Camborne, Roskear and Tuckingmill are located within Area A5 of the World Heritage Site and are largely defined by the terraces of industrial workers’ housing built to accommodate an expanding workforce employed in mining or engineering related manufacturing. These urban streetscapes are part of the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site and the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) funds were first applied for in 2008, with these being fully committed well before the official completion date of 2013. The early take up of grant funding helped a successful bid for an additional THI in the same area. The new Camborne, Roskear, Tuckingmill Regeneration, Energy and Skills THI commenced in January 2012 and ran until January 2016. The latter scheme had an emphasis on monitored energy saving measures and local traditional skills training.

The THI scheme had a common fund of £1,048,750 which included contributions from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£629,250), Cornwall Council (£200,000), the Homes and Communities Agency (£200,000), and Camborne Town Council (£19,500).

The scheme exceeded its projected outputs with 28 buildings being improved including 8 Listed buildings. 15 buildings were removed from the Historic England Buildings at Risk register and a private sector contribution of £1,491,582 was also secured. An additional £8 million was also committed from a major residential development site at the former Holman’s No.3 Rock Drill Works at Trevu Road, Camborne.

The second round of THI funded works commenced in January 2012 and ran until January 2016. This had a common fund of £666,667 with contributions from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£500,000), Cornwall Council (£151,667) and Camborne Town Council (£15,000).

As part of the THI, guidance was produced on sympathetic ways of upgrading the energy efficiency of historic buildings. This guidance was produced using the results of the energy saving monitoring measures created by students from Cornwall College's Renewable Energy course. The guidance provides local examples of good practice along with current costs and performance details of suitable products.

Camborne, Roskear and Tuckingmill THI

Cornwall Council/Ainsley Cocks, 2016

For a more detailed background to the origins and development of KEM please see the summer 2014 edition of Cornish Mining however, in summary, the site was initially developed as a training complex following its acquisition by the Camborne School of Mines in 1901. Created utilising part of South Condurrow Mine (1864-1896), KEM was to successfully function in this capacity until 2005. As a complex of mostly Grade II* Listed buildings, the site is also a key element of the Outstanding Universal Value, or international significance, of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site (WHS), in recognition of the important role played in the development of the Cornish mining industry.

The ongoing KEM Workspace Project is the first of two significant capital schemes on site part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme (ERDF) 2007 to 2013 that will secure the long-term future of KEM, now the oldest complete mine site in Cornwall. ERDF Convergence is delivering a total of £1,126,248 to the project, with Cornwall Council contributing £800,000 in match funding. The construction company Midas Group Ltd. have been delivering the project which will see the Count House and Carpenters’ Workshop complexes housing nine affordable workspaces for local businesses.

KEM was purchased by Cornwall Council in 2009 and is leased to the managing charity, King Edward Mine Ltd., to run as a mining heritage attraction. The workspace project is the result of considerable planning and consultation, and is the first of two major capital developments for the site that Cornwall Council is engaged in. The second is focused on conserving and re-roofing the museum buildings (replacing the existing cement-asbestos sheeting with a modern cement-fibre equivalent), creating more exhibition space, and installing a much-needed café within the former mine Assay Office.

St Ives based architects Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole has been providing conservation architectural services for the project which has posed many challenges for those involved. Site investigation revealed that mine workings existed immediately below the Mess Room creating a serious headache for the project contractors. Following extensive consultation with English Heritage (now Historic England) the Mess Room was carefully dismantled, following detailed recording, so that a mine shaft and shallow stope could be safety capped. This required the numbering of individual granite quoins in order that the building could be reconstructed in its original form. This has now taken place and the care taken by the contractors is clear. 

As is often the case with historic mine buildings, the structures within the Count House range show signs of being extensively modified and patched - not always in the most effective ways - to suit changing requirements over the years. The fabric of the Count House itself was found to be in a worse state of repair than originally thought which has required a greater commitment of time and resources than envisaged. The interior of the Miners’ Dry was much modified following the removal of the large Cornish boiler, with the mezzanine level being infilled to provide greater space on the first floor. The structural competence of the floor supporting timbers was questionable necessitating the addition of some bracing steelwork. The later patching of the floorboards here has also used the timber slats from old blasting safety fuse boxes, and the maker’s name ‘ICI’ (Imperial Chemical Industries 1926-2008) can clearly be discerned along with the dire warning of ‘gunpowder’!

