Visiting the WHS

The Port of Hayle

Named after heyl, the Cornish word for estuary, this Area is dominated by water: rivers, pools, sluicing ponds, quays, wharves, and, of course, the sea. Huge sand dunes lie between the town and the beautiful St Ives Bay, with the dark hills of the West Penwith Moors looming to the west.
Read more
Aerial view of Hayle - Steve Hartgroves

Wendron Mining District

In the heart of beautiful countryside surrounded by open moorland and gushing streams, Wendron is one of the smallest Areas in the Site – although its rich tin deposits meant it once had enough inhabitants to rival the combined population of Redruth and Camborne.
Read more
The Greensplat Engine at Poldark Mine (Wheal Roots) Wendron - Ainsley Cocks

Tregonning & Gwinear Mining Districts with Trewavas

The largest of the ten Areas, Tregonning and Gwinear contains diverse landscapes ranging from the idyllic pastoral charms of the rural farmland in the west of the Area to the atmospheric cliffscapes at Rinsey, with silent woods, exposed hills and subtropical gardens in between.
Read more
Godolphin House Garden - Ainsley Cocks

Tamar Valley Mining District with Tavistock

Set in a National Landscape (a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the Tamar Valley encompasses a breathtaking landscape that is as diverse as it is historically important. 
Read more
Westbridge Cottages Tavistock - Barry Gamble

St Just Mining District

A stone’s throw from Land’s End, this is the most westerly Area of the Site.
Read more
The 'Miners' Chapel' St Just - Emma Parkman

St Agnes Mining District

Famous for its spectacular coastline and well-preserved Cornish engine houses perched on rugged cliffs, such as the iconic Wheal Coates; one of the most photographed and well known Cornish Houses.
Read more
St Agnes Museum - Emma Parkman

Luxulyan Valley with Charlestown

From tranquil green woods to a bustling harbour village, the landscapes of Luxulyan Valley and Charlestown are very different. However, they share important similarities: both are stunningly beautiful places with fantastic walks and rich mining histories to explore, and both were created by two …
Read more
Treffry Viaduct Luxulyan Valley - Ainsley Cocks

Gwennap Mining District with Devoran, Perran & Kennall Vale

For a period in the 19th century Gwennap was described as the “richest square mile anywhere on Earth”.
Read more
Gwennap Pit Busveal - Barry Gamble

Caradon Mining District

This rugged, windswept and mostly treeless Area sits high up in a remote but beautiful corner of Bodmin Moor.
Read more
Prince of Wales Shaft Engine House Phoenix United Mine Minions - Ainsley Cocks

Camborne & Redruth with Wheal Peevor & Portreath

This was the centre of the Cornish mining industry, and home to many of its most important mines and individuals. 
Read more
The Robinson's Shaft Engine South Crofty Mine (Heartlands) - Ainsley Cocks