UP UNTIL 1871 or thereabouts the Rising Sun Inn was a customs house - coming up through the village today it's not hard to imagine smugglers spiriting their contraband up through the narrow twisting streets, away through the woods above, and why such a building was necessary.
The customs house became a pub and has remained so since - and today there are more reminders of the villages' other, legal industry to be seen. There are black and white photographs of fishing crews returning with their catch, and one of today's regulars, Ivor Nichols, described a 'share table' which used to be in the bar; this was where the fishermen, coming back from a landing, would divide up the profit between them.
Landlord Jon Moore told us how the few fishermen left in the village come to the Rising Sun to drink because the pub is open all day and so fits in with their odd hours.
Jon and Mandy Moore are enjoying their new role as mine hosts - they moved from nearby Millbrook in February of last year to run the business, as Jon explained: 'We always wanted a business of our own and didn't want to leave the area, so the Rising Sun was ideal.'
Jon said they never set out to run a pub, and it has thrown them a few surprises: 'Being a pub landlord is very hard work! It can be very demanding with the amount of hours because we're open all day, but we've got 7 or 8 staff helping us now.'
Previously Jon was a sound recording engineer for the BBC, and still works freelance - when he's away on work Mandy holds the fort.
Despite juggling the two jobs and the long hours the couple have established themselves well in their short time as landlord and landlady; they haven't made any drastic alterations to the pub, a 1764 listed building, but there are interesting touches to their recent refit of the bar. Local artists Steph and Norma Carne, and Julie Elworthy produced stained glass panels depicting local scenes - the Cawsand Ferry, the view from Rame Head, and a boat 'Providence' which used to ply the Tamar.
The couple recently won the Homefire Real Fire Pub of the Year award for the South West - for which they received £500 and a framed certificate from the competition's organisers, CPL Distribution.
But at this time of year the customers are more likely to be enjoying the sun on the village green outside the pub - it belongs to the parish council but is a favourite sunning spot for Rising Sun customers and in high summer is a bit like an extension of the beach according to Jon.
The Rising Sun is located on the coastal footpath and must make a welcome sight for many ramblers coming off Minadhu field and into the village. We met students Joanna Eyles, Olly Homan and Guy Blacklock from the University of Plymouth, who were on their way from Mount Edgcumbe park to catch the ferry from Cawsand beach back to the city.
'We've been here lots of times over the years,' said Olly, 'it's nice to get out of the city centre sometimes.'
He continued: 'It's the best pub in Kingsand and Cawsand in my opinion - its got a lot of character and has the feel of a local pub.'
This may be down to the fact that the Rising Sun has almost always been in local hands; one family, the Jenkins, had the pub for about 108 years.
One recent exception was the landlord who was a New York policeman - but the tranquil life of a village pub must have been too quiet for him as he returned to a job in security in the big apple.
Local family
Regulars are pleased that the Inn is being run by a local family - we met up with two, Ivor Nichols, and Ivan George, who are often to be found in 'Bullshit corner' - a part of the bar which even has it's own plaque to commemorate the long hours spent there putting the world to rights.
'We have some great times here,' said Ivor, 'it's mostly local people that come in. And being the district councillor I get all the stick going.'
'People talk about everything in here,' he continued, 'but it's nice, because that's the way a local pub should be.'
Landlord Jon added: 'There's a lot of characters come in here, a lot of the locals tend to drink in here - and all the gossip comes in and gets churned about.'
Although there seems to be a lot of 'rib-tickling' in the Rising Sun, it's also a place where people can feel at home; Ivan George has been coming in to the pub for about18 months, and told us: 'When I first came here I didn't come in the Rising Sun, but my sister recommended it. I was on my own for quite a long time but the people have been very welcoming - it's nice to be made welcome.'
He says that he usually sits quiet and listens to the others in their corner, because 'you learn more sitting at the back!' as he puts it.
Ivor Nichols has come in the pub for 45 years or so, and can remember a time not so long ago when 'seven of us used to come in on a Sunday, and the first to the bar would order 7 pints of Best - which came to a guinea exactly!'
And a list of minimum prices from 1939 which hangs near the bar showed that back then all beers were 6d a pint - but this doesn't seem to bother the regulars, who are happy to pay today's prices for the real ale which Jon has available - he likes to have three ales on at any one time and tries to swap between Cornish bre-weries.
The pub is famous for a long-standing speciality; the 'half-yarder', a huge coiled sausage from Tywardreath, and specials home-cooked by landlady Mandy.
Another draw for customers is the live music in the pub most weekends: 'It brings a lot of people in' said Jon, 'two local guys who play a lot of Irish music are Pete Staniforth on guitar and Mark Stevenson on fiddle - that gets the place jumping up and down.'
The Rising Sun isn't a sports pub as such, but it has a male and female darts team, and various shields hang round the board showing their successes.
A snooker team, including the landlord, have their meeting place in the pub, and the group have just returned from an end of season do in Dublin.
Intriguing objects
The bar is full of intriguing objects from the pub's past; hanging on a beam are some brass barrel taps, no longer allowed to be used, and a collection of walking sticks which belonged to one of the Rising Sun's previous landlords.
A poster hanging next to the bar is an announcement from the Cornwall Constabulary relating to the licensing act of 1902, identifying 'habitual drunkards' and warning landlords not to serve them alcohol.
The sorry individual in this particular poster is one Joseph Jones of Plymouth, a man of 'long nose' and 'swarthy complexion', who was convicted on March 9 1903 for being drunk and disorderly, fined 10 shillings and ordered to carry out 14 days hard labour. Jon said he was thinking of reinstating the system with some more recent photos....
Alfie Boyd and Pete Lester are two friends often to be found at the bar
Alfie said he has been drinking in the Rising Sun since he was 18 (presumably he's been home a couple of times since!) and says it hasn't changed much, except for two snugs that have been taken out from the back of the bar.
This must explain the Rising Sun's success - Jon and Mandy have brought their influence to the pub without disturbing what it is in essence - a local pub with a sense of it's own, and the village's history.