Circa 21

Circa 21 Contemporary & quality British & Cornish design-led gifts, cards & homeware. Strong focus on Penzance-based Makers & Illustrators. We are dog friendly.

Beautiful town store over 2 floors. SS 2026 : Mon-Sat 10-4.30
Closed Bank Holiday Mondays A contemporary gift, homeware & accessories shop in the heart of Penzance high street. Reflecting the high quality of creativity in Cornwall with gift ranges and homeware for coastal living and giving. Owners Esme & Alan want to share beautiful & thoughtful ranges created by local Cornish makers & artists. A

longside Fair Trade brands like Ian Snow and Dassie Artisan and eco conscience aware Chickidee and Liga Eco Home. An Elemental Coastal Design Style reflects where we live and captures the essence of West Penwith: tumbling streams, windblown hawthorns, the call of the Chough and warm golden sand. Esme is also a designer-maker jeweller. Sometimes you can catch her at the workbench, creating silver & copper collections. Alan is a renowned player and reed-maker for the Uilleann Pipes (Irish bagpipes) and can be heard scraping cane and testing the reed (sadly no tunes)! We are a Plastic Free Champion and supporter of The Just a Card Campaign. But wet dogs are best kept outside and nervous dogs must be carried. If other customers are afraid of dogs, please respect this and take your dog outside again. Thank you for being considerate.

After 2 years since filming began- our Money For Nothing story is now airing on telly! Blimmin great news! I can’t wait ...
29/07/2026

After 2 years since filming began- our Money For Nothing story is now airing on telly! Blimmin great news!
I can’t wait to call my dad… but I have to hold back that cruel dash of sadness in the heart that comes on when I remember mum is no longer with us on this mortal earth, to share and be excited with me. So it’s extra good to tell you lot! 😍⭐️😍

Jacqui Joseph Belly Button Designs Ltd Claire Armitage
Love Penzance

12/07/2026

Just one of those moments in time & history of West Penwith when everyone and everything is subliminally connected. And Potion No. 9 the original, drank whilst the sunset over the sea and we skanked to Pondlife singing ‘Stop Your Messing Around’ by The Specials- pure magic ⭐️⭐️⭐️ annual Ale Festival raising funds for

YET again the powers that be are heavy drilling through concrete IN JULY. I mean come on… where’s the joined up planning...
09/07/2026

YET again the powers that be are heavy drilling through concrete IN JULY. I mean come on… where’s the joined up planning. Is there a gremlin in charge 🤣

The hellish noise is off the scale 😫 for shoppers on and the best .moth.penzance .cornwall and little cafes

But, yehhh, it’ll be fab when the old Poundstretcher building will be converted into an amazing for families! Patience is a Virtue 🤞

Thanks for another little mad monster gremlin top up ✔️

My June Roundup is here!It’s always the fun month, full of anticipation & nervous energy for the summer ahead! Will it b...
05/07/2026

My June Roundup is here!
It’s always the fun month, full of anticipation & nervous energy for the summer ahead! Will it be busy?
Mazey Day was incredible 🌞 and just magic to see so many of you shopping with us- thankyou dear folk!

Our shop’s shelves are now 98% full with best sellers from local makers and fresh new ranges from some of the coolest contemporary UK designers. Just one or two are waiting to be delivered now like best selling fabric necklaces.
Hopefully more too- he’s going down a storm ⭐️

Customer stories about temperatures at 40 degrees where they’ve come from, is gob smacking! Whether Germany or Luton.
How can kids take their exams in this heat? Our Dez sitting maths on the hottest day, seemed so unfair!
Fingers crossed to everyone waiting for their results.

As I write this, with Wimbledon is on in the background and I insist on watching it every July…much to the amazement of Alan, who doesn’t ‘get it’ ! Nor do our kids, who care even less 😂

Circa 21 is open 10-4.30 Mon-Sat
Come and say hello!


28/06/2026

How beautiful was this 🌞
Burning Embers Alison Whittaker Golowan Festival Official Page

Hey🌞Another fine fine day for week! We’re looking forward to all the frolics at the weekend, though the clouds maybe ba...
24/06/2026

Hey🌞Another fine fine day for week!
We’re looking forward to all the frolics at the weekend, though the clouds maybe back 🌤️
But whatever the weather will look beautiful, the swifts will be flying high over town and the hill will be full with people and good energy.

Circa 21 will be open on Mazey Day 10-4.30
We shut the door if we’re just outside watching the 3 parades over the day… that’s if we can see between the marquees that is! Fingers crossed there’s a big enough space because people do like to watch up on the terrace where it’s not so squashed in with crowds- shoutout to organiser 🤞😊
Come and say hello and see our fresh new and very lux candles! Ohhh and spot the beautiful willow swallows hanging in the window too.

Do you want to take a swipe through some of my holiday highlights? If you want to experience West Penwith but with bells...
15/06/2026

Do you want to take a swipe through some of my holiday highlights?
If you want to experience West Penwith but with bells on- visit The Di**le Peninsula.
Mountains, sea, the ever winding road and the best and of course alongside the friendliest of Irish company, tunes and tales. I’d return here in a flash, whatever the weather- but June is best for the flowers & birds.

I’m back in the shop from Thursday 18th and festivities.
See you soon ☘️

.ie

My May round up is here ☀️That month’s heat made my mind melt- but would love most of it back- perhaps 4 degrees less, d...
08/06/2026

My May round up is here ☀️
That month’s heat made my mind melt- but would love most of it back- perhaps 4 degrees less, don’t you think? Breakfasting in the back yard felt like a TREAT in the morning’s shade.
And lazing on rocks near Cot, looking out onto the Atlantic Al & I spotted Risso’s Dolphins- perhaps 3-4 with their tall fins- it was magical. Otherwise nature was as lazy as us under that midday sun! Tans are now back- but dearly wished I was a little more tanned for the shoot which happened before the heatwave. But I love how cute & natural we all are.

As I write this, my eldest, .robin is holidaying with friends for the first time near Barcelona. Permanent sunshine for them for a week!
Whereas Al & I are off to Di**le in the far west of Eire next week. It’ll probably rain ☔️

Our dearest gal will be covering the shop whilst we’re away playing in and listening to the best of Irish sessions in County Kerry ☘️

See you on the other side, and if not beforehand- definitely over - our ad is in the brochures being delivered today yayy! Come and grab one.

Thanks for the template!

31/05/2026

If I could have said to my 17 year old self, “you’ll be selling sandals in your own shop one day!” I wouldn’t have believed it… so here I am nearly 40 years on DOING IT! 🩵🩴 This time beautiful branded.

Sooooo, I used to work at Tandem Shoes in Bodmin- who remembers this store? My lasting memory is lots and lots of steep narrow wooden stairs up to the very top where fluffy slippers (1980s style) were stored and mountains of shoe boxes and a sort of hot plastic air smell about the place. But it was huge fun to work alongside my bestie in sixth form and we got up to all sorts shenanigans and crazy night outs at Tall Trees Nightclub in Newquay with the boss! Gawd did we laugh so much.

Address

21 Market Jew Street
Penzance
TR182HR

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 4:30pm
Friday 10am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+447876124449

Website

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