SELF GUIDED TRIPS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES - 2024
This page will provide information about other places to visit while you are at the conference such as:
- King Edward Mine
- Geevor Mine
- Levant Mine
- East Pool Mine
- Porthcurno communication tunnels
- Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro
- Eden Project
- Morwellham Quay
- Carnglaze Caverns
- South Wheal Frances Mine
- Wheal Martyn Clay Works
- Moseley Heritage Museum
Cornwall has many sites of interest that can be visited by delegates in any spare time they have.
Note that some of these sites have entry fees.
King Edward Mine
Besides being a venue for a guided visit, King Edward Mine can be visited as a normal tourist attraction. King Edward Mine
Location: SW 66351 38896
© Picture Nigel Dibben
Geevor Mine
We are a family-friendly multi-award winning heritage attraction, learning centre and a hands-on museum. Geevor Tin Mine on the rugged cliffs of the Tin Coast of West Cornwall, is a stunning place to discover the story of Cornish metal mining, one of Cornwall's great industries, at this incredible World Heritage Site. Geevor
Location: SW 37505 34459
© Text from Geevor website, pictures Nigel Dibben
Levant Mine
Levant Mine and Beam Engine sits on the rugged cliffs of the ‘Tin Coast’, part of the Cornish Heritage World Mining Site. See the steam-powered beam engine, built in 1840 and the only one of its kind. Explore the wider site including the count house ruins, miner’s ‘dry’ area and towering chimney stacks. Observe the diverse natural habitats, home to local wildlife including the rare Cornish chough. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/levant-mine-and-beam-engine/visiting-levant-mine-and-beam-engine
Location: SW 36823 34510
© Text from National Trust website, picture Nigel Dibben
East Pool Mine
At the very heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site sits the great beam engine in Taylor's engine house, originally powered by high-pressure steam boilers introduced by local engineer Richard Trevithick.Preserved in its towering engine house, as a reminder of Cornwall's days as a world-famous centre of industry, engineering and innovation.The pumping engine is one of the largest surviving Cornish beam engines in the world.Pre book a guided tour and discover the story of Cornish mining. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/east-pool-mine
Location: SW 67456 41873
© Text and image from National Trust website
Porthcurno communication tunnels
In the BeginningIn 1869 Scottish entrepreneur John Pender, formed the Falmouth Gibraltar and Malta Company to complete telegraph connections to India. However, due to complications the telegraph cable never quite made it to Falmouth and Pender made a last-minute decision to bring the cable ashore at the much quieter sandy cove of Porthcurno, a few miles from Land’s End, Cornwall. On June 7th, 1870 the screw steamer Investigator, laid the shore end of a cable that would very soon afterwards allow communication to India.The War YearsThe importance of cable communications had been appreciated in World War I when, on the first day, the British Navy cut five German cables. By the start of World War II, Porthcurno was a critical hub for allied communications with 14 cables coming ashore, carrying some 70% of all communications. Realising how vulnerable PK was to enemy attack which would effectively sever Britain’s communications, the decision was taken to construct tunnels into the cliffs and move all critical operations underground. Work on the bunker started in June 1940 and was completed in May 1941. Access to the valley was strictly limited and only holders of a Porthcurno Pass could come and go.Cable & Wireless operated very much as another branch of the armed forces during the war, providing and maintaining communication links throughout. In 1938 approximately 231,000,000 words were transmitted over Porthcurno cables. In 1944, this had increased to 705,000,000 words.The pumping engine is one of the largest surviving Cornish beam engines in the world.Pre book a guided tour and discover the story of Cornish mining. https://pkporthcurno.com/
Location: SW 38433 22687
© Text from Porthcurno website, picture Nigel Dibben
Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro
This museum was founded by The Royal Institution of Cornwall in 1818 to promote excellence in science and art and to forward the world-leading industries that Cornwall was known for. Over 200 years, The Royal Institution of Cornwall has established the museum, Courtney Library, and a programme of exhibitions, events, and activities to further its original aim.Our mission is to provide a welcoming, dynamic and lively cultural hub centred around our collections, that inspires people to explore, thrive and have fun.We are a charity that does not receive regular funding. Public support through donations and visitor income is vital to our success. We are grateful for the support provided by grants from Arts Council England through Cornwall Museums Partnership and Cornwall Council.We are proud to say we are an Accredited museum and uphold high standards of care with all our collections. https://www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk
Location: SW 82380 44892
© Text from museum website, pictures Nigel Dibben
Eden Project
