Couch's House

Dr. Jonathan Couch was born in Polperro in 1789 and educated in Cornwall. After working in the London hospitals of Guy's and Thomas', he returned to Polperro and lived in the 16th Century house on Lansallos Street, appropriately named Couch's House. As well as a physician, Couch was a leading Victorian naturalist. He specialised in the study of fish, and trained local fishermen to assist in his observations. This culminated in him publishing a 4 volume masterpiece on the subject: "A History of the Fishes of the British Islands". He also contributed heavily to a number of books on this and wider areas of British wildlife. He had three sons, who also took their mother's maiden name - Quiller - to form a double-barrelled surname. One of these was the father of the celebrated writer Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.