Visit a mine!!

Wendron, Cornwall, England South West

Recommendation added: 24/03/2006 18:57
By: jsimons128 (YSUK rating +100)

jsimons128 has been thanked 3 times for this contribution

"One of Cornwall's oldest villages, Wendron is situated among wind-swept moorlands containing earthworks, holy wells, standing stones and other reminders of life long past.
For instance, there are remains of a prehistoric stone circle, called the Nine Maidens, on the road to Redruth, while a holy well, believed to be more than 2000 years old and now enclosed by a tiny 15th century chapel, is at Trewennack, a mile or so to the south of Wendron. Until the 1930s, tin had been mined around here for perhaps 2000 years and more. Indeed, there were nearly 50 mines within a couple of miles or so of Wendron church in the 17th century.
Ruins of the fine buildings that housed the powerful beam engines that pumped the levels free of water and brought the ore to the surface still dot the landscape.
But the most exciting link with the old tin mines is on the edge of Wendron village itself. Here, Wheal Roots, a long abandoned working, has been opened up so that visitors can get some idea of the working conditions of the old miners
Little is known about the history of the mine, but it is thought to have been begun in the 1720s. And, although there is a reference to it on a 1856 map, it was then described as having long been abandoned.
For more than one century, the mine was forgotten until Peter Young, managing director of Poldark mining, discovered it and opened it up to reveal a great chlorite chamber that nobody had entered for more than 200 years.
And at the entrance to the mine he has built up a fantastic collection of beam engines and other mining equipment, all carefully restored and working once again.
Wendron is situated on the Helston-Redruth road. It has a pub, a provision shop and ample parking.
Poldark Mining is open every day from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Other attractions include picnic lawns, children's amusement, a gift shop and cafeteria and a museum of bygones containing, for instance, 2000 flat irons. Great mine, great day out, great attraction!!"