Boscastle is a small village and fishing port in the north of Cornwall. It is in the civil parish of Forrabury and Minster situated about 14 miles south of Bude, 5 miles south of Crackington and 5 miles north-east of Tintagel. The name of the village comes from Bottreaux Castle, a 12th century motte-and-bailey fortress, of which few remains survive.

Boscastle harbour is a natural inlet protected by two stone harbour walls built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville (of HMS Revenge). It is the only real significant harbour for about 20 miles along the coast. As well as being a harbour based around fishing, Boscastle was once a small port importing limestone and coal and exporting slate and other local produce.

The village with its picturesque harbour is an extremely popular tourist destination. Among the attractions are the Museum of Witchcraft and the Boscastle pottery shop. A lot of the land in and surrounding Boscastle is owned by the National Trust, including both sides of the harbour, Forrabury Stitches, high above the Boscastle and divided into ancient "stitchmeal" cultivation plots, and large areas of the Valency Valley, known for its connections to Thomas Hardy. The former harbour stables (part of the National Trust estate) are now a youth hostel popular with walkers on the South West Coast Path. The National Trust runs a shop at the harbour, and a visitor centre. The steep streets lined with ancient cottages, quaint Cornish pubs and shops make it a unique spot.