The building work has also piqued the interest of the project team by revealing something of the hidden history of the site before the establishment of KEM. The removal of redundant cladding from what was previously the exterior west wall of the Count House has exposed a tall door-like opening framed by rough-hewn granite quoins and lintel. Though infilled with rubble masonry and covered for probably over a century, this feature may have been associated with the function of the Count House on mine setting day. On this day the management of the mine would auction the pitches demarcated underground where groups of miners (pares) would either work to extract payable ore, or advance levels or stopes. The process of auctioning usually required the use of a balcony or other elevated vantage point from where the management could conduct the business of the day and allocate the working pitches in the form of a series of ‘Dutch’ auctions. The unusual height of the opening, considerably in excess of a standard doorway, may have served to accommodate the timberwork for a balcony of sorts above a small door.         

The extensive works at KEM will also have the benefit of removing several structures from the Historic England ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, which records features of historic importance which are under serious threat from neglect or other issues. The Count House, Blacksmiths’ Shop, Miners’ Dry, Weighbridge Stores, Assay Office, Brass Machining Shop, and the Boiler House to the Winding Engine House will all be thankfully removed from the register once the project is concluded. 

Tamsin Daniel, Cornwall Council Commissioning and Project Development Officer, is very excited about the improvements at KEM: “The mine is very highly regarded by many and has won awards for the quality of the restoration and interpretation offered by the volunteers and Friends of King Edward Mine. Its location on the Great Flat Lode not far from the A30 - with access to beautiful walks and cycle rides - makes it an inspiring place to run a business. We have seen a lot of interest in the nine units on offer and those within the Carpenters’ Workshop are now ready for occupation.” Tenants are due to take up possession of their workspace units over the coming weeks and it is also understood that those within the Carpenters’ Workshop are now fully leased.

The WHS team is very pleased with the conservation work taking place following the construction of the new winder and compressor houses funded through the WHS ‘Discover the Extraordinary’ project in 2010. Deborah Boden, World Heritage Site Co-ordinator, says: “the World Heritage Site team was pleased to help instigate the process of business planning for the site in 2010, and the Partnership is delighted that this Convergence funded project is delivering an economically sustainable future for the mine and supporting its dedicated volunteers.” 

Councillor Julian German, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Economy & Culture and World Heritage Site Partnership Chair, welcomed the development, adding that: “Conserving historic buildings and bringing these back into use is often the only way to ensure their survival and projects such as this preserve important features within the World Heritage Site, while also providing excellent training opportunities in traditional building skills.”

Ainsley Cocks, 2015

The extensive conservation work at Wheal Busy detailed in the previous edition of Cornish Mining is now complete, which was facilitated by Natural England’s land management team in Cornwall, working in partnership with the landowners the Tregothnan Estate. The works were funded through a Higher-Level Stewardship agreement. 

Wheal Busy is thought to have its origins in the latter 1600s and during the following two centuries the mine was to experience important innovations in steam pumping technology. A Newcomen Atmospheric Engine was put to work by around 1726 and a Smeaton improved atmospheric engine was on site by the latter 1770s. The renowned Scottish engineer James Watt was also to personally oversee the installation of the first Boulton & Watt separate condenser engine to work in Cornwall, which started in September 1777. Watt was accompanied by his wife Ann on the trip to Cornwall, who noted of the mine that the “The face of the earth is broken up in ten thousand heaps of rubbish and there is scarce a tree to be seen.” Hopefully Ann would be impressed to learn that today the mine has international importance as part of a World Heritage Site.

The conservation consultants PWH secured the contract to oversee the building renovation which has seen extensive repairs to the impressive Cornish high-pressure type pumping engine house, dating from 1856, along with its associated chimney and boiler house. The latter is a rare survival as it retains its original roof timbering. The importance of Wheal Busy was first acknowledged nationally in 1974 when it was designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

This engine house, as is the case with many others across Cornwall, has held more than one engine during its operational lifetime, as the mine sett (the area leased from the landowner) was reworked by successive companies. A Harvey’s Hayle Foundry engine with an 85-inch diameter steam cylinder was first installed in 1856, this pumping from the Engine Shaft for 10 years until the partial closure of the mine in 1866. The house was next occupied by the Perran Foundry 90-inch cylinder machine in 1872, this working for only six months before being decommissioned in July the following year. Finally, a reconditioned 85-inch cylinder Perran engine was installed c.1909, this working until 1924. As was often the case with large beam engines on redundant mines in Cornwall, this was to stay unused in its house as there was no longer a commercial demand for steam pumps in mining. The engine was left to deteriorate and only succumbed to the attentions of the scrap man 28 years later, in 1952.  

