History of Cornwall King Arthur Legend Prehistoric Cornwall Cornwall Mining History

Cornish Mining History

The Camborne and Redruth, Camborne meaning 'crooked hill' and Redruth from rhyd meand ford and ruth meaning red, are renowned for their history of both tin and copper mining. This area contains some of the largest of the 18th and 19th century mines in Cornwall, of which Dolcoath and Carn Brea are two of the best known, with Carn Brea being the key central area of important mines and a centre of industrial development. It's all in the geology, with tin and copper loads aplenty, with copper often in the upper depths and tin deeper. Mines in this area reached great depths such as Dolcoath where tin was mined 750 metres below the copper lodes.

The history of copper and tin mining in the Camborne and Redruth area are intricately linked to the history of Cornwall itself, and indeed the development of mining internationally, as skilled migrating Cornish miners spread their knowledge throughout the world. Some big industrial and engineering names came out of this region, with one of the most famous being Richard Trevithick (1771-1833), who made the first beam engine. Trevithick is celebrated annually in Camborne at the end of April on Trevithick Day.

St Agnes is an important mining site in Cornwall, and you'll find the remains of both ancient tin mines and copper mines here. Dramatic engine houses perch on the cliff tops, making for sublime photography indeed. Much work is afoot in this area to attain Heritage status, check the Cornish Mining History Weblink to the right for details and learn more about how the grinding work of Cornish Mining families working pretty autonomously and under some horrendous conditions boosted the wealth of this country and spread their mining skills across the world. Start at the St Agnes Parish Museum which displays numerous mining artefacts and photographs, and take your mining trail tour around the town including dramatic Wheal Coats to the south west and the Blue Hills Mine and Tin Streams, now restored to the east at Trevellas.

The area around and including the small town of St Just is prime Cornish mining territory, with numerous mine remains including the striking coastal mines of Greevor and Levant. The small town of St Just is a superb example of a classic small mining settlement, with public houses, hotels, and distinctive terraced mining cottages. Fascinating mining remains worth visiting in this area of West Cornwall include Geevor Mine & Heritage Centre at Pendeen (see website right), and stunning Levant Mine right on the coast. The St Just mining region is starting to open up brilliantly to the public, with guided walk leaflets available and more - check the St Just Heritage website right for more details. Geevor Tin Mine is particularly special as it's the largest surviving tin mine sites in Europe.

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Cornwall & the King Arthur Legend

Tintagel on the North Cornwall Coast proudly proclaims it is the birthplace of King Arthur, and Tintagel pays due homage, although some say it's gone King Arthur crazy. King Arthur's Great Halls attraction is well worth a visit for a family outing especially, with it's laser light show and storytelling approach to the King Arthur Legend, emphasis on the legend! The highlight of Tintagel however has to be it's idyllic castle, situated on a small island just off shore. Unmissable is Tintagel Castle, as is this stretch of wild North Cornwall coastline. Hook into the South West Coast Path and explore the many unspoilt beaches and steep cliffs - magic!

Onward and upward on your Cornwall King Arthur trail, park up at Jamaica Inn on the outskirts of Bodmin Moor (made famous by Daphne du Maurier's novel of the same name) and walk 1 mile south of Jamaica Inn to Dozmary Pool, supposed resting place for the Lady of the Lake and Arthur's swod Excalibur!

Rainy day boredom blues with the kids - ha ha, me hearties head for Tunnels Through Time in Newquay where life-size, cough, realistic figures of yesteryears mythical figures of sea and land abound, Say hey up to King Arthur and Merlin and watch out for the smugglers. There's a hairy exhibition on suffers of the plague, the hazards of mining and the misery of transportation - or take a trip down the 'Dungeon of Despair', if you dare ha haaaaaaaaaa grrrrr. Spook. There's quite a few 'tongue in cheek', great for the kids King Arthur entertainment venues across Cornwall. This one in Newquay is great fun. The King Arthur Legend for kids is also well covered at the superb family oriented 'Land's End Experience'.

The Isles of Scilly do justice to the King Arthur legend too. There's plenty of Arthurian myth pertaining to the islands - King Arthur's men are supposed to have retreated to the Scillies after a fatal battle. Somewhat dubious! The uninhabited Eastern Isles of the archipelago are steeped in legend, with one islet - around the Great Arthur area thought to be the possible grave site of King Arthur in the 6th Century AD. Bronze Age graves anyway are situated here. The Eastern Islands see some puffins and seals too, but for the best viewings of Puffins head for Annet in April! Other points of interest on the Eastern Islands include findings of Roman jewellery and house foundations at Nornour.

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Celtic History & Prehistoric Cornwall

Cornish Celtic Festivals anyone? The Lowender Peran Celtic Festival held at the end of October annually in Perranporth on the North Cornwall coast is one of the best Celtic festivals, and certainly one of the most renowned Cornish Celtic Festivals. On the programme are an array of Celtic and Cornish activities including concerts, Ceilis, dance displays, workshops and explorations of the Cornish Language, pipers, a Celtic Craft Market, street dancing, costumed pageant, theatre, story telling, and general workshops on dialect and the Cornish Language. It's a marvellous event, and a superb introduction into ancient Cornish heritage, and Celtic traditions and history.

