03.06.05
£6 Million Grant for Cornwall's
Central Mining District
A joint partnership between Cornwall County Council's environment
and heritage service and Kerrier District Council has secured
funding approval to complete £5.5 million of conservation
and regeneration improvements in Cornwall's central mining
district, Camborne, Redruth, Gwennap and St. Day.
Investors including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Objective
One and the South West Regional Development Agency, gave the
go-ahead following an initial funding of £500,000 in
2004 to carry out a twelve month project development. This
involved examining the feasibility of creating a new heritage
trail network, conserving a number of important mining heritage
sites and carrying out enhancement works in key mining villages.
The Project will now be able to start the huge task of implementing
the works developed through the last 12 months including:
• Conserving 11 mining heritage sites in Carrick and
Kerrier preserving 10 Grade II listed and 3 Schedule Monument
structures and making safe numerous dangerous shafts;
• Creating a 30 km heritage trail network of multi use
bridleways, predominantly off road to provide an overall 60km
integrated network linking mine sites, mining heritage attractions,
settlements, public transport and visitor facilities building
on the works already completed to create the Coast to Coast
Trail and Great Flat Lode Trails;
• Enhancement works in 13 villages adjoining the Mineral
Tramways trail network creating new links to bring locals
and visitors from the trails in to the villages to benefit
local businesses and;
• Major marketing, education and interpretation programmes
to maximise the economic benefits of the project and increase
awareness of the area's heritage.
Officers from Kerrier District Council and the County Council's
projects team will work to consolidate these historic sites
and consult with communities to ensure that the village enhancements
match local regeneration priorities.
Simon Murray, acting principal project officer said: "The
project team have worked very hard over the last twelve months
to prepare detailed project information for the Stage 2 grant
funding bid submissions and all of this hard work has paid
off with the approval of the £5.5 million which can
now be used to directly benefit the central mining district
of Cornwall. The project has so far received tremendous support
from the local community and both District and County Councils.
I now hope that continued liaison with the local community
will ensure that the project is successfully delivered on
the ground."
Adam Paynter, the County Council's executive member for environment
and heritage, said: "This is fantastic news for Cornwall.
It's another feather in the cap for Cornwall where a lot of
work is being done to preserve and enhance our important history."
Mark Kaczmarek, Kerrier's portfolio holder for regeneration
and chairman of the Mineral Tramways Partnership Steering
Group said: "I am delighted that all the hard work
we have put into the project has resulted in the extra funding
being granted. This is going to have a real positive impact
on the regeneration of the Mining Villages by linking them
to the very popular Coast to Coast multi-use trail network
by upgrading some of the existing footpaths and bridleway
and creating many kilometres of new trails."
Carleen Kelemen, director of the Objective One Partnership
said: "The Programme has invested more than £1.5
million in this project. Cornwall's mining landscape is of
international importance and the central mining district is
a key part of the proposed World Heritage Site. Investing
in the conservation of this key aspect of the distinctiveness
of Cornwall provides new and exciting opportunities for both
residents and visitors to visit and explore the countryside.
This will provide the building blocks for heritage-led tourism,
bringing benefits to local businesses and people."
Funding partners include: The Objective One Programme, South
West Regional Development Agency, Heritage Lottery Fund, Cornwall
County Council, Kerrier and Carrick District Councils, and
Parish Councils in the project area.
For further information please contact Monica Kelly at Cornwall
County Council on 01872 322257 or mkelly@cornwall.gov.uk.
The Objective One Programme for Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly has investedin Cornwall's Central
Mining District through the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF).
Editor's notes:
Portreath Incline - forming
part of the Portreath Branchline Trail this local heritage
feature will once again be open to walkers, cyclists and riders
as a bridleway.
Tolgus Calciner ' accessible
from Redruth Town Centre along the Tolgus Trail the former
arsenic works is one of the best remaining examples in the
County.
Magors Engine House '
adjacent to the Coast to Coast Trail these distinctive local
land marks will be accessible for the public to enjoy.
Marshall's ' this District
owned site will be accessible for education and recreation.
Trail Creation works
The overriding aim of the Project is to create an accessible
heritage experience, following as closely as possible the
original mineral tramways and railways within the Project
area, to connect important sites of Cornish mining, and mining
villages with a network of multi use trails, although it has
been necessary through Stage 1 of the Project to revise the
route of some sections of the trail which were presented in
the original funding applications.