Careful inspection of the engine cylinder bedstones (its foundation) reveals that these were most probably left in situ and reused from the brief working of the 1870s. The scaffolding erected to enable the consolidation of the chimney and engine house also afforded an excellent ‘aerial’ view of the bedstones and this revealed that these have been modified at some stage. Two of the five original circular holes cut to accommodate the cylinder hold-down bolts appear to have been rather crudely reshaped, using a series of adjoining drill steel holes. Presumably this modification was sufficient to accommodate the smaller 85-inch cylinder machine at the time of the final working.      

The site consolidation works were undertaken by the conservation builders Kingston Construction Ltd., which commenced work in early August 2014. Following the careful clearance of vegetation and tree ivy the boiler house was the first to receive attention with the extensive rubble-built walls being re-pointed using a tested and approved lime-based mortar, chosen to match the original. The adjoining engine house and adjacent chimney were to be tackled next, with the repair to the boiler house roof being one of the last jobs undertaken. Here most of the original timbers survived intact though some joints of the roof trusses had rotted where water had penetrated the corrugated iron roof covering. Fortunately, new timber was able to be scarf jointed onto the existing truss ends thereby preserving as much of the original fabric as possible.

Brickwork within the chimney and engine house also needed attention and for the former, the upper courses required careful resetting where the mortar had been substantially lost. The red brick arch to the cylinder door at the rear of the engine house probably required the most work overall however, as the inner courses had been lost causing cracking of the adjacent structure. Kingston and their building subcontractors, from Redruth, were tasked with the careful, staged, dismantling of the arch, which was then reconstructed using matching site-won bricks from elsewhere, when required.        

The work now complete forms part of a ten-year Higher-Level Stewardship agreement between the Tregothnan Estate and Natural England, which has seen some £280,000 allocated to undertake the works at Wheal Busy and to enhance natural habitats across the site. Carpenters of the Tregothnan Estate also made a significant contribution to the project by constructing replacement windows and doors for the boiler house - skilfully matching these with surviving timberwork and features shown in historic photographs.

More recently news of the conservation work has come to the attention of Fuji Television in Japan. Fuji TV journalist and presenter Ayaka McGill visited Wheal Busy from London in June, to film a news piece on the restoration of the brickwork within the engine house and chimney. Fuji TV are highlighting Japan’s bid for World Heritage Site status this year for the ‘Sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution’, which includes several nineteenth century brick-built structures.

While on site Ayaka and her colleagues had the opportunity to meet with Matt Vale of the project management team PWH Conservation Consultants, and also David Wilkinson and Tony Lambert of Kingston Construction Ltd., who were able to explain in detail how decaying brickwork is assessed and repairs made to affect a historically appropriate conservation. Terry Herron of Tregothnan was also on hand to set out the Estate’s support, and its substantial involvement in the project. 

Wheal Busy is the latest in a number of World Heritage Site conservation projects to be generously funded through a Higher Level Stewardship agreement and the World Heritage Site Partnership Board thanks Natural England, the Tregothnan Estate, PWH Conservation Consultants, Kingston Construction Ltd., Cornwall Council Strategic Historic Environment Service, and Historic England, for their considerable support.

Specifically, thanks are extended to Ann Reynolds (Cornwall Council Senior Archaeologist); Simon Leather and Nick Coley (Tregothnan Estate); Matt Vale and Shaun Watts (PWH Conservation Consultants); Ann Preston-Jones (Historic England); and last but certainly not least, Beth Tonkin and Hugh Tyler (Natural England) for without their continued support it would not have been possible to secure such an excellent outcome.

