Adam Burton Photography

Yesterday’s Riches

Wheal Coates, St Agnes, Cornwall

Ref: BB048230
Gallery: Cornwall

Mining for tin and copper had taken place in Cornwall as far back as the Bronze Age; by the time this engine house at Wheal Coates was opened in 1872 Cornwall was the premier tin mining field in the whole world.  At it’s peak there were around 2000 tin mines throughout Cornwall, many reaching deep beneath the cliffs and stretching far out under the sea bed.  However, by the late 19th Century mining in Cornwall was in decline, and many Cornish miners began emigrating to South Africa, Australia and North America where their skills were highly sought after.  Finally in 1998 the last remaining mine closed, leaving only the abandoned clifftop engine houses as reminders of Cornwall’s rich heritage.