Earlier phases of the Project have created the Coast to Coast,
Great Flat Lode, and Tresavean Trails. The new 30.5km multi
use bridleway network consists of 4 new trails:
Redruth and Chasewater Railway
Trail ' The Parish Council, having led the way with
the opening of the Tresavean Trail, and this pioneering work
will be continued with the creation of the Redruth & Chasewater
Trail which connects with the existing Coast to Coast Trail
at Twelveheads, and follows a route through Wheal Maid, to
the south of Carharrack, to the north of Lanner and on to
connect with the Great Flat Lode Trail and the centre of Redruth.
Portreath Branchline Trail
' running up the disused incline railway, using the original
Portreath Branch Line to Alexander Road and Spa Lane on the
outskirts of Illogan, onto Park Bottom, Tuckingmill finally
connecting with the existing Great Flat Lode Trail at Brea
village.
Tolgus Trail ' although
not following the route of an original mineral tramway, this
trail connects the centre of Redruth with the important Tolgus
Calciner heritage site and the Coast to Coast trail at Cambrose.
Tehidy Trail ' running
from the top of the disused Incline in Portreath to the Tehidy
East Lodge car park on Cot Road, and west through the Park
to Coombe.
Mining Heritage Conservation
works
Eleven mining heritage sites are to be conserved as part
of the Project, and include 10 Grade II Listed structures,
3 Scheduled Monuments, and most include national and county
biodiversity (BAP) priority habitats. Once these sites have
been made safe they will be open to the public with information
displayed at each site to explain the previous use of the
site and its importance to Cornish mining.
The following sites are included within the Project:
Higher Condurrow ' here
the remains of the Grade II Listed Woolf's Pumping Engine
House, attached boiler house and chimney will be conserved
and the adjacent shaft made safe.
Marshall's Shaft ' the
two engine houses on this site owned by Kerrier District Council
are both Grade II Listed. The Project will ensure that these
structures and the site's two shafts are made safe to enable
future safe public access.
Betty Adit - The remains
of this Tailings Works site were until September 2004 completely
obscured by dense scrub vegetation, and now cleared the Project
will conserve the remains of the many tin streaming structures
found on the site, including buddles and settling tanks.
Grenville New Stamps '
this is a very important heritage site and has been designated
a Scheduled Monument by English Heritage. The Project will
conserve all remaining structures and install interpretation
to inform visitors of the site's importance.
Thomas's Shaft ' here
the remains of Thomas's Pumping Engine House will be conserved
and the adjacent shaft made safe, with new access created
for those with impaired mobility.
Tolgus Calciner –
This 1933 Brunton Arsenic Calciner is both Scheduled and Grade
II listed being the only one of its kind left in Cornwall,
and the remains of the arsenic labyrinth is also Grade II
Listed.
Penhallick Leats - This
site contains a rare mine leat and iron aqueduct, the former
dating from the 17th century and the latter from the 20th
century which will be conserved through the Project. Roger's
Shaft located on the site will also be treated.
Unity Wood - Mining operations
at this site date back to the medieval period ceasing in the
20th century and Magor's Pumping Engine, and Winding Engine
Houses with their attached chimneys are Grade II Listed structures
of great heritage importance and visual prominence in the
mining landscape.
Wheal Fortune - is an
extremely important mine site containing many remains of walls,
dressing floors and shafts dating back to the 18th century,
however the landowner remains unknown. The Project hopes to
carry out conservation and safety works at this site at no
cost to the landowner who at this stage remains unknown, and
ask that anyone with an interest in the site contact the Project
team.
Cusvey - contains two
Grade II Listed engine houses dating from the early 19th century,
a stack and two shafts, with the engine houses and amongst
the oldest surviving in Cornwall. The Project hopes to carry
out conservation and safety works at this site at no cost
to the landowner who at this stage remains unknown, and ask
that anyone with an interest in the site contact the Project
team.
Ale and Cakes - Clifford
Engine House and attached chimney are Grade II Listed and
originally formed part of the United Mine Complex.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Monica Kelly, Communications Officer, Environment and Heritage
Service, Cornwall County Council on 01872 322257 or mkelly@cornwall.gov.uk
Simon Murray, Cornwall County Council, on 01872 323607 or
scmurray@cornwall.gov.uk
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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