Ainsley Cocks, 2015

Originally part of the Wheal Virgin section of Consolidated Mines, the features at the Taylor’s and Davey’s shaft sites were the product of the renowned nineteenth century mining engineer and entrepreneur John Taylor of Norfolk working with the Cornish engineer Arthur Woolf. Together during the 1820s and 1830s they are understood to have trialled and perfected the high-pressure steam pumping engine, building on the breakthroughs delivered previously by Richard Trevithick, and effectively defining what was to become internationally known as the ‘Cornish engine’. While Woolf initially favoured a compound engine approach, where two cylinders of different sizes were used in tandem on a common connecting rod, experimentation revealed that a large single cylinder using steam expansively was to be the more efficient method.    

The work at Consolidated Mines was made possible through the generous grant funding of Natural England which, through its Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme, was able to cover 100 per cent of the consolidation costs. In order to initiate the project, however, Ann Reynolds, Cornwall Council Senior Archaeologist, and David Hazlehurst, Case Officer with Natural England, worked with Ainsley Cocks of the World Heritage Site team to prepare a list of sites of importance to the World Heritage Site which were in need of attention.    

In the case of the Wheal Maid Valley and in order that the project could be realised, the support of the site owner Gwennap Parish Council was required, as under the terms of the HLS funding the landowner has also to be the Agreement holder. Gwennap were to prove to be totally supportive from the outset however, and the enthusiasm and commitment of its representatives, Kevin Furnish (Chairman), Ray Humble (Vice Chairman), and Alan Blamey (Clerk to the Council), were to be clearly evident throughout.  

A total of £270,000 was finally committed for the site works by Natural England, and the project management consultancy PDP Green of Truro was appointed through tender to oversee project delivery. On the ground, the building consolidation was undertaken by Darrock & Brown Ltd., conservation builders based in Bodmin with considerable experience in the sensitive restoration of historic structures.

Archaeological supervision is a requirement of all restoration projects of this kind, and the role was more than ably fulfilled at Consolidated Mines by Adam Sharpe, Senior Archaeologist with the Historic Environment department of Cornwall Council. Adam worked closely with both PDP Green and Darrock & Brown in devising the most appropriate ways in which to consolidate the features, and also how to address problem issues as these arose. Adam has also produced the specially commissioned learning material for the Wheal Virgin site, which is soon to be installed as the final stage of the HLS works. 

Work commenced on site in the late winter of 2012 and continued through the spring to completion in the late summer of 2013, well ahead of the initial planned finish in March 2014, due to a welcome restructure of the project timetable. The work largely progressed without any significant issues apart from a degree of vandalism which occurred during the early stages of the site works. This did not present a major problem, however, and the contractors were able to work around this and deliver the works on time and under budget – a considerable achievement. 

The project was eventually concluded at the end of August with the resultant conservation being of a very high standard and a credit to all the partners involved. The World Heritage Site Partnership wishes to extend its thanks to David Hazlehurst at Natural England, Cornwall Council Senior Archaeologists Ann Reynolds and Adam Sharpe, and to all at Gwennap Parish Council, PDP Green, and Darrock & Brown Ltd., for their commitment to the project, and for together delivering such a high standard of conservation work. 

While the works at Consolidated Mines have now been successfully concluded, further conservation projects are either underway or are in the pipeline within the World Heritage Site, and for details of upcoming work at Wheal Busy near Chacewater and also at Wheal Coates and Wheal Charlotte near St Agnes, please see future editions of Cornish Mining.

Ainsley Cocks, 2013

South Crofty Mine was to survive as an important local employer however until the end of the twentieth century with its pumping performed by more efficient electric-powered units. By the mid-1990s Robinson’s Shaft had been decommissioned, with mine access and pumping operations relocated to the New Cooks Kitchen Shaft site, west of Dudnance Lane. Following the closure of the site it succumbed to dereliction and vandalism to a degree, but fortunately far-sighted individuals had previously appreciated the historic value of the engine and had greased it in anticipation of the site one day being restored as a monument to Cornish engineering excellence.

That day has fortunately now arrived. The Heartlands Project and the £35 million award which brought this about has ensured that the historic engine and its complex of well-preserved service buildings adjoining, will remain as a testament to Cornish engineering innovation at the heart of an extensive parkland and community facility for Pool village. 

Five years of intensive preparation, including public consultation in addition to the design and build, were to finally lead to the Friday in April and the launch on the 20th of the site to the public. A themed celebration followed introducing Heartlands as the UK’s first cultural ‘playground’ with a three-day celebration themed on Cornish myth and legend. 

