The abandoned - but beautiful - tin mines of Cornwall are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cornwall - just mention the name and you think of craggy cliffs, cream teas, stories of smugglers... Yet surprisingly one of the most fascinating things about this county, in the south-west tip of England, is its industrial heritage. Cornwall was an important tin mining area for centuries. In fact the tin industry here dates back to the Bronze Age and the landscape is dotted with the industry’s evocative remains: the brick engine houses and slim chimney stacks of abandoned mines. So important are they historically, that they have now been given UNESCO World Heritage status.
One of the best places to see these mines is around St Agnes, on the north Cornish coast. The village, just off the A30, has long associations with tin mining and there is an old Cornish saying: Sten Sen Agnes an gwella yn Kernow – St Agnes tin is the finest in Cornwall. There are great beaches here, and the cliff walks are stunning: in Spring the landscape is spattered with golden gorse bushes. St Agnes has plenty of accommodation and is also on the South West Coast Path, the long distance walking trail around Cornwall. One fine walking route on the cliffs is to St Agnes Head. It’s a dramatic spot, windy even on a fine day, with the sea crashing onto the rocks far below. The cliff faces are pitted with holes, dug by early Cornishmen searching for tin. Another picturesque site is Wheal Coates mine – the remains of which have been restored. Owned by the National Trust, it operated from the 19th-century until 1914. It is said to be haunted.
Life was harsh and dangerous for tin miners and many superstitions evolved. It was unlucky to whistle underground or mention the word ‘hares’. And miners would always leave a small piece of their lunch to placate the ‘knockers’ – temperamental beings that haunted the mines and warned of roof falls.
For a real taste of old Cornwall, visit Blue Hills Tin Streamers, a fascinating tin streaming works, run by the Wills family. It’s in a hidden valley, just a short drive out of St Agnes. Tin streaming is a bit like gold panning, and has been practised in Cornwall since Bronze Age times. It’s like watching history come alive.
More well preserved mining heritage is around St Just, an area even further west than St Agnes. Geevor Tin Mine, which opened and closed several times during its history, is now a museum. A visit includes an underground tour, that gives a sense of what life might have been like for a Cornish miner in the past.
