Coordinates: 50°04′59″N 5°32′20″W / 50.083°N 5.539°W / 50.083; -5.539
Mousehole (/ˈmaʊzəl/; Cornish: Porthenys) is a village and fishing port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Penzance on the shore of Mount's Bay.
The village is in the civil parish of Penzance. An islet called St Clement's Isle lies 400 yards offshore from the harbour entrance.
Mousehole lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third of Cornwall has AONB designation, with the same status and protection as a National Park.
Mousehole, along with Marazion, was until the 16th century one of the principal ports of Mount's Bay. Before its decline as a major commercial centre, Mousehole also had a number of fairs and markets, including the charter for a market on Tuesdays, with a fair for three days at the festival of St Barnabas, granted to Henry de Tyes in 1292. Mousehole, like many communities in Mount's Bay, fell within the authority of the Manor of Alverton; all early charters, fairs etc. associated with Mousehole are associated with this manorial estate.
The mousehole is the storage area on a drilling rig where the next joint of drilling pipe is held until needed. This hole is in the floor of the rig, bored into the earth for a short way, and usually lined with a metal casing known as a scabbard.
The purpose is to have the top of the piece of drill pipe on a level with the kelly when the time comes to add the new piece of drill pipe.