It is hoped the £35 million development, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Cornwall Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and the European Union will support the regeneration of Pool, Redruth and Camborne – areas containing more than ten per cent of the Cornish population and which have struggled to recover economically since the demise of the tin and copper mining industry. Heartlands is a free entry attraction and operated as a social enterprise by its own registered charity, the Heartlands Trust.

At just under eight hectares Heartlands is an extensive but also a diverse site, which in addition to the restored Robinson’s Shaft complex also includes state-of-the art exhibitions relating to the World Heritage Site; its own botanical gardens designed on the theme of the Cornish diaspora and focusing on the principal countries to which the Cornish migrated; the largest adventure playground in Cornwall - themed on Cornish myth and history; the Chi an Bobel (Hall of the People) - a large community, conference and multi-purpose function hall; the Red River Café and Bar - sensitively installed within the former carpenters’ and blacksmiths’ workshops; art and craft studios; the Totem circle - a small amphitheatre for music, dance and theatre performances; the Events bowl - for larger outdoor festivals; interactive art installations including graffiti-me totem poles and the Red River paddling stream. To cap all this, a year-round programme of events is in place to add to the many attractions.

Heartlands is also more than a facility for Pool and a destination for visitors however, as nineteen one and two-bedroom sustainable homes have also been incorporated into the design, thereby creating its own community. Sustainable operation is also being pursued using a biomass boiler, photo voltaic panels, a rain-harvesting system and wind turbine.

Cornwall Councillor Carolyn Rule, Chair of the Executive Board, said at the opening: "I have been honoured to be the Chairman of the delivery board for this amazing project from the beginning and was delighted when we were presented with that very special cheque which started the delivery in earnest.

"Cornwall Council has delivered this iconic legacy project under the leadership of Scott James and his team and is now ready to hand over to the Heartlands Trust who, I know, will continue to work with all the partners to ensure that this site lives up to its aim of becoming a landmark destination."

Chair of the Heartlands Trust Malcolm Moyle added that: "We are thrilled to be able to announce the launch of this inspirational new attraction. Unique in every way, we hope people come from near and far to experience Heartlands and marvel at all it has to offer from eclectic art to fascinating history to delicious food to breath-taking gardens to one of the most interesting and exciting adventure playgrounds in the UK.

"With a small core team and an army of volunteers, we hope the local community and beyond embrace the interactive, playful nature of Heartlands, but at the same time learn about its importance in the past and significance in this area's future."

Heartlands became reality in 2007 when it was awarded a £22.3 million grant by the Big Lottery Fund, the biggest grant BIG has ever given to a single project. It was one of only three projects in the UK to receive the grant under BIG's Living Landmarks scheme. 

Julian German, Cornwall Councillor and Chair of the World Heritage Site Partnership Board, said: “The World Heritage Site has supported the project management team throughout the process over the last 7 years, and we are delighted with the result. 

“The stories told around the Heartlands site explain how the Cornish mining industry and the people who worked in it shaped the world, and it is a fitting tribute to their achievements.

“The World Heritage Site Partnership thank all those involved, in both the Council and the Heartlands Trust, but, in particular, Malcolm Moyle and Carolyn Rule for their steadfast leadership. We wish you every success in the future.”

Mark Cotton, head of South West Region at the Big Lottery Fund said: "What's really special is that the local community are truly at the heart of this project and have been involved in its planning and development from the very start.

"It will be fantastic now to see them, and visitors alike, enjoy Heartlands and all the benefits it will bring this important and historic part of Cornwall."

In May, Heartlands held its Flame Festival, an exciting Olympic torch event and day long extravaganza including music, dance, theatre, acrobatics, and art and music workshops. Dalla, the Whipple Tree Band, Punch Judy, and Kabassa the Mighty Pig Shed where among the bands performing, and the day concluded with the Great Flame Finale, funded by the World Heritage Site Discover the Extraordinary Project, with fire jugglers, tight wire walking, abseiling from the mine shaft headframe, and large flaming sculptures and fireworks. There was also big screen on site for those wishing to keep up with the Olympic Torch Relay as it wound its way through Cornwall.  

