On this part of the Cornish coast we are firmly in mining
territory, so much so that the makers of Poldark chose St Agnes Head as one of
the locations for the TV series, using it to represent the Nampara Valley, part
of the Poldark family’s estate. Find out
more about the locations used in my sister blog Britain On Page and Screen. In order to soak up some of the
Poldark atmosphere, park in the cark park and walk towards the coastguard’s
lookout, then head along the coast in a westerly direction to the evocative
Wheal Coates, a former tin mine which closed in 1889 and which now enjoys
UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Further
east, between Trevaunance Cove and the village of St Agnes, you will find
another notable mine called Wheal Friendly, which produced 160 tons of high
grade copper ore between 1823 and 1825.
Trevaunance Cove is a short distance to the north of St
Agnes. It used to have an important
harbour serving the local mines, but the harbour was destroyed by a terrible
storm in 1915. The beach here has plenty
of sand exposed at low tide, and is popular with surfers. St Agnes was a thriving village back in the
mining years, with up to 1,000 people employed in the tin and copper mines, a
time recalled in the local museum. Among
its historic streets is a stepped terrace of cottages, former ships captains’
houses, with the intriguing name of Stippy Stappy Lane. Winston
Graham, author of the Poldark novels, took the lane as inspiration for a lane
in his fictional village of St Anne’s. Near the lane is yet another mine called West Wheal Kitty, which closed in 1930.
Map of the area.
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