iKnow Cornwall
Redruth Accommodation
Redruth & Camborne Mining Trails - here on the Great Lode
Great Lode Trail Mining Remains, Camborne & Redruth
Redruth Mining Engineers - World Renowned during the Industrial Revolution
Richard Trevithick - Cornwall's Mining Son
Mining Remains around the Great Lode Trail from Carn Brea Heights
King Edward Mine & Museum, Adjacent to the Great Lode Trail
On Top of Carn Brea, Camborne & Redruth
Panoramic Views from the Top of Carn BreaRedruth Mining Gwennap Pit Methodism Cornwall History
Redruth, like Camborne, is marked by it's mining history and is an integral part of the Cornwall Settlement Initiative. The town centre offers some fascinating civic architecture and mining remains including the huge Pednadrea Chimney which has stood in the centre of Redruth since 1824. The Old Cornwall Society Museum is also well worth a look in the centre of Redruth.
Mining buildings of interest include the Grade II listed mining exchange building dating from 1880, plus various homes of mining notables including Belmont House (1837) and Murdoch House (c.1660), once the home of a notable mining engineer. Marks of Redruth's methodism are also here, with Plain-an-Gwarry Chapel (1883, Listed Grade II) and designed by local architect James Hicks for the Primitive Methodists.
Gwennap Pit & Methodism
Just to the South of Redruth is a most interesting features, which relates to both mining and methodist history in the area, and is well worth a look. At Gwennap Pit subsidence resulted in the formation of a natural amphitheatre or open air preaching pit! This preaching pit is particularly famous because John Wesley used it and preached here no less than 18 times from 1776-89. In memory of Wesley local people got together and excavated the pit further in 1806, adding turf seats. It's still used for methodist meets every year on Whit-Monday, and for other events. Significantly Chartists also used this natural open air pit for their meetings.
Redruth Mining History
As with the surrounding Camborne area there are many engine house remains scattered around Redruth. For a comprehensive list of sites check the Cornish Mining History site link to the right. Of particular interest in the area is the Tolgus Tin Streaming site just to the north of Redruth off the A30. This is the site of the last remaining tin streaming site in Cornwall, and is currently undergoing much restoration work. At one time there were 15 tin streaming sites in this valley.
Tin streaming sites like this one at Tolgus actually processed tin waste produced by other mines, and were perceived as 'scavengers' of the tin industry. But the tin streaming sites in this area, mostly owned by the Uren Brothers, were absolutely crucial and involved things like the disposal of by-products such as arsenic and sulphur. Burning at Calciners such as the Calciner on the Redruth Road were used, and in the early days much of the fumes were released across the local countryside. Tours of Tolgus are now open to the public and this really is a fascinating exhibit, comprehensive not just for it's exploration of tin streaming and the workings of the tin industry, but also in it's focus on the hardships of mine workers. Clear explanations are given into the organisation of the mining workforce and the disadvantages of mine workers as compared to Adventurers!
Turn off the A30 at Redruth. Follow the signs to the Cornish Goldcentre, on the B3300, Redruth to Portreath road at the Cornish Goldcentre. Open every day (closed on Christmas Day), Monday to Saturday: 9.30 to 5.00 or dusk during the winter. Sunday: 10.30 to 4.30.
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