Ainsley Cocks, 2012

The end of this decade also saw arsenic production becoming of major significance to Devon Great Consols as the copper lode and market prices began to wane. This required the construction of a large dedicated arsenic works, including numerous calciners, furnaces and flues, to heat this semi-metal and release and collect the arsenic oxide for refining and sale. The mine survived in operation until 1903. 

In 1922, during a later phase of operation, a new arsenic refinery was built (when arsenic prices again rose), including labyrinths, flues, chimneys, Brunton calciners, a bottle kiln and an arsenic flatbed refiner (see below). Much of these features to this Scheduled site survive remarkably well but the site has suffered from neglect and material robbing for several decades as the works ceased operations in 1930. 

Recent building preservation work has fortunately conserved the site as part of a £7 million Heritage Lottery Fund project focusing on the World Heritage Site landscapes of west Devon in the Tamar Valley. The Tamar Valley Mining Heritage Project (2005-2011) is being delivered by a small team of project officers and is co-ordinated by the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The project involves the conservation of former mine sites and trails creation, with the works being managed by Chris Hariades, Principal Environmental Projects Officer with Cornwall Council. The historic buildings consultant and site archaeologist attached to the project is Colin Buck, a Senior Archaeologist with Cornwall Council, and Knevitt Consulting (Wadebridge), as structural building engineers. 

Colin Buck, commenting on the recent work to the arsenic refiner, said “this is one of very few that survive in the country and the Tamar Valley Mining Heritage Project has fortunately been able to conserve this rare feature for future generations.”   

The Mining Heritage Project has a range of objectives including the opening of around five miles of multi-use trails, some using former railway line routes, and conservation works to the Tavistock Canal and the nineteenth century copper port at Morwellham. Together these will greatly enhance the visiting experience of those exploring the rich mining heritage of the valley.

Ainsley Cocks, 2011

‘New South Hooe Mine’ is first recorded as a company in 1836 at around which time a 50-inch cylinder Cornish pumping engine was installed to dewater the workings which were extending out under the River Tamar. Over forty years of productive working followed until the early 1880s when the site was abandoned to nature following a brief working for fluorspar, for use in glass making. Being in a rather remote location on a bend in the river, South Hooe is not a site many have stumbled across and is certainly one of the less familiar parts of the World Heritage Site.

The abandoned engine house was to remain in a state of advancing decay until 2010 when the opportunity of applying European Union funding for conservation, through the Natural England Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme, was made known to the site owner. Discussions with Natural England officers, a Cornwall Council archaeologist, and the owner fortunately resulted in an agreement being made which would deliver the funds required for the work. Following archaeological and ecological surveys of the site, and after formulating an appropriate consolidation plan, building work commenced. Darrock & Brown were the contractors undertaking the task, which was delivered, without a hitch, within the ten weeks agreed for the contract.

Part of the HLS agreement was the requirement for improved public access to the site and to this end a programme of four free open days per year are scheduled for each of the ten years of the scheme overall. The first of these was held on 13th June when this once rich silver-lead mine became the backdrop for a day of theatre, stories and music.   

The audience, a mixture of locals and those from further afield, were greeted by the eager smiling faces of 6th form students from Millfield School and were then taken off into the adjoining woods where the medieval sound of ‘Occupants of the Hedge’ serenaded their journey down to the mine. As they made their way beneath the canopy of trees, poems and stories and little quotes hung from every branch, so the way was slow as eager eyes soaked up the words of wisdom. Lucky younger members of the audience may have come across a rabbit spotter in the woods and, if they were very quiet and very patient, a Lesser Spotted Giant Rabbit may have come out to play! On emerging from the wood, the Celtic sound of ‘Dalla’ was wafting down the Tamar Valley. The four-strong Cornish band played on the beautiful stage right above the site of the pumping shaft used during the working days of the mine. As Cornish pasties and elderflower cordial refreshed and nourished the guests the main programme of events began to unfold.

With the backdrop of the engine house, a 40 strong cast of GCSE students performed ‘Brokenville’, a heart-warming tale of the power of storytelling. The live haunting violin playing from one young boy set the tone of the play. Bec Applebee then performed her incredibly brave and absorbing one woman show covering the story of the Cornish highwaywoman Mary Bryant. This intense piece performed on the edge of the Tamar in this way was spell bindingly beautiful and a fantastic way to celebrate the rebirth of an engine house so steeped in history.

