Cornish Gold Centre and Tolgus Tin

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B175
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

6 years ago

Has anyone been round these recently? Is Tolgus Tin open and working? I see the Gold Centre website is quite enthusiastic (in a 'heritage' way) about the Tolgus tin bit. Mrs B175 and I are often down in the area and a visit might be desirable.

I don't know if it means much today but the building housing the Gold Centre was originally designed to be the mill for Wheal Concord's rich ore.

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Morrisman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

You will probably find that Tolgus Tin is now closed for winter, might be some tlc going on sometime so you might find someone there to let you in, if you are lucky.

Cornish Gold was being built as a mill until the price collapse, it had walls about four feet high when everything stopped. Site was sold off and gold people took over.

I live up the road, and at one time a guide at Tolgus.

Chalcocite
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

By peasants I suppose you mean posh cockney grockels. 🙂

scooptram
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

seen a video of the state of the mill the other day , couldn't believe the mess its in now after all that hard work;(

JonK
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

Surely emmets not grockels since this is wrong side of the Tamar.

Chalcocite
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Newbie

6 years ago

Stand corrected you're absolutely right,! 🙂

Roy Morton
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Newbie

6 years ago

A chap called Geoff Bull ran the place back in the 1980s, and he had aspirations to reinstate the leat which runs the length of the new Portreath road.
A group of us volunteered to dig it out down to the original clay base and clear out all the rubbish that had accumulated over the years.
It took a year to do it and then nothing further was done.
Still, I guess it was an achievement, if only from the practical side of things. It would certainly be a great deal easier to get water flowing in there now like it last did in the 70s but I'm guessing that that will never happen.

"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"

scooptram
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

looked at reinstating the leat when I was there didn't need to much work but a change of my manager who knew everything about everything killed that off same as he killed off any more restoration to the mill :curse: :guns:

Roy Morton
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

It's a real pity about Tolgus. The place has so much going for it and lots of potential for developing into a star attraction, give the Poldark effect of late, which has been responsible for a significant rise in visitors to the county. What's needed is cash and commitment, both sadly in short supply.

"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"

B175
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

6 years ago

#10

According to Cornwall Gold's website:

See how rock from local mining waste was pulverised by huge stamping machines, learn about the machinery and explore the ingenuity and human stories behind this last working link to Cornwall’s past.

Tolgus Mill is an ongoing restoration project. The proceeds from our Tolgus jewellery collection along with visitor donations allow us to keep this heritage alive.

We are very proud to look after and protect this unique piece of Cornish heritage for future generations.

“Tolgus Mill has been described as a national treasure!’’ – Media Scene

“For those wishing to learn more about the tinners and their work, a visit to Tolgus Tin Mill should be top of their list.’’ – My Cornwall Magazine

So clearly a unique attraction well worth visiting.

But if they're not so keen to keep it up then maybe some sort of arrangement with, say, the Trevithick Society's KEM might be possible?

somersetminer
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Newbie

6 years ago

#11

"B175" wrote:

So clearly a unique attraction well worth visiting.

But if they're not so keen to keep it up then maybe some sort of arrangement with, say, the Trevithick Society's KEM might be possible?

KEM sadly dont really have the man power to look after Tolgus as well, the mill is quite extensive. It needs dedicated full time staff like it had,
not volunteers who dont know the mechanical side and not tables running on auto until they shake themselves apart.
There is so little working equipment remaining from that side of the industry it needs to be made a priority too

scooptram
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#12

would love to know where the tin is coming from ! its not off the tables in that mill !!!

1944pam
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Newbie

5 years ago

#13

A point of correction. The Trevithick Society does not own or run KEM. The site is owned by Cornwall C C and managed by KEM Ltd a volunteer driven charity.