Our home in Cornwall used to be a barren landscape – a former clay mine with no soil or plants. We transformed this huge crater into a beautiful global garden, which sets the stage for an extraordinary day out where you’ll rediscover the natural world as you've never experienced it before. Explore massive covered Biomes to trek through one of the world’s largest indoor rainforests and immerse yourself in the calm fragrance of the Mediterranean Biome. Enjoy extensive Outdoor Gardens, contemporary artworks, performance and storytelling. Discover places to rest, play and eat, and pick up inspiring ideas to take home on how to care for the planet that cares for you. https://www.edenproject.com/
Location: SX 04657 55310
© Text from Eden website, picture Nigel Dibben
Morwellham Quay
Venue of the NAMHO conference in 2007, Morwellham Quay still has much of interest to mine historians. https://www.morwellham-quay.co.uk/
Location: SX 44615 69721
© Pictures Nigel Dibben
Carnglaze Caverns
Carnglaze, a unique, family-run attraction which opened to the public in 2001, is on the site of Cornwall’s only slate mine and allows visitors to get closer to its working history than they may have thought possible.Through largely self-guided underground tours (available all-year round), visitors will be treated to an experience that will be both educational and inspirational. As well as learning about the historically significant site’s past, guests will also be amazed by its three vast chambers and, in particular, the stunning blue-green underground lake which awaits them at the bottom of a flight of 60 stairs. https://www.carnglaze.com/
Location: SX 18639 66820
© Text from Carnglaze website
South Wheal Frances Mine
South Wheal Frances was part of the Bassett Mines which worked the Great Flat Lode. There are still some impressive buildings on the site. There is free access to the site. Surface remains only but they are worth seeing.
Location: SW 68082 39391
© Pictures Nigel Dibben
Wheal Martyn Clay Works
China clay mining has shaped the landscape, lives of people and economy of mid-Cornwall for over 250 years. It is Cornwall's largest mining industry.A fully Accredited Museum, we are based within two Victorian china clay works, now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. We tell the story of this fascinating industry and the people who worked and lived in the shadows of Cornwall's iconic 'white pyramids'.A visit might include: wandering around our interactive Discovery Centre, exploring historic trails, woodland walks in grounds teeming with wildlife, and spectacular views of a modern working clay pit.Our collections include working waterwheels, tools and machinery, vintage lorries and an extensive archive.
China clay mining in Cornwall
The Cornish china clay industry is generally less well known than the tin and copper mining industries, which are often perceived as the iconic industries in Cornwall. However, they pale into insignificance when compared with the china clay industry, which has produced some 170 million tons of china clay from deposits across the Duchy over 250 years.Approximately 70% of this output has been exported, which is why the industry has been recognised as an important contributor to the national economy and to the earning of foreign currency.
China clay heritage - an industry of national importance
As the traditional tin and copper mining industries in Cornwall started to decline in the late 19th century, the china clay industry grew and far outstripped those industries in size, economic contribution, mining technology and research into micro-mineralogy. The value of china clay sold to date is more than double the value of tin and copper sold from Cornwall, estimated at around £14 billion. William Cookworthy discovered the potential of china clay as the 'secret' ingredient in porcelain, in 1746. A Quaker apothecary from Plymouth, he patented his formula for hard-paste porcelain in 1768, before opening a pottery in Plymouth which later moved to Bristol.This discovery was a springboard for an industry which has seen the scientific and technological innovations from Cornwall spread across the world. China clay has been exported across the UK and the globe to be used in a huge range of products – from everyday paper and ceramics to components in spacecraft and pharmaceuticals.The company English China Clays Ltd. (now part of Imerys Minerals Ltd.) was one of the UK’s top 100 companies and leading exporters in the 1980s and the industry was a driver of the Cornish economy for 100 years.
Our unique site
We are located within two former Victorian clay works, one of which is preserved in its working state and is the only example of its kind which is open to the public.The site marks a period of the industry’s history, spanning from the 1820s through to the 1960s, when the industry was labour intensive and physically taxing. This is in stark contrast to the modern industry which is largely mechanised. https://www.wheal-martyn.com
Location: SX 00496 55391
© Text from Wheal Martyn website
Moseley Heritage Museum
Moseley Museum is situated at Tolgus Mount, approx 1 1/2 miles north of Redruth. It is privately owned and run entirely by volunteers. Access, parking and all activities are free of charge. The museum is open Sunday, Monday and Thursday afternoons throughout the year from 1300 to 1630. The museum has a narrow gauge railway and offers train rides, as well as a museum of vintage toys and models. (There is no website.)