The day was also interspersed with snippets of story from Clive Fairweather and little gems of traditional Cornish piping from Dave Hart as well as some impromptu performances from the ‘Tavy Tarrs’ playing songs such as Cousin Jack, a tribute to the miners of Devon and Cornwall. All in all, it was a glorious day of sunshine, music, theatre and stories celebrating the beautifully restored engine house, one of only a few which survive in the west Devon area of the World Heritage Site. 

Daisy Dugmore, 2010

Prior to the start of works both engine houses were in a dangerously unstable condition with significant damage having been inflicted by the weather to both the masonry and timber lintels. Following the acquisition of the site detailed archaeological and ecological studies were commissioned by the Trust to inform an appropriate project design, which would respect both the historic value of the mine and the flora and fauna present. Adam Sharpe, a Senior Archaeologist within Cornwall Council’s Historic Environment department undertook the archaeological survey, with additional technical input to the project kindly provided by members of the Trevithick and Carn Brea Mining societies. The works overall were managed by Mike Hardy, Project Manager for The National Trust.

The eventual conservation work was to be sensitively undertaken using only traditional methods and materials, including lime mortar, but the task was made even more difficult due to the exposed and relatively inaccessible location. A spectacular web of scaffolding was erected to facilitate the work, with that enclosing the engine house at Old Shaft, being particularly impressive. This included a tiered stairway with materials conveyor to access the house which is located on a shelf of rock some 15 metres below the cliff top. In total South Shore Scaffolding Ltd. of St Just erected an estimated 39 tonnes of scaffolding and 256 aluminium beams, with a further 400 metres of steel tethering cable being used to secure the structures. The work itself required an additional 40 tonnes of sand and 8 tonnes of building lime in order that the masonry could be completely repointed. The ensuing work was to be carried out to an exemplary standard by former miner Roger MacLean and his team, and they are to be commended for their skill and dedication in so successfully undertaking this challenging project. In addition to conserving the structures, works were also undertaken to improve public access to the site and help develop the area’s potential for nature conservation.

Mike Hardy of the National Trust commented that “The work here to protect these wonderful mine buildings for everyone to enjoy shows just how valuable and relevant the work of the Neptune Campaign is today. We are very grateful to everyone who has been involved in and so supportive of the work at Trewavas in helping achieve such a positive result.” 

Deborah Boden, World Heritage Site Co-ordinator, added that “The engine houses at Trewavas offer a glimpse of how precarious mining could be. Whilst visually striking, the delicate condition of these important elements of the World Heritage Site was a cause for concern, and stabilisation of the site is a great achievement. The National Trust is to be congratulated for the enthusiasm and commitment they have shown both to this site and the other internationally important industrial heritage assets throughout the World Heritage Site in their care.” 

Wheal Trewavas is part of the A3 Area of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site (i.e. the Tregonning and Gwinear Mining District with Trewavas); it is a Scheduled Monument, with the engine houses also Listed Buildings (Grade II). The spectacular landscape and coastline from Marazion to Falmouth, within which the mine sits, is also part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Works were finally to be concluded in May this year, with the completion of this outstanding project being officially celebrated with an invited audience in July.

Ainsley Cocks, 2009

Since the closure of the No.3 Works in 1980 the site has been the focus of number of regeneration proposals none of which could successfully meet the many heritage conservation challenges posed. The current plans devised by Arrowcity Ltd. and the architects Lilly Lewarne Practice to construct a mixed housing and flats development have been progressed over the last three years to the point where the interests of the WHS are clearly reflected in the scheme.

Careful negotiations have resulted in several key WHS objectives being secured, including 

• the preservation of all the historic buildings and retention of the site’s OUV
• the design of the new-build houses and apartments has been influenced to ensure they are in-keeping with the industrial character of the site, thus retaining the lower site occupation density rather than inappropriately mimicking the surrounding high-density housing
• Cornwall County Council’s Historic Environment Service Advice Team, acting on behalf of the WHS Office, have worked with the developer to commission a full recording programme for historic buildings and buried archaeology in advance of redevelopment as a PPG16 planning Condition

The Cornish Mining WHS Office have supported the latest planning application and see this site as an exemplar of what can be achieved when discussions are instigated at an early stage between heritage agencies and developers. Deborah Boden, World Heritage Site Co-ordinator, commented 

“The developers, Arrowcity Ltd working with Lilly Lewarne Practice, are to be congratulated for responding positively to the distinctive character of this site and ensuring that this is retained within the development proposals.”

