Trewavas Mine recieves local nod of approval

They say a week is a long time in politics but what about conservation ? Perhaps it's just about getting older but the time certainly seems to fly by quicker than it used to. It was only a year ago that we were out on the cliffs at Trewavas Mine celebrating the succesful consolidation work on these amazing Mine buildings, and it doesnt feel like 5 minutes since the Trust had just acquired them and we were fretting about what a challenge the work would be.



...and then an email arrives last week saying we had just won a Commendation Award from the Cornish Buildings Group for the project work completed.



Well, I hope the photo's give a flavour of what we were up against. Thirty-nine tonnes of scaffolding, forty tonnes of sand and eight tonnes of lime required for starters ! One replacement lintel alone required three half tonne timbers of green oak to be brought onto site and slotted into place like a giant version of Jenga.

Three things stand out for me. Firstly, without the Trusts’s Neptune Coastline Campaign (which funded the £550,000 of the conservation work) we might still be worrying and searching for a way to protect this wonderful place.

Secondly, how everyone on the project team and wider community pulled together to make it all happen despite the enormous challenges. Thanks again to everyone.



And finally, the wonder and respect these buildings instil in me for the knowledge, skills and spirit of the Cornish engineers who built and operated these mines. If you ever need your imagination fired and your spirits lifted take a stroll out to Trewavas on the coast path – you won’t be disappointed.