall Council.
Fancy a look round?
If you’re thinking about a move to Poughill, I’m always happy to chat it through over a coffee in Bude. No pitch, just a local view.