This Workshop is being delivered by Cornwall Underground Adventures.

The workshop will consist of a half day brifing by local mine expert Ben Stumper before an extensive underground tour of a cornish tin mine  specifically tailored for AMI and MTA members.

The tour is a reasonably physically demanding passage exploration featuring repeated obstacles at height which cannot be avoided and may include via ferratas and abseils.

"we will provide you with a caving suit, headlamp, wellies, helmet, and harness. You simply need to wear some old and warm clothes underneath your caving suit, and a spare pair of socks.

We recommend bringing a choice of layers to wear, as well as a second set of clothes in case you want to change halfway through. Finally, you also need to bring lunch, and enough drink and additional snacks to last the day."

To book a place drop Pete Greening an email with the following details:

- Name

- Membership number

- Shoe size

- Height / build

REPORT TEXT

Background:

In the eighteenth century, Cornwall was one of the country’s principle industrial areas. Before the late 1870s, it produced more tin than any other region in the world, and in the early nineteenth century its output of copper was two-thirds of world production. The remains of the mines contribute to a distinctive cultural landscape and are a fascination to both visitors and locals alike. In 2006, UNESCO designated Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape a World Heritage Site.  Anyone climbing/working at Bosigran will be asked about the two engine houses and mining remains adjacent to the Carn Galver Engine House car park, yet few AMI/MTA members know enough about it.

Aims/Objectives:

1. Provide an opportunity for members to learn about the history of mining in Cornwall and its impact on the land and local people.

2. Provide an opportunity for members to learn more about the mining operations at Carn Galver.

3. Provide an opportunity for members to experience and appreciate what it was like to work as a tin miner, by exploring the underground workings of a 400 year old tin mine.

4. To provide an opportunity for members to socialise/network, particularly as most work independently, and in isolation.

What Happened:

Everyone met at the Carn Galver (Bosigran) car park and introduced themselves.  Ben Sumpter and Matt George (both of Cornwall Underground Adventures) then introduced themselves.  Ben led a “walk and talk” tour of the area, talking about the human impact on the landscape, from Bronze Age to modern times.  He explained about the mine at Carn Galver and its workings, the two engine houses, the Count House, the harnessing of water to provide power to drive the Stamps that broke up the rock into gravel, and the buddles that helped to separate the ore from the gravel.  The walk continued from the ruined Stamps building to the uppermost part of Bosigran Ridge. From here Ben pointed out various features on the hillside, including much older surface workings.

We paused here for the Armistice Day2 minute silence to remember the Fallen.

Ben then led us first to Osborne’s Carn, and then onto Watchcroft, where he talked again about the human impact on the landscape, the unscrupulous mine owners, and the miners and their families.  All around were the remnants of various mining operations, including many ‘open’ mine shafts. Both he and Matt answered many questions from the group throughout.  Ben’s knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Cornish mining history is immense and infectious, so much so that it was impossible to take on all the information he gave out.

Once back at Carn Galver, the group drove to St Just to have lunch (some had a Pasty), before descending into the Cot Valley , where Ben and Matt led the group through the 400 year old Wheal Hernon mine. This underground through trip took 3 hours. It is used by Cornwall Underground Adventures for their “Underground Adventurer” tour and was a fitting end to the day.

Were the Aims/Objectives met?  Yes

Lessons Learnt:

1. The subject of Cornish Mining History is huge, too much to fit into one day, but participants felt they had an appreciation of the subject, enough to be able to pass this on to clients etc.

2. Sufficient time was given to learning about the workings at Carn Galver/Bosigran so that folk can include this knowledge onto their clients, and answer questions about it, while on their way down to the cliffs.

3. The underground trip helped to put it all into context, especially the amount of effort that went on to extract the ore from the ground. The workings that can be seen on the surface are small compared to the digging operations that went on below the surface.

4. The impact of the mining operations here were just as important to the Industrial Revolution as those advancements in industry in the mid/north of England.

5. The information given was just as relevant to MTA members as it is to AMI members. It would also be of benefit to BAIML members.

Proposed Changes to Future Events

1. Organise Pasties for everyone (part of experiencing the local culture).

2. Offer it to AMI, BAIML and MTA members.

Participant Feedback:

“A great day.  Learnt loads”

“I always thought I’d crap myself in a tiny dark hole, but somehow enjoyed it”

“Ben certainly knows his stuff!”

Thanks:

Thanks to Ben Sumpter and Matt George for running the day and providing so much information.

https://cornwallunderground.co.uk/

Start

11/11/2021 09:00

End

11/11/2021 17:00

Total Days

1

Maximum Bookings

12

Bookings

6

Venue

Carn Galver Engine House (Bosigran Car Park)

Town

Zennor

County

Cornwall

Postcode

TR20 8YX

Country

United Kingdom

Latitude

50.17259

Longitude

-5.61269

Name

AMI

Phone

07841 746334

Email