Ainsley Cocks, 2008

At first it seemed that Geevor would be quickly obliterated, its machinery sold off for scrap, its buildings demolished, and the site levelled and forgotten, but the site was saved from the scrapmen in 1991 through its purchase by Cornwall County Council in recognition of its unique importance to the County. It has been operated as Cornwall’s largest and most authentic mining heritage site since its reopening in 1993, for the past few years being managed by a local charitable trust – Pendeen Community Heritage. The site attracts a large number of visitors, keen to explore this conserved Cornish tin mine, see the impressive range of mining machinery still on site and experience the working environment of early miners in the Wheal Mexico Shallow Adit.

However, many of Geevor’s buildings had received no significant maintenance whatsoever for many decades. The extensive mill and satellite buildings were becoming increasingly derelict and dangerous, and the asbestos content of their roofing sheets no longer met modern safety standards 

The museum and other existing interpretation facilities, set up on a shoe-string budget in 1992, were recognised as no longer suitable for a growing visitor market, whilst Geevor has been put forward as a World Heritage Site Key Centre – one of three locations in Cornwall and west Devon at which the newly-inscribed Site would have overarching interpretation. If Geevor was to have a future, extensive conservation works and brand new, professionally designed interpretation would be required.

In July 2007, successful applications for £3.4m million grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Objective One allowed work to begin on a major conservation project to achieve these ends. South-west based Midas Construction were appointed as principal contractors, the works are being supervised by Stratton and Holborow of Exeter, and Cornwall’s Historic Environment Service are providing a specialist Historic Building Consultancy, given that the whole of the site is a Scheduled Monument.

Many of the works involved are straightforward, though on a massive scale – the large 1980s extension to the mill had originally been clad and roofed in steel sheeting which had not performed well in the salty atmosphere experienced on this coastal site, and which needed complete replacement. On the whole of the rest of the mill and surrounding buildings, cement-asbestos roof cladding had reached the end of its life and hundreds of deteriorating roof sheets had to be replaced with modern, safer equivalents. Other buildings on the site have been spruced up with timber repairs, reglazed in polycarbonate for safety reasons, repainted and provided with power supplies meeting modern standards. Specialist contractors and the highest quality materials have been used throughout to ensure that the works will ensure a long future for the site, whilst work specifications have been carefully scrutinised to make sure that they are appropriate and sustainable.

However, some buildings posed rather more complicated challenges. The miners’ dry (or change house) had been built of a poor-quality mass concrete reinforced with wire rope, old drill steels and whatever else had come to hand. This had not stood the test of time particularly well, and if it was going to survive would need the application of some radical conservation techniques, as with the 1930’s concrete ore bins, where airborne salt had caused advanced corrosion to its steel reinforcing, leading to extensive structural damage. The site’s two arsenic calciners required extensive decontamination before building contractors were allowed anywhere near them, and both would need new scantled slate roofs and repointing. The Project has therefore drawn in a wide range of specialist contractors and used innovative solutions to the conservation of some particularly difficult problems.

The other major element of the project was the creation of a brand-new museum of hard rock mining on the site. Rather than constructing a new building from scratch, the decision was taken to construct the new museum as a free-standing structure within an existing empty building – the Top Fitting Shop. From the outside, this building will look almost unchanged – inside, it will provide a full range of modern interpretation facilities on a number of floors, allowing the explanation of the geological background, technical and social history of Geevor in ways which will be accessible to a wide range of visitors.

Work is now well under way and although Geevor is currently a flurry of activity with work in progress on many buildings, careful negotiations between the contractors, project team and the site managers have ensured that visitors can still explore most parts of the site. Indeed, the works have become very much a talking point and have added an unexpected angle to the visitor experience, and the site guides lose no opportunity to encourage repeat visits next year to experience the new facilities. 

By late spring next year, then, the Project will be approaching completion, and a high-profile launch for the new museum is planned. Geevor’s days as an active mine may have finally come to an end, but the works currently being carried out will ensure that it will have a long and high-profile future in telling the story of this most quintessential of Cornish industries to local school children and visitors.

Adam Sharpe, 2008