This superb witchcraft museum in Boscastle is a must visit for those interested in Cornwall's pagan history, plus witchcraft in general. It's been here for over 40 years, so has amassed one of the best collections of witchcraft artefacts internationally and is naturally one of Cornwall's most popular museums.

The Isles of Scilly Museum in Hugh Town, St Mary's sprung up after the 1962 storms and gales threw up numerous Romano-British finds! About 60% of the Scilly Islands are prime archaeological territory, with many Bronze Age sites and monuments scattered across the Islands. The Isles of Scilly Museum is a good place to start on you exploration of these precious sites. As well as Bronze Age monuments and burial grounds there are also many examples of Roman, early Medieval, Tudor, Civil War, and 18th, 19th and 20th century defence works to see. Various Bronze Age settlements and burial sites are scattered across the Isles of Scilly.

There's a choice of prehistoric sites across Bodmin Moor, including stone circles, standing stones, burial mounds and so on. Check the Bodmin Moor Pages weblink right for more comprehensive details. One of the best areas in Bodmin Moor for prehistoric sites is to the South and East of the moor around Minions, taking in the magical Hurlers - not just one circles of stones but three circles of mammoth standing stones - a sublime sight to see indeed.

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Maritime History, Smuggling & Falmouth Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth has something for everyone, including seafaring historians and enthusiasts, as well as families with children. As well as a selection of exhibits covering subjects as diverse as explorer endurance and the Scott South Pole expedition and exhibits which focus on particularly marine artists such as 'Powder' Thurburn, there's plenty of fun and educational workshops for kids. Lots of opportunities in this superb maritime museum for kids to interact, with Jolly Rodger Birthday parties, play areas with a nautical theme for the under 5s and more.

The Charlestown Shipwreck Museum situated right on the waterfront at Georgian Charlestown just outside St Austell in South Cornwall is a superb museum indeed. A must visit if you're in the area, this museum isn't just crammed with exhibits and artefacts from shipwrecks in the area, it also has fascinating display on diving equipment, the history of gas!, sea rescue, china clay mining heritage and an exhibition on Admiral Lord Nelson. It's a mix then of maritime history in the area, with a few surprise exhibitions thrown in.

If you're wanting to find out more about Cornwall's shipbuilding history, particular Luggers as well as the history of the fishing industry in Cornwall head for Looe on Cornwall's East coast. The Old Guildhall on Higher Market Street in East Looe is now the site of a splendid local history museum delving into Looe's fishing history and harbour particularly. Looe is still a bustling busy fishing harbour and renowned particularly for it's shark fishing. The old Guildhall dates back to around 1500 and is Looe's oldest building. Well worth a look to explore Looe's shipbuilding history particularly. From the 1850s to the 1920 Looe was a key centre for Lugger building.

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Cornwall Castles

St Michael's Mount off Mount's Bay near Penzance is one of Cornwall's most popular attractions. Hook into the relatively cheap ferry across to visit the mount which has the odd legend attached to it, one being it was once the home of a giant. St Michael's Mount has been found recorded in records as far back as the fourth century, and it began as a port used by local Marazion fishermen. Then, cor gawd blimey, some sailors had a vision in the 5th century (might have been a bit tipsy perhaps?) that they saw St Michael - on the Mount. After this by the 8th century they'd built a church and monastery on the mount. Followed by dissolution by Henry VII, then use as an arms storing fort by the Royalists during the English Civil War. The St Aubyn family took it over, finally donating it to the National Trust although a St Aubyn still lives on the Mount.

St Mawes Castle on the Roseland Peninsula is strikingly intact, largely due to the fact that it fell into Parliamentary hands early in the English Civil War. Right on the coast, with a stunning outlook towards Falmouth and out to sea, St Mawes Castle remains one of Henry VIII's most ornate coastal fortresses, and a memorable Cornwall castle to visit indeed! Built between 1535 and 1545, St Mawes Castle is mirrored by the larger Pendennis Castle across the Fal Estuary at Pendennis Point near Falmouth. Check the English Heritage weblink right for further details on opening times, tours and corporate hire of the castle. Pendennis Castle, facing St Mawes Castle across the Carrick Roads, was built between 1540 and 1545.

Tintagel's 13th Century castle is one of the most celebrated castles in the country, not just for it's sublime position facing the Atlantic full on, and on an island, but also for the interesting Arthurian legend built around it. Tintagel Castle is joined to the mainland by a very thin strip or neck of land, and it's links with the King Arthur Legend can be dated even before the 13th Century. The motivation of Tintagel Castle's builder, Earl Reginald of Cornwall was no doubt influenced by a desire to indulge the legend. Still, some interesting artefacts continue to emerge for the Dark Ages site excavations in the area, particularly the so called 'Arthur Stone' found in 1998 with the Latin 'Artognov' inscribed on it! If it isn't Arthur, it's certainly a wealthy noble by that name who frequented the area. All interesting stuff.

Launceston Castle, in the old capital of Cornwall - Launceston/East Cornwall, despite it's strategic position has never been captured or besieged. Dating from the 11th century and built by the Count de Mortain half brother to William the Conqueror, this Cornish Castle has served more as a powerhouse for Assizes (law courts) and as a prison. The splendid Keep is Norman, and well worth the climb to the top for panoramic views. The castle grounds are free to enter, but you have to pay to get into the Castle to view the Keep. There's a good exhibition situated in the Victorian custodian's lodge with